Penstemon shock wave

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by plants 'n pots on February 14, 2004 02:02 AM

I also got some Penstemon shock wave seeds today, as the packet said "blue, blue, electric blue"!. It also says: "What a colour! This is the plant to grow if you want gasps of admiration from visitors to your garden. Electric blue trumpets are freely produced from early summer through October. Sturdy 18�H plants return each year for more applause."

I'm hoping I can get these beauties to grow in my "blue garden".
It seems to be a new penstemon - anyone have experience with it?

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Lynne's knitting journal

"I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"

by Barb H. on February 14, 2004 04:15 AM

Lynne,

I haven't seen that out yet, but it sounds really cool! It is so hard to find *really* blue flowers. What luck for your blue garden!

I've been buying up seed packets too. I bought royal purple zinnia seeds, shocking pink zinnias, and very pale purple. I seem to be drawn to pinks and purples this year.....hope some of the seeds take....I've never seen a deep purple zinnia before!

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by plants 'n pots on February 14, 2004 05:22 AM

Sounds very nice, Barb.
I hope you have a camera so you can show us pictures this summer?

Last year I planted pink dwarf zinnias and they did very well. Even flowered after the first few frosts here! I have some seeds if you would like to give them a try. Send me a PM if you like.

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Lynne's knitting journal

"I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"

by Bestofour on February 15, 2004 03:41 AM

I've never seen penstemon in blue. Did you order them from somewhere? I'd like to get some seeds. Zinnias do great here. They get tall and bloom forever.

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http://www.picturetrail.com/bestofour

by plants 'n pots on February 15, 2004 04:01 AM

Sheri~

I got them at Christmas Tree shops here.
The seed company is UNWINS and is in the U.K.
However, they are distributed by Lake Valley Seed, Inc in Boulder, CO

I did a search and it says "Currently our packets are not available for retail sale online.
Look for our partnered website in Spring/Summer 2003." But I can't seem to find this site...

A side note... I'm not sure just exactly how BLUE these flowers will be - I don't trust companies who label plants blue, and then only find out that they are really purple.

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Lynne's knitting journal

"I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"

by write2rellie on February 15, 2004 07:07 AM

well, I'm the novice around here, and didn't recognize the name penstemon, so I did a web search and found this one which is lavender with what seems to be bright blue tips on the petals.

http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~awolfe/Penstemon/spp/Pwilcoxii.html

i don't know if this is the variety you have, but it sure looks blue to me.
[dunno]

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rellie

by loz on February 15, 2004 07:10 AM

I've never heard of them, but I have to say that by looking at the picture I think that those are really purple-ish.......It's hard to find pure blue isn't it??? But rellie is right, the tips look pretty blue.

by loz on February 15, 2004 07:18 AM

I lied!!! Yep I did.....I have a penstemon growing right in my backyard....I'm not big on the technical names, I just know it as beard tongue. It's pretty tall with white flowers on it......got it last year on clearance.....I was searching around trying to find pics of blue ones and saw the word beard tongue with them.....lol Duh......Didn't see any true blue looking ones, but I did see a lot of purple ones......I'm crossing my fingers for you lynne that they really are blue......

by weezie13 on February 15, 2004 07:43 AM

By the looks of the picture if you go back and look, they come out where you see mostly the blue tips and as it opens that's when you see the purple and as it's aging it's appears mostly purple.

Sometimes what you'll find in some flowers is,
they come out a certain color and as the flower ages it turns a different color.
Mrs. Moon/ Pulmanaria's/ Lungworts' does this tech., having red-pink flower buds , opening up to reddish - violet and then turning blue as they age.

Weezie

I have a white one growing, can't remember the name, but the flower when left on and dries, is a GREAT dried arrangement flower.
Self dries, just pick when totally brown......

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/

by plants 'n pots on February 15, 2004 05:17 PM

Rellie~

That is a pretty penstemon, and it does "look" like it is blue.

The seeds I have, I'm thinking are pretty new since I haven't come up with anything in searches. The variety is "Shock Waves" if anyone else wants to try a search. [dunno]

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Lynne's knitting journal

"I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"

by flamingonut on March 09, 2004 08:02 PM

Hi, I just registered after finding this thread while doing a search for this penstemon. I just purchased "Shock Wave" as well, at The Christmas Tree Shops in Spring Valley, on Sunday. Wasn't that a gorgeous picture; I'm wondering if it's really that true blue, like the picture. I'm doubtful though; it never fails! I think I'm going to go back and buy another anyway. I'm going to scan the envelope as well and upload it.

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Tracey

by flamingonut on March 09, 2004 08:36 PM

Here's a picture online, but it looks nothing like the seed packet (of course)...

http://www.rhs.org.uk/publications/pubs/garden1003/newsplantforum.asp

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Tracey

by plants 'n pots on March 09, 2004 09:33 PM

Oh my gosh, flamingonut!
That is the exact store that I go to!
I ran in this past Saturday to get some gift bags for my daughter to give her friends.
I go there at least once a week - isn't it great???!!!

Where else do you go plant/seed shopping around here? I'm just over the NJ border and shop there often also.

Funny how you found this forum... I also did a search for the penstemon after I brought it home - but was already a member here...
By the way, I started my seeds today in Jiffy peat pellets - hope something comes up... haven't been having a lot of success with those pellets the last few years [dunno]

Have fun here, and tell us more about your gardening?

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Lynne's knitting journal

"I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"

by flamingonut on March 13, 2004 10:26 PM

Lynne, if I went there at least once a week, I'd be broke in no time! That was my first trip there; I did want to go back, actually this week, but didn't make it. They had a pretty good selection of seeds, which was impressive, especially at 50% off. I picked up some dahlias and canna's too. I need more like a hole in the head! I'm in Bergen County, and work up in Woodcliff Lake, close to Spring Valley. My garden is a disaster area; too much planted too close together, talls in front of shorts, too many whites planted together, but hey, whatever! One of these days I'll get around to moving everything around.
I've been doing loads of seed trading on GW (which is apparently not allowed to be spelled out here) and began winter sowing outdoors in containers. I started in January and am still going. Checking them is tedious; but I found 6 containers sprouting! I'm horrible at sowing indoors, hardening off always gets me. Again, too many seeds, no place to plant them later. I'll be lining the deck with pots for sure, and digging up some more lawn!
I do alot of nursery shopping at DePieros in Montvale and D'Angelos in Dumont; online I adore Bluestone Perennials. But, with all the seeds I'm winter sowing, I hopefully won't have to hit any nurseries.

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Tracey

by flamingonut on March 13, 2004 10:27 PM

If anyone wants to see the scanned image, I uploaded it. It came out a little dark, but it's better than nothing, I hope...

http://www.angelfire.com/nj/tschiess/PenstemonSW.html

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Tracey

by plants 'n pots on March 13, 2004 11:29 PM

Flamingonut ~

Your picture of the seed packet came out great!
No sprouts on my penstemon yet -
have you started yours?

We definitely travel in the same circles! I try to go to DePiero's every week or two - I just love their produce and bakery! The salad bar during the week is great too.
Their plants are a bit pricey, but I do like to go to the greenhouse for therapy during the winter months -
love to breathe in the humidity and greenery! [Cool]

I haven't been to D'Angelos in Dumont - is it worth the trip?

I stopped into Christmas Tree shops on Thursday, gathered some more great seed packets and more peat pellets but had to leave them there - they only had 2 cashiers and the lines were to the back of the store - TOO BAD FOR THEM AND ME!

I am sending you a PM.

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Lynne's knitting journal

"I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"

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