Recumbent Roscoeas

[Margaret]

My roscoeas like to lie down in the most annoying fashion. Maggi kindly tried to diagnose the problem in the spring from my description see
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=2550.15

I've just taken these photos to show the problem.  They could be suffering from heat stroke but they never get any sun and I was watering when it was hot. What do you think, Maggi?

[Maggi Young]

I see what you mean about them leaning, Margaret.

The area is very densely planted  ( I like that!) but if it is also generally shady then they might not be getting enough light and so leaning out for a brighter spot?

It's one thing being cool, but it's quite another to be too shady.... a difficult balance to strike perhaps, but I think a brighter spot might be the answer. 
Wonder what others will think?

[PeterT]

I do not mean on a dry sun baked terrace,  but in Derbyshire (England) several  Roscoeas seem to do very well in open sunny borders, and a couple of smaller species in a raised peat bed open to the sky. 

[Maggi Young]

Yes Peter, that sounds like the answer - a more open situation.
Been having a look here and those in over shady spots are 'leaning' too .

[PeterT]

These pictures show the Roscoeas spreading out to catch available light. I once remarked to a lady In Helensburgh (Scotland) that "the whole of Helensburgh is woodland". She is and was a very able gardener but everything labled "woodland" or "cool" or "Moist" or "shade"...... was planted under a bush! Since I made that remark she has been rather more successful in establishing some of her "woodland gems"

[Maggi Young]

We  are often heard to remark that "all of Scotland is in the shade" - but Margaret in London could be forgiven for thinking her plants needed a bit of protection - but more from heat than light!

[Margaret]

Thank you Maggi and Peter.  Now you say it, I can see that the plants are growing towards the lighter areas. It is a problem I have all over the garden - too many plants in too small a space but many plants can cope with the overcrowding. I am reluctant to give the Roscoeas a sunnier home because it would be drier and it would displacing something more in need of light.

Do you think I'd improve things by reducing the groups to three or four stems (lots to give away  ) and moving the Leucojum vernum which grows there in the winter. When I get desperate I move stuff to the north side of the greenhouse on the allotment with sometimes surprisingly good results.

[PeterT]

I would just stake them with canes and string the same as conventional herbaceous  border plants. Enjoy the mature clumps regardless of staking. These situations are rarely solved by reducing the size of the leaning plants. Usually the larger (shrubs?) behind  are the plants to rationalise, often by thinning , cutting back all forward growth and heart wrenching removal of duplicates and things which have over grown their space.