Echinacea purpurea 'Sundown'

Very pretty! :o)

Wow,what a fab colour.

Oh I do like that.....

Thanks - I found it and just knew it would tie in with the colours on the stream bank. :-)) Luckily I had a space!

I love Echinaceas, but I struggle to grow them in my garden. My Goldstrum has dwindled, my Kim's Knee High has disappeared, I have had several orangy ones, Arts Pride, Hot Papaya etc and they have just disappeared! What am I doing wrong Spritz {:-((?

Nothing, I'm sure. I should imagine you're like me...getting frustrated! Most of my Echinaceas have only lasted two or possibly three years. Is it the dreaded snails/slugs again do you think?

I get the feeling not, Spritz. They just dont seem to want to increase (quite the opposite). They just sort of, fade away. Its my most purchased and least successful plant but I love it so much I wont give up. I try a new place each time in the hopes it goes "Whoopee, I like it here" !!!

Ive just bought a large pot of "White Swan"..wish me luck!

I will indeed. I wonder where the red one I had last year's gone? I must investigate tomorrow.

I do that Spritz! Im thinking about the garden or perhaps having a wander and dead heading and then bingo! I think "wasn't there such and such a plant there last year" or late at night suddenly think "I havent seen such and such flower, wonder where it is?"

Love this colour. I bought some Arts Pride a few years ago, the second year it had dwindled and the third year it vanished, not slugs:-( Have your gaura survived Barbara? mine followed Arts Pride. Perhaps they've found a nicer garden? In future, I'm growing plants that show some gratitude and look after themselves. Some plants that haven't vanished are the hellebore seedlings you gave me Tet, I expect flowers from them next year:-)

One did, Ba, and I have another grown from a cutting. I also have a little plant from a cutting being given TLC in the greenhouse.

I shall look carefully for the red one...it certainly isn't in flower - I could hardly miss that! Such a shame they fizzle out.

Could your problems be related to cooler, moister weather than they like? I've found that a lot of the "native" plants don't take kindly to hybridization. should add that the closer to the sp. the hardier the plants seem to be. Also the Echs seem to develop some very strange flowers after a couple of years...looks like some type of larvae or fungus,(perhaps hyphae) that distorts the blossom. They like sandy soil too...something I'm lucky enough to have here and the echs seem to have settled into the transfer bed quite happily...being prairie plants they like lots of air circulation. When mine got crowded after a couple of seasons they developed the distorted blossom and had mildew. Strange that an almost wild flower can present such problems in the garden. Had to zip out to check, but can report that mine are finally starting to bloom. The blossom looks healthy too...maybe our cold, late spring has caused them to miss the pest makes them looks sick and distorted. I can hope? lol... Hope you don't mind my popping into your discussion with my two cents... ;-)

You might have a point there Lori. My Goldsturm was a little crowded, and my hot papaya got a trifle tangled with crocosmia which had spread. I have given my white swan a fair bit of space...we will have to see. I did put lots of grit under the plant as I know they like very well drained soil.

My Goldsturm is beginning to flower - and I found three or four stems of another Echinacea with buds, which SHOULD be the red one, so fingers crossed. :-) I'll have to check my plant list for its name which escapes me.

'Fatal Attraction' doesn't seem to be there, though. :-(

Perhaps it's D. Illumination all over again Barbara, mine are still in pots and no reply from T&M. Perhaps you have a point about hybridisation Lori, although some plants are improved and are much more disease resitant, flower for longer etc, I suppose there is often a price to pay. Perhaps the companies have latched on to built in obsolescence? Oh well I'll just have to grow plants that like it here, but I did love the colours of Arts Pride, rather similar to this one:-)

Did you really expect a reply? :-(

Yes, I don't feel up to a fight though, that's probably what they bank on:-(

Unfortunately. :-((

Well Im going for broke...my Hot Papaya have reappeared together with Pineapple and my double pink. So...Ive bought 3 Guava Ice, 3 Harvest Moon (again) and one large White Swan..am I a sadist or masochist? Can never remember which...

