
While most gardeners aren’t as nasty as Mrs. S, do be wary of any plants that are offered in large quantities. That is usually an indication that it is invasive. It’s a good idea to have a separate trail garden to plant anything that you may be dubious about. Keep your seed catalogs and look the plant up if possible. If it is described as easy to grow, multiples, re-seeds readily, or a nice ground cover, think twice about planting it in your permanent bed. It’s probably a thug.
Petunia will have to wait to move her tulips and daffodils until all the leaves have turned brown. The leaves look terrible but they continue to feed the bulb for next year’s blooms. They should only be moved in the fall. The problem is that, in the fall, you can’t find them as all the leaves have died and left no forwarding address. Again, Master Gardener George has the answer. Plant an annual right beside your dying bulb. Say a marigold. In the fall, all you will have to do is dig up the marigold and there will be your ripe, ready to be replanted bulbs. Your flowerbed may look a little odd, but you won’t have to dig the whole plot up to find a tulip. Lilies can be moved in the spring as soon as you see them or later in the summer after they have bloomed and rested for 2 or 3 weeks to recover from the hard work of blossoming. Iris, too, need a bit of recovery after flowering. That is why you move them in August.
Petunia will be digging and moving plants all summer and muttering under her breath as she does about monster plants and their givers.