Helianthus 'Lemon Queen'

Morning 😊👋🏼 - rise and shine! Seeing as it's #sunflower day, here's a pic of my perennial ones at the back of the border. They aren't as tall this year, which might mean they need dividing to give them renewed vigour. I'll plan to do that in late September. For now I'll enjoy them till they finish.

Thinking about whether to post a new dahlia today, or a quick update on the ones that opened 🤔

Morning Rich. I just love these as they add colour and height at the back of the border but they are invasive if not kept in check. Post your new DAHLIA please :))

Afternoon Pauline - indeed, they can be a bit bossy if left to their own devices, I just trim of those on the outside that are pushing the limits @flof1952

How tall do these get please? Still filling my perennial bed...

Hi @AlisonF - mine have in the past reached about 5ft, but this year they are only between 3-4ft. I would try to put them towards the back of the border as they start of slow at beginning of year but then before you know it they are taller than everything else. Watch the spreading rhizome like roots too, it can be a bit of a thug as suggested above 👍🏼

Thank you! @richard.spicer.7906

The last few Helianthus flowers - great plant for bees 💛🐝🐝

Beautiful 😍

Love these! 👌🏼🌼Think this may be what my next door neighbours but one have...they wave at me over the fence! (The flowers, not the neighbours! 😂)

Fab!! #beeplant #yellow #helianthus

😂👍🏼 @rachelbrooks - coincidently, it was one of my neighbours that gave me a piece of this. It's quite rampant, spreads by rhizomatic roots. No need for cuttings with this beast!

#rampant #spreads

#giveitaninchanditwilltakeamile

Great hashtag 😝 @brightcolours

Teeheehee...

😆 @rachelbrooks above 👌 👌📸👌

Close up of the #yellow flowers #helianthus

Love them 😊💛

Lovely and bright 👍

Mine haven't appeared yet but looking forward to one of my favourite flowers

They seem quite rampant this year @jan06 - I'd already moved them from another spot last autumn but they seem to like their new spot a bit too much! May take a bit away to keep it in shape 😳

The perennial sunflowers are looking good at the back of the dry border. It's a little disappointing there is nothing in front (it was supposed to be a mix of echinacea and helenium but slugs had other ideas. They don't touch these though 😁💪🏼) I need to have a think about what to try as an alternative. (NB - in case you are not familiar with them, these are different to the annual sunflower varieties)

How about a nice lavender like platinum blonde, loves dry conditions, nice contrast to the yellow, plus slugs won't touch it. Win win Richard @richard.spicer.7906

Really nice show🤗

So annoying when you try to make a nice garden only to find plants have disappeared 🐌🐌🐌

Oh wonderful suggestion, thanks Oda, I've been thinking recently I could do with a nice lavender, and it will also go well with my bee friendly planting regime 😀👍🏼🐝@londongardener

@richard.spicer.7906 I've used copper rings around the base of my Dahlias this year as they were getting munched! So far seems successful at keeping the slimies at bay. Also successful around a clients Hosta's!

I've got Pericaria amplexicaulis Firetail growing in front of mine and it looks fab. Lush foliage with flower spike rising up above the foliage and then Helianthus Lemon Queen behind which creates a great backdrop for the Pericaria but also loads of lemon flowers on top.

Thanks @emmalaws - I will try getting some copper tape. @karyn gave me a great tip earlier in the year for Coffee Grinds too. I've managed to convince a friend at the coffee bar in work to give me a bag, which I've not used yet. It's only a small sample but should be good for sprinkling around the plant. If I use the tape too, I can plan a double defence 😀👍🏼

Ah sounds like a great combo @manoj 👍🏼😀 - I have a persicaria on my wish list which I saw in Wisley gardens but struggling to find it online or in nursery. Can't remember the flower colour though - have you heard of Persicaria virginiana var. filiformis ?🤔

Hi Richard. Yes i have. It has the most beautiful markings on the foliage. Are you looking in retail nurseries? I've seen them in trade nurseries. Are you near North London? If I see them I can get them for you and you can pick them up from me.

I moved these perennial sunflowers last year from my nursery bed to the main dry border - they like lots of sun, and they are already coming up trumps at the back. Should be a good display hopefully 🤓

They look very healthy just looked the photos of them in flower very pretty ✨

Love sunflowers 😀

Ooo my next door neighbour gave me a big clump of these a week or two ago..There settling in nicely can't wait for the flowers I'm a big sunflower fan 🌻

Good to see the Helianthus come back after I transplanted and divided them into some clumps in one of my sunny borders.

#newgrowth

#perennial #sunflower

@richard.spicer.7906 the #chlorophyll in these is just awesome.

Thanks @Jason - they did have this amazing colour change about them last autumn, which I guess was the chlorophyll breaking down 👍🏼

#autumn doesn't have to be about the colour red (although it is the most attractive hue). As this Helianthus begins to absorb all its nutrients back, it leaves this striking lime-yellow-black combination.

So agree 😃

Lovely 👌

My neighbour gave me a small clump of this last year, it's a great freebie. This one adds quite a bit of height to the border, these stems just slightly taller than me 😳

Love this shot

#helianthus #perennialsunflower

Do we think this is a Rudbeckia GT'ers?

Yes

Think I've convinced myself now this a Helianthus, rather than a Rudbeckia. It's missing the classic black centre. But pretty much matches that of a perennial Helianthus.

#yellow #macro

I'm starting to think this is definitely a Rudbeckia. It's gonna be yellow for sure.

Another discovery. Last year this had yellow starry like flowers in mid to late summer.