We'll know next year Tet, I'll google them when i've got time, they sound lovely:-)

Wow! Good luck with them - I don't know most of them, so I'll have a google as well. :-))

Ooooh I'm in love with Guava Ice .... so tempted, have you seen them yet Barbara? They are whoppers though, do they need staking Tet?:-)

Blimey BA..I've only just planted the beggars..give us chance..but will let you know

Now look here Tet, being as how I've decided that you are a dahlia expert, I assumed you'd have checked. I feel very let down:-))

What's dahlias got to do with Echinacea Guava Ice..you going blind too hun? (its got something to do with old age I'm sorry to say)

Erm that's what I meant ....just testing:-)

Hey - I was at the Taunton Flower Show yesterday, and looked for Echinaceas - but was I about to spend £8.50 on a one-stemmed plant? No way. :-Z

Where did you get your new plants, Tetra?

I bet she got them off ebay, am I right Tet?:-)

Yep, dear one...you know me sooo well!

Will go take a picture of the plants I received Spritz and post later today. They came from Ecclesbourne Valley Hardy Plants and by the time I paid postage they were just under £8 each.

Come on then - where are they? [Impatient noises]

Slight techical glitch Spritz - sent a PM.

You're so secretive:-)

It's OK - no hassle. I looked at ebay and spotted them. They're...errr...very large, aren't they!

Now look here BA, I don't want the world to know what a rundown ole cripple I am and I know you've been waiting ages to get me back for your ankle....now stop cheering, it aint funny my girl!!!
Spritz, as you will see (for sure!!) tomorrow, mine are about 6/7" high and quite bushy even tho in a 9cm pot. And its a new variety so guess there is a premium..

Will you grow them on before you plant them out?

No, I've decided to bite the bullet, plant out and protect with slug pellets (dont use 'em often). I think they will need all the establishing they can get before winter. And this year - I WILL MULCH!! Well..Ken will...

I must tell you that I tend to suffer a bit with "ennui" - more commonly known as "manyana" where I have a list of to-dos for today and tomorrow...and before I know it - that was last week!!! The window of opportunity came - and went!

I looked on RHS site for my fantastic dahlia Art Deco ( which you really should look at Barbara, I put it on a few pics back) as it really is amazingly beautiful, and it gave ultimate height as 0.5-1 mtr ! Balderdash! On Shoot and other sites the height is given as 12"-18" this seems far more likely. Probably the case for Tet's echinacea too. I expect you to leave a comment on my Art Deco so I know you've looked. I go out just to stare at it, yes I'm in love with Art Deco:-)

I've been there, done that. ;-D) So is it a small-ish one?

Yes on the card thing (can't think what it's called lol) in the pot it says "decorative well branched plant with masses of large blousy double flowers of rich tangerine orange with yellow/white tips" doesn't even mention the ruby bit and gives its height as appro 25-35cm (10-14") tall. The RHS site doesn't seem terribly reliable:-)

Actually BA, I keep looking at the pic every now and then..it really is a smasher!

Yes, it is. Good choice, Ba! :-))

Sorry if I intruded on your conversation...thought that someone might know what's the problem with the distorted blossom on the ech. Can't really discuss the different varieties with any authority as I have only two since the white didn't make the move successfully. I guess I did think I'd get a reply.

Lori, so so sorry my dear, I re-read your post and wasnt quite sure it was a query. My apologies lovey, we didnt mean to ignore you but thought you were just explaining the problems you had. I've not experienced anything like you mentioned...but I havent been able to keep Echs long enough to experience them i would guess. The same seems to be true of Spritz and BA, and could be no one else has read the posts..
It may be an idea if you posted it as a question? There must be some of us who have a few long lasting Echs in UK.
Again my dear, truly, truly sorry, we didnt mean to ignore..

No, we didn't. Sorry, Lori. xx