Plant Profile: Golden Lace

It's time to start featuring a few favourite plants once in a while, so I choose "Golden Lace" first, Patrinia scabiosifolia.  The species name indicates the foliage is like unto Scabiosa, a plant that is planted regularly 'round here, but I have never grown myself.  I see the resemblance in the foliage, and even the long stems.  I'd not heard of Golden Lace until a couple years ago, when I saw seeds for sale at Gardens North.  Then I found it on a few blogs, and had to have it.  

It is in full bloom right now here in Nova Scotia, Canada, and not only pleases the eye, but the pollinators.  

I obtained a little packet of seeds early in 2012, and they came up well.  I planted them out later in the summer, and they all came back in 2013.  Some of them bloomed, some stayed leafy and reserved their blooms for this year.  
   I also discovered this spring that it spreads viable seeds quite well. I had many seedlings come up this spring, 'volunteers' as we sometimes say.  Fine with me.  It's a lovely plant, with very strong stems, and great colour at this time of year.   I recently dug a few out to take from the cottage garden to the new home I  moved to this summer.  
     Here are some images of the plant from early to latter stages.  You can see how the more mature leaves, and 'higher-up' leaves, are more 'scabiosa-like.'

It seems a very happy perennial here in my cottage garden.  Some are being feasted upon by an army of black aphids, but the plants are none the worse for wear. My Golden Lace plants are growing in pretty good soil, with afternoon and evening sunshine.  As others have found, the plant can vary a lot in height.  Below see three clumps - all grown from the same seed pack - of three distinct heights, from two feet to about six feet.  The tallest on the left are in the foreground - don't be distracted by the vibrant yellow of the Cup Plant behind.  

According to the Missouri Botanical Garden website, this plant is a host to a Daylily rust, and also listed as invasive down there.  So, one may be taking chances. 

As you can see, I took the plunge, and hope to have Golden Lace growing for years to come.  

Bloom Day Sept '13

Chelone and Ligularia

Ok, a quick post for Garden Blogger's Bloom Day.  Enjoy the show by visiting May Dreams Gardens. 

   Here are a few things blooming - or getting seedy - at my seaside cottage, here in Nova Scotia, Canada. 

Rose 'Golden Showers"?  Not sure.  But it sure is lovely.

A tiny new Seven-Sons blooming, Heptacodium miconioides

Corydalis ochotensis

Patrinia scabiosifolia, Golden Lace

Kirengeshoma plamata

Vernonia noveboracensis, New York Ironweed - love it, just got it this summer

Rose 'The Fairy' blooms and blooms and blooms

Shoo Fly Plant, Nicandra physalodes

Along with the blooms, a few seedy characters are also appearing...

Eryngium agavifolium

For the first time I have berries!  Lord's & Ladies, Arum italicum

Bloom, bloom, bloom... keep the season looking great!

Golden Lace (Patrinia scabiosifolia)

I'ts time to start highlighting the occasional wonderful plant.  This is a new one to me.  Patrinia scabiosifolia, Golden Lace.  Saw seeds for sale at Gardens North, and saw it in photos on blogs, and I had to have it. 

 

Started the seeds last spring (2012), and this year the plants I put in the ground last fall sprung up, grew and grew and grew, and are in full bloom now.  Some of them are about five feet tall!  The stalks are very strong and sturdy.  One clump did bend in one wind-storm (lots of windy days at the Cottage!), but they kept their crooked place, and are blooming elegantly as they lean.

   A few of the tiniest seedlings last year stayed in pots over winter, and this year I finally put them in the ground.  Below are a few that need to be separated (and shared).

The foliage is robust and green.  I have it planted in a bed shaded by the Cottage in the morning, and with evening shade from some small trees.  Now it's doing so well, I need to team it up with more things that compliment it.  

It has weathered the ongoing attack of an aphid army - aided by ants, naturally - and I wait to see how long the blooming season will last, and if they will go to seed.  

I recommend this one.  I've never seen it anywhere in NS, nor seen it for sale, except for the seeds I found.  
     Good luck with your own plant adventures.  I do enjoy the gardening blogs out there.