76 Basic Perennial Garden PlantinG & Maintenance
flowers or about three-quarters the mature height of the plant. The exception
would be large-flowered plants with weak stems, where the flowers simply snap
at a spot above the stake, infuriating the gardener. Weak-stemmed perennials,
including the large-flowered Pacific
Giant hybrid delphiniums, need to be
staked all the way to the tip of the
flower to prevent this—I’d rather grow
Delphinium×belladonna ‘Bellamosum’,
a reliable smaller plant with smaller
and airier flowers, that doesn’t need
support all the way up the stems.
Hoops or rings are useful for full,
bushy plants such as peonies. The
hoops should stand at half the mature
height of the plant. The plant should
be allowed to mature and spread out
above the hoop naturally.
Pea staking, or the use of fine,
twiggy branches, is eff ective with
light, airy plants such as Clematisrecta
(ground clematis) and Gypsophila
paniculata (baby’s breath). It’s a good
idea to cut the branches when they are
dormant to prevent them from rooting and sprouting in the garden while they
are holding up your plants. Ideally the branches should be 6 in. shorter than the
mature plant. I learned of this technique while working in England, and it’s by
far my favorite.
Linking stakes are available in many diff erent sizes to fit a variety of plant
sizes and shapes. They can be diffi cult to get into the ground at times, and then
when you succeed, they may not be
even, making it a challenge to link the
stakes together. Yet I like them,
especially for taller plants like ‘Alaska’
Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum
×superbum ‘Alaska’). Linking stakes
have the advantage that they can be
inserted when the plant is a bit more
mature.
Other staking devices that can be
used with perennials include chicken
wire held up with stakes, especially for
thin-stemmed species of Symphyo-
trichum or Boltonia (although neither
of these genera require staking if
pruned properly). The chicken wire
cylinder should be shorter than the
mature height of the plant and slightly
narrower than the mature width.
Tomato cages can be employed in a
similar manner. Bamboo stakes
connected by intricate crossing twine are useful for large perennials with
numerous stems that require internal support. This technique can also be used
eff ectively on perennials that were not staked and have fallen. If the stem tips
have already started to bend, they may grow straight again if not too far gone, butSingle-stake method. Note
the twist in the tie to keep
the plant from coming
in contact with the stake.
Pea staking.