Good Do-ers!

36 comments

What’s that? You may well ask! I’m sure you’ve read the phrase many, many times on people’s photos. ‘This is a good do-er’…..but what does it mean?

Today I decided to find out which plants were indeed good do-ers which, to me, means that they have a long flowering period, that they don’t need too much attention, and just get on with what they’re there for!

So here are some ‘good do-ers’ in my garden. They have been in flower for months – and I took their photos today!

Anthemis tinctoria ‘E.C. Buxton’

I have two Anthemis tinctoria in my garden. It’s a matter of preference, not performance, but I prefer the paler one.

If they are dead-headed, they continue to produce flowers into late autumn.

Anthemis tinctoria ‘Sauce Hallandaise’

I like Bergenias – not only are they evergreen, with lovely glossy leaves, but they produce flowers right through the year – admittedly, taking breaks! I have several, one of which has deep red leaves in the winter. That’s called Bergenia ‘Overture’. I inherited the one in the photo – so it’s anonymous!

Bergenia

Roses! Some are ‘good do-ers’ and some aren’t. I know they’re all beautiful – but my ‘Kiftsgate’ is gorgeous for about three weeks, then – nothing. However, other roses do flower more than once – my new bush roses have been in flower since June with hardly a break! Now that’s a good do-er for you!

Rosa floribunda ‘Champagne Moment’

I inherited several roses – one in particular has everyone baffled as to its name – but it’s definitely a good do-er – It has had flowers on it since the end of May!

anonymous climbing rose

I can’t miss out the other climbing plants in flower at the moment. My winter-flowering Clematis cirrhosas are a case in point. It’s the beginning of their flowering period – ‘Freckles’ is always the first of the three in my garden to start flowering. Then ‘Lansdowne Gem’ takes over, and last but not least -‘Wisley Cream’. Collectively, they are good do-ers, even more so than each one on its own!

Clematis cirrhosa ‘Freckles’

In the back garden, I have Solanum laxum ‘Album’. It’s hardy in my garden, but a word of warning – it may not be hardy in your garden, as it needs a sheltered place. It does flower for ages, though – and it is a beauty!

Another genus of plants altogether is the Erysimums. These are the perennial ones, not the bedding out kind of wall flowers. I have several in the garden – ‘Apricot Twist’, ‘Bowles Mauve’, ’Hector’s Gatepost’, ’Walberton’s Fragrant Sunshine’ and this one – which is my favourite. The others are all still in flower, as well – since early in the year, too.

Erysimum linifolium ‘Variegatum’

Several members saw a recent photo I posted of this Campanula – it has a real mouthful of a name, but it just flowers and flowers! It is a bit of a thug – Oh! there’s another expression often seen on the site – it means that the plant in question does spread and try to make a ‘take-over bid’ for the bed it’s growing in!

This Campanula can be kept under control quite easily, though, by pulling out the parts that have spread too far. You can even dig pieces out for other people! LOL. Warn them first, though.

Campanula poscharskyana

Lots of people grow fuchsias – tender plants needing winter protection, and some that are hardy and can stay in the soil during the winter, ready to grow again in spring. I have two in particular which are definitely good do-ers. Quite different flowers, but equally long-flowering.

Fuchsia ‘Mrs Popple’

Fuchsia magellicana ‘Margaret Brown’

Oh, and I found some geraniums still in flower. These, as you probably know, are a passion of mine – I just love them in the garden! They are well-worth growing, and several are on the ‘good do-er’ list. ‘Rozanne’ and ‘Pink Penny’ have only got a couple of flowers left, but they are there, on the list.

Unfortunately, I also have quite a number which are anonymous pink ones. This is because they have the habit of hybridising and becoming ‘look-alikes’. It only seems to be the pink ones that do this – but never mind – they are so useful for colour from spring to the frosts.

Geranium sanguineum

anonymous pink geranium

Geranium ‘Pink Penny’

Geranium ‘Rozanne’

Now here’s my favourite thug! I don’t mind it being one, though – it softens the edges of paths and beds; it flowers on and on and on, too. Actually, I encourage it in my garden – except when its little seedlings pop up in the steps – then I have to remove them.

If I were ‘posh’ I’d call this pretty little daisy my ‘signature plant’…but I’m not posh – I just love it!

Erigeron karvinskianus

A much larger flowered relative of my favourite is this Erigeron – it suffered quite a lot in last winter’s very cold weather. I was surprised! I shall count it as a good do-er, in spite of its troubles, as it looks great for so long.

