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There is an old adage in the gardening world. When you plant a perennial, the first year it will sleep, the second year it will creep and the third year it will leap. How true that is of some of the plants in my garden. Purple coneflower from 4″ plants three years ago, have completely taken over the spot I planted them in, far exceeding my expectations. What was going to be a two to three foot plant is approaching four feet and still growing. It goes without saying that next year I will be thinning out this bed.
Taller and much more striking is the ‘Peter’s Purple’ monarda. I have fallen in love with this plant. The lavender-purple flowers atop erect 4 ½ feet stems are beautiful. There has not been any hint of powdery mildew, a common complaint with bee balm. True to its name, bees love it; so do the butterflies.
There are other stories – Rudbeckia goldsturm knows no bounds, one hardy hibiscus is at least four feet wide, Turk’s cap keeps on growing and growing…
Responses to “Tall plant tales”
June 8th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
that’s something i have not grown. i do know that it is a cool season plant here in texas. it hates our heat, so is best planted in the fall. it is supposed to be a biennial, so yours should flower and set seed this year.
June 9th, 2010 at 5:42 am
It’s been in bloom for a couple of weeks now – a popular stop for the bees. It’s the setting seed part that worries me given the size of this beast. I may be in the caraway business next season. 
June 7th, 2010 at 5:19 am
Seems my carway didn’t get the memo about creeping in year 2. It has exploded this year from a 6″ baby to a 4 foot giant with a girth to match. Managed to wrangle it under control yesterday but fearful of what year 3 is going to bring.