Astilbes, aka false spireas or false goat’s beard, brighten shady gardens with their colorful blooms in early summer. Their plume-like flowers stand tall above astilbe’s deep green lacy foliage. Flower colors vary from white, pinks, and reds, including lavender and violet. Flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators. Astilbes are generally planted in spring when the soil […]
Archive for the ‘Flowers’ Category
ALL ABOUT ASTILBES
Posted by Hugh on April 16th, 2021
Posted in acidic soil, Astilbe (false spirea), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Cold tolerance, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Flower arrangments, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on ALL ABOUT ASTILBESFive Hardy Evergreen Ferns
Posted by Hugh on April 11th, 2021
In the southeastern U.S., ferns are important additions to shady perennial and woodland gardens. Ferns can be used as a ground cover to soften the hard edges of water features, rocks and paths, and make wonderful filler for mixed container plantings. Ferns do not flower or seed, but instead, reproduce by spores that usually form […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Container garden, Container growing, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Ferns, Flower arrangments, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Holly Fern (Cyrtomium), Japanese Holly fern (Cyrtomium), Korean Rock fern (P. tsus-simensis), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root rotting, Shade Gardening, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tassel fern (P. polyblepharum), Wind protection, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Five Hardy Evergreen FernsNew Soiree Kawaii® Vincas
Posted by Hugh on April 6th, 2021
Vinca (Catharanthus), also called Madagasar periwinkle, is a popular summer flowering bedding plant. Soiree Kawaii® series of catharanthus hybrids from Suntory (C. roseus) continue among the favorites at California Spring Trials since their introduction three years ago. Vincas start blooming, and continuously thereafter, from spring planting to the first frost in autumn. Soiree Kawaii vincas perform […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on New Soiree Kawaii® VincasFragrant Snowbell
Posted by Hugh on April 1st, 2021
Fragrant snowbell (Styrax obassia) is a small deciduous tree or large shrub that grows 20 to 30 feet tall (15-25 feet wide). It is indigenous to Japan, Korea, and Manchuria (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Fragrant snowbell exhibits multi-season interest: spring flowering, showy fall leaf color, and an attractive bark. Fragrant, bell-shaped, white flowers (racemes) are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Street tree, Styrax, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fragrant SnowbellGetting Rid Of Difficult Weeds
Posted by Hugh on March 26th, 2021
Some aggressive perennials like Chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata), variegated Bishop’s weed (Aegopodium podagraria), along with many woody briars can be extremely difficult to eliminate from a landscape area or garden bed. If a weedy garden bed contains no desirable plants, you can over spray weeds with glyphosate, a nonselective herbicide.