Erigeron glaucus

On to a shrub which is also in flower today – and has a lot more buds to open yet. As it began to flower back in late spring, I think it counts.

Lavatera ‘Cynthia Nixon’

And another shrub which seems to be the best ‘doe-er’ of any! It begins to flower about now – and continues right through the winter until late spring. Even after that, it may well produce some more flowers! If I had room for only one shrub in my garden, I think it would have to be this Viburnum, for sheer flower-power!

Viburnum tinus

Another shrub well worth its place in my garden is this Hebe. I have several Hebes, and most of them flower once – and that’s it for the year. This type, though, keeps on producing very welcome flowers. The bees and butterflies love them! I saw a beautiful butterfly on this Hebe this morning – it flew away just before I got there. Typical!

I inherited a whole bed of Osteospermum jucundum, with a few more around the garden as well. Some of those plants have gone ‘woody’ and have had to be dug out. I tried other so-called hardy Osteospermum plants to take their place, but none made it through the winter – I’m not talking about last winter, either! This one is the only truly hardy species. There are only a few odd flowers left now – but the plants have been flowering their socks off for months!

Osteospermum jucundum

Oh dear – where do I stop? There are so may good do-ers I could show you which are flowering NOW, including several Penstemons, Corydalis ochraleuca, Persicaria ‘Red Dragon’, Gazanias, Tanacetum and Parahebe, but I can’t leave out two excellent plants – from the same genus – the first one is hardy, and I’m hoping that the second one will prove to be so, as well. My Scabiosa!

Scabiosa ’Pink Butterfly

Scabiosa ‘Barocca’

I’ve only included plants which are flowering at this moment – of course there are many others which are ‘good do-ers’ – but not blooming now.

I wonder which plants you’d add to the list?

28 Oct, 2009
12 likes

Comments

Drc726

Lovely as these are Spritz not sure I can agree with you! To me short lived flowers can be just as beautiful.? Tulips, Daff, Snowdrops, Cowslips, Poppies, Peonies, Forsythia, Laburnum, Fritillaria Lavender and many more.

28 Oct, 2009

Terratoonie

Good blog Barbara.... :o)

28 Oct, 2009

Rachelsmum

super blog!

I admire your lovely plants - feel quite humble!

Maybe next year we could swap notes on hardy geraniums

28 Oct, 2009

Jacque

Wonderful Pics Of Wonderful Flowers Spritz :)

28 Oct, 2009

Mavisc52

I have the same campanula but mine is ice blue E.H.Frost it is still going strong it climbed through the phlox this year.

28 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

Thanks, everyone!

Oh yes, I totally agree with you, Denise - all I'm doing in this blog is showing that some plants flower for ages, really. I could post a different blog completely on equally beautiful plants that only flower briefly! (or you could!) LOL.

28 Oct, 2009

Andrewr

If there is one shrub that should be in every garden, it's viburnum tinus. Flowers for six months and evergreen. Apart from last winter (which nearly killed it), I'd add abutilon megapotanicum which had flowered non-stop for TWO AND A HALF YEARS!

28 Oct, 2009

Aster

Very informative and beautiful pics Spritz,I will have to keep coming back to this blog when I need new ideas !! Love the 'sauce hollandaise' :)
I've got viburnum tinus Andrew,it just looks after itself,never any trouble :)

28 Oct, 2009

Drc726

Take not notice of me I think its the time of year Spritz sad to see all the lovely blooms going and wondering what will survive. My Viburnum Tinus really suffered last year Andrew gave up on one but the the other seems to have rallied after a really tough pruning.

28 Oct, 2009

Sanbaz

they deferantly are good do ers barbara, all look lovely, like the vaburnum and the hebe, really nice ;o)

28 Oct, 2009

Ian_digs_v2

Lovely blog Spritz, (and why wouldn't it be? Lol) I have quite a few Hebes in my little patch, Including my giant that flowers both purple and white (on the same flower!) My Vibernum (Dawn) doesn't seem to like my garden (full sun) so I'm going to try it around the back where it will get some shade! I hope you don't mind if I blatently copy some of yours?

28 Oct, 2009

Orgratis

Have to go sharpen my pencil again for this list! What mainstays!

