Take a stroll with me through the perennial trial garden at the Calgary Zoo on this September day. It has been a wet and cold September so far, but there’s still lots of colour to be seen in the garden.
September 17, 2010
A September Stroll
Posted by Bayberry under Alberta Perennial Trials, Fall-blooming perennials, What's blooming[4] Comments
Alberta Perennial Trials 
September 18, 2010 at 5:56 am
Ann, lovely photos as usual! What kind of hydrangea is featured here? Have you trialed Endless Summer Hydrangeas? If so, have you had success? Full sun or part sun? Winter protection?
I am curious because mine flowered great the first year but each successive year I’ve had fewer and fewer flowers. This year I had none at all though I fertilized. Any tips? I am in zone 3, Edmonton, Alberta.
Will the trial gardens remain accessible to the public following this year? You and the staff have done a wonderful job of trialing, maintaining and providing an incredible contribution to the gardening world. It will be sadly missed. Thank you for all you do.
September 18, 2010 at 9:42 am
Hi Shirley,
The hydrangea is Hydrangea paniculata ‘Green Spire’. It was planted in 2004 and took three years to really bloom well. Even now it does not bloom prolifically and there is always quite a bit of die back of branches over the winter. But I do love the flowers!
We have not trialed the Endless Summer hydrangeas. From what I have learned, gardeners have not had a lot of success with them in Calgary.
The trial gardens at the Calgary zoo will still be accessible after this year. It will be maintained as a perennial border with some less formal perennial trials. I do not believe the gardens in Edmonton and Olds will be maintained as trial gardens.
September 20, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Hi, first of all, I am broken-hearted that the Trials are at the end. I learned so much from browsing your plants!
I have a question. For two years now I keep looking at the plant that is labled as Lavatera in your garden (pink and white). I checked the net, but there are seem to be a number of species, mostly annual. Which one are you growin, is it annual, and is it sown in the fall? I really would like to plant some – I like filling my garden with late summer and fall blooms due to our weather.
Thank you!
September 20, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Hi Elena,
I am so glad you have learned a lot from the perennial trials. The plants at the zoo will still be there once the program ends.
The lavatera in the garden is a perennial tree mallow called Lavatera ‘White Angel’. It is a zone 5 plant, but has been in the garden since 2002. It was successful in Olds, but not in Edmonton. Winter mulch will likely improve the chances of survival.