Archive for the ‘Fall Garden Interest’ Category

Silk Tassel Sedge

‘Silk Tassel’ Japanese sedge is an outstanding Japanese sedge cultivar of Carex morrowii temnolepis. It is ornamentally grown in shade areas for its narrow (1/8 inch wide) variegated foliage (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9). This dense, grass-like clump grows 12 inches high and 1 to 1 ½ feet spread. Let’s start with an old […]

Chinese Fringetree

Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus) is native to China, Korea and Japan (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). As with the native U.S. species (C. virginicus), this plant is noted for its fragrant white flowers. Gardeners first fall in love with this large, multi-stemmed, deciduous large multi-branched shrub. Some nurseries are also offering the Chinese form as a […]

Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena)

Three important objectives of area gardeners are: 1. Inviting more pollinators, 2. Growing more natives, and 3. Reducing garden maintenance. Gomphrenas, aka Globe amaranths, are becoming more recognized as outstanding annual flowering plants for Tennessee/Virginia/North Carolina gardens. Gomphrenas are North American natives (Texas, New Mexico, and northeastern Mexico) and are blooming machines in the heat, the […]

2022 Perennial Plant of the Year® Announced

2Since 1990 The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has showcased a perennial that is a standout among its competitors! Perennials chosen for this honor are suitable for a wide range of growing climates, require low maintenance, have multiple-season interest, and are relatively pest/disease-free. Each year PPA members look at four nominated perennials and vote for their […]

Hardy Zone 6 Camellias

In the Southern U.S., camellias are treasured for their showy flowers in the fall-winter landscape. Their glossy evergreen foliage looks great all year long. Hardy varieties are now available for zone 6 northern gardens (-10 to 0 °F). Essentially, gardeners can raise camellias in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and in most coastal cities along the East […]

Uniqely Different Chinese Quince

Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) is an under-utilized small 10-20 feet tall deciduous tree or large shrub with a dense oval crown (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Initially, it starts out a slow grower for 1-2 years to establish its roots. Throughout the year, it provides several months of landscape charm that includes an attractive form, large […]

Japanese Cornel – Notable Cultivars

Starting in late February, Japanese cornel (C. officinalis) burst into bloom with clusters of yellow flowers (zones 5–8). Native to Japan, China, and Korea, this lovely small tree (or large shrub) is one of a few plants that is an early harbinger of spring.  Here are notable cultivars: ‘Sunsphere’ grows 20-25 feet high and is an exceptional heavy bloomer with […]

Create A Garden With Four Seasons Appeal

Your garden should be a year-round enjoyment and you should design it to reflect that. Many trees and shrubs offer multi-seasonal attraction. Several years back I designed a series of walking paths to network through my garden to capture its 12-month natural beauty. Planning next year’s garden? Look for calendar gaps in your own landscape […]

More Cool Small Flowering Shrubs

For many urban gardeners, landscape space is very limited. Here are several showy shrub choices along walkways and perennial border, and in deck and patio containers. Each year the list of dwarf shrubs continues to get longer. They are low maintenance, including very little annual pruning. Shrub Roses – like Drift™ and Flower Carpet™ roses- […]

Four Tree Conifers Which Should Be Planted More

Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana), aka Caucasian fir, is native to the Caucasus Mountains (USDA hardiness zones 4-6). This dense pyramidal conifer grows to 50 feet tall and 20 feet wide and are typically branched to the ground. Their flat dark green shiny needles (up to 1 ¼ inches long) feature two white bands on the […]