I'd be interested in canvassing the PBS membership on possible pond-side planting suggestions for a Pacific Northwest Zone 8b location. Since moving into our new house 3.5 years ago time has been spent on establishing more traditional garden areas in what was a cleared field, but my mind is now turning to a pond-side area that I think has some unique opportunities. I attach two photos of the pond area - one in mid-summer when the water level is reduced by ca. 18 inches (45 cm) and one today with the water level almost at its maximum level. There are three possible growing zones - a 'grass hinterland' (dryer in summer than in winter); a seasonally submerged zone; and an annually submerged zone. What bulbs might one plant here? I'm planning in advance as I expect several will have to be raised from seeds. Around the pond - excluding the cattails - I have some Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus) that some would say are invasive, and I also have Iris setosa, which would work here too. In the recent SX I received seeds of Iris laevigata and ensata which should work well pond-side. Forms of Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) should, I think, also grow in the seasonally submerged and annually submerged zones. In the grass hinterland, species crocus, tulipa and Western American lily hybrids should do fine. (I have L. kelloggii and pardalinum elsewhere in the garden, with other seedlings on the go.) I can't help but think that I am ignorant of possibly quite distinctive plants that could grow here. I would welcome any suggestions. I should add that in the 3.5 years that we have been here the pond has only frozen-over once for a couple of weeks in a cold-spell. Zone 8b has a potential minimum winter temperature of 15 to 20 °F (-9 to -6 °C), but this would be relatively rare. I am a mile from the sea, so cold temperatures are ameliorated somewhat. Winter wet is probably the biggest risk to some bulbs, but those potentially suited to the seasonally submerged and annually submerged zones should presumably be immune to this. I would welcome any suggestions from the PBS as to what might work well here! Steve Willson, Bow, WA -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMG_2202.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1733312 bytes Desc: IMG_2202.jpg URL: <http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/pipermail/pbs/…> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMG_2236.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1504751 bytes Desc: IMG_2236.jpg URL: <http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/pipermail/pbs/…> _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>
