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 […]
Archive for the ‘Flowers’ Category
Uniqely Different Chinese Quince
Posted by Hugh on February 16th, 2022
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Chinese Quince (Pseudocydonia), Deciduous, Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Fall Garden Interest, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering bulbs, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Uniqely Different Chinese QuinceJapanese Cornel – Notable Cultivars
Posted by Hugh on February 11th, 2022
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 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact tree, Cornus officinalis, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Japanese Cornel – Notable CultivarsCreate A Garden With Four Seasons Appeal
Posted by Hugh on February 1st, 2022
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 […]
Posted in Acer griseum, American hornbeam, Attracting birds, Autumn foliage color, Autumn Fruiting, Birch (Betula spp.), Bulb Crops, Camellia, Celandine poppy (Stylophorum), Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow), Common witchhazel (H. virginiana), Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), Cornus stolonifera, Deciduous holly, Dogwood (Cornus), Edgeworthia, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Flowering Bulb, Flowering shrub, Garden paths, Hawthorn (Crataegus), Hibiscus syriacus, Hornbeam (Carpinus), Hydrangea arborescens, Japanese maple, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Kwanzan cherry, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Magnolia virginiana, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Paperbark maple, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Purchasing Plants, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, Winter flowering, winter flowering tree, winter hardiness, Winterhazels (Corylopsis), Witchhazel (Hamamelis), Yoshino cherry (Prunus) Comments Off on Create A Garden With Four Seasons AppealMore Cool Small Flowering Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on January 23rd, 2022
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- […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bumble bees, Butterflies, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Honey bees, Hummingbird, Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, multi-flora rose, Native Plant, Native Plant, Ninebark, Non-native, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, rose rosette disease, shrub roses, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), Weigela Comments Off on More Cool Small Flowering ShrubsFour Tree Conifers Which Should Be Planted More
Posted by Hugh on January 16th, 2022
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 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bagworms, compact tree, Deciduous, Deciduous conifer, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fall Garden Interest, Fir (Abies), Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pseudolarix amabilis, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Thujopsis, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Tree Conifers Which Should Be Planted MoreSo Many Great Amsonias
Posted by Hugh on January 11th, 2022
Amsonias, commonly called blue star, are a group of easy-to-grow, long-lived native perennials. These highly dependable plants offer three-seasons of landscape interest: showy, long-lasting blooms in spring (mostly in May); threadlike green foliage in summer; and yellow foliage in fall. Amsonias are native primarily to North America and belong to the dogbane plant family (Apocynaceae). This clump-forming perennial has […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on So Many Great Amsonias2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little Bluestem
Posted by Hugh on January 6th, 2022
The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has named its 2022 Perennial of the Year — Little Bluestem (Schizachrium scoparum) (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). This ornamental grass was chosen because it is suitable for a wide range of growing climates, is low maintenance, and offers multiple-season interest. This North American prairie native grass is adaptable to many […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Little bluestem (Schizachrium), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Thrips, winter hardiness Comments Off on 2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little Bluestem2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little Bluestem
Posted by Hugh on January 3rd, 2022
2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little Bluestem The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has named its 2022 Perennial of the Year — Little Bluestem (Schizachrium scoparum) (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). This ornamental grass was chosen because it is suitable for a wide range of growing climates, is low maintenance, and offers multiple-season interest. This North […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Little bluestem (Schizachrium), Little bluestem (Schizachrium), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on 2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little BluestemAfter The Holidays Poinsettia Care
Posted by Hugh on December 26th, 2021
The gift of a poinsettia means you should enjoy the beauty over the next three months or more. Your poinsettia should be warmly wrapped to protect from chilling outdoor temperatures from the garden shop to your home or apartment. If applicable, carefully unwrap the protective sleeve around your poinsettia to prevent injury to leaves and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Photoperiod (Daylength), Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Poinsettia, Poinsettia, Powdery Mildew, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root rotting, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on After The Holidays Poinsettia CarePoinsettia Care
Posted by Hugh on December 21st, 2021
Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) have become a symbol of Christmas and the winter holidays. Their colorful bracts (most people call them “flowers”) are actually modified leaves. Red remains the most popular color, but select from white, pink, burgundy, marbled, speckled and new “tropical shades”. Buy a healthy poinsettia! The small yellow flowers in the center of the […]
Posted in Autumn flowering, Container garden, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Interior (house) Plants, Planting tips, Poinsettia, Poinsettia, Potting Mix, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, Wind protection, Winter flowering, Winter Protection Comments Off on Poinsettia Care