29 Oct, 2009

Grindle

lovely plants Spritz :)) some beautiful 'good do-ers' erysimums certainly earn their place

29 Oct, 2009

Louise1

Lovely photos Spritz :-)

29 Oct, 2009

Majeekahead

Great Blog Spritz... there are so many i could add too, obviously Geranium Rozanne would also be in one of the top spots for me... mine is still in flower and going strong, Pansy is another of my favorites, do you remeber thoughs pale coloured ones i had last year in my trellis bed? they were in flower from late winter right through to the following autumn, and they just kept spreading and self seeding right through the bed... another which i have still in flower and stunning is Zinnia i grew some from seed and some from plug plant, both have been great right through from July and still going strong,,, but i think my favorite at the moment is Amberboa - they have been going strong since June without a break and still loads of buds - you'll find out all about how lovely they are very soon... ;-) if you get my gist!....

29 Oct, 2009

Mad

What great blog. I must make a note of it so I can re-visit it as it is packed with the kind of information which is so invaluable.
Particularly liked Mrs. Popple and Rozanne, but I love all geraniums and Fuschia's are so reliable and long-lasting.
Long lasting is very important to me as I can't do that much, so lovely perennials like these do help as they go on for so long.
The photos are really good. Thankyou I really enjoyed that
Spritz.

29 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

Thank you both for writing such lovely comments! I'm glad you enjoyed the blog and hope it is a help to you, Mad.

29 Oct, 2009

Lincslass

Great blog Spritz and obviously the photo`s are lovely,I`m a real fan of any flower that" goes on forever"as we say in my family and pleased to say have many of the ones in your photo`s.I did have the Solanum but lost it last winter so you are right with your warning,such a shame though,it did well for a while. Always like your blogs Spritz because I get so many of my own plants named just by looking at yours.Lol.

30 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

:-))) I'm really pleased to hear that, Ll..We must have the same taste in plants! Pity about the Solanum, though.

30 Oct, 2009

Andrewr

LL - I lost my solanum too. Planted another one in the spring to replace it and it has gone beserk so it must have been a good growing year!

30 Oct, 2009

Dawnsaunt

You've got some real beauties there Spritz - but oh no, this means my Wishlist has just grown. :-) My Campanula has been flowering for ages too.

30 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

Haha, Dawn! I- have- the- power- to- empty- your- purse!!! LOL.

Sorry - what have you added?

30 Oct, 2009

Labdancer51

I have a sanguinum and mine is still in flower too though I must admit its now a bit half-hearted. I notice that I`m not the only one who can`t grow solanum, its a lovely plant but I think its too tender for my garden. Thanks for showing your lovey flowers, its always nice to see what others are growing.

Sandra :o)

30 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

You're welcome! :-) Yes, that Solanum is a bit tender in some gardens.

30 Oct, 2009

Bornagain

Love this sort of blog Spritz. My garden is very small so I have to have plants that 'earn their place' rozanne is still flowering here and penstemon blue heaven?? I have though noticed a serious omission from your list...where's the welsh poppy??????;-) they are still in flower here. Another problem with this sort of blog is the size of my garden...I keep seeing things I must have;-) but the makeover has begun so I can buy new plants:-))))))))))) Keep the blogs and ideas coming:-)

30 Oct, 2009

Princesssal84

I couldn't agree more! The pictures are beautiful and this type of blog is great for me because I'm just starting out so I'm not always sure what's gonna be in my garden for ages or just a few weeks! Thanks.

31 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

I'm so glad that it's helpful to you. I'll try to think up some more!

Welsh poppies? Sorry, Ba. They just won't grow here! I haven't seen any in any open gardens in the area, either. :-((((

31 Oct, 2009

Bornagain

Poor you Spritz. A while ago now I offered you a garden swap, but felt my little patch to be of a little less worth than yours. Now, you don't have to answer immediately, take your time, does the ease of growing of welsh poppies here make up for the size, climate and general gorgeousness of your garden? If so the offer still stands;-)))

31 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

Ummm....errrrr.....not sure - let me think about it.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

No thanks! LOL

31 Oct, 2009

Dawnsaunt

They are all lovely Spritz but I particularly like the lemon coloured Anthemis, your Erysimum and the Erigeron.
My pink Geraniums are still going strong too :-)

31 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

They might be 'anonymous pink ones', but they are useful, aren't they!

31 Oct, 2009

Dawnsaunt

Definitely Spritz.

31 Oct, 2009

Spritzhenry

They are dreadful to dig out, though - do you find that, Dawn?

31 Oct, 2009

Dawnsaunt

Almost impossible Spritz.