Success in blooming pansies and violas in the winter season depends on two key factors: date of fall planting and soil nutrition. If you live in USDA plant zone 6, pansies must be planted on or before October 15th, two weeks earlier in northerly zone 5, or two weeks later in zone 7. Early fall planting […]
Archive for December 18th, 2009
Keep Your Pansy Faces Smiling
Posted by Hugh on December 18th, 2009
Posted in Autumn flowering, Container garden, Flowering, Flowers, Landscape ideas, Pansies, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Violas, Winter flowering 
Comments Off on Keep Your Pansy Faces SmilingBaptisia – 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year
Posted by Hugh on December 18th, 2009
Blue false indigo(Baptisia australis) is a beautiful, long-lived, drought tolerant perennial with a robust growth habit and attractive steel blue foliage. In late May, the violet-blue flower spikes rise tall above sturdy 3-4 feet tall plants with steel bluish-green foliage. Baptisias grow best in full sun and in moist, well-drained soils. Feed or fertilize baptisias sparingly to prevent plants from flopping […]
Posted in Baptisia (wild indigo), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering Comments Off on Baptisia – 2010 Perennial Plant of the YearSurprise lily (Lycorus)
Posted by Hugh on December 18th, 2009
Surprise lily or resurrection flower (Lycorus radiata) should be ordered in January because of limited available supply. Divisions are shipped fresh dug in June for immediate planting. Flowers emerge in late July and August. Lycorus is long-lived garden perennials, hardy in USDA hardiness zones 6-b thru 9. In the past I have ordered mine from […]
Posted in Uncategorized Comments Off on Surprise lily (Lycorus)Dogwoods for Spring
Posted by Hugh on December 18th, 2009
Five disease resistant varieties of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), released by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, are available at local garden centers this spring. Supply should be better than in past years. Powdery mildew resistant varieties: ‘Appalachian Snow’ (pictured), ‘Appalachian Blush’ and ‘Appalachian Mist’. In addition, ‘Cherokee Brave’, with dark pink flowers, exhibits good mildew resistance. […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Dogwood (Cornus), Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Dogwoods for SpringPoet’s laurel-great shade garden shrub
Posted by Hugh on December 18th, 2009
Alexandrian laurel or poet’s laurel (Danae racemosa) is a lovely 2-4 foot, low arching, evergreen shrub. It thrives in shady areas of the garden, spreading slowly from root suckers. Poet’s laurel stays in its intended place and does not overwhelm other plants around it. Tiny greenish-white flowers appear in late spring and are often overlooked. […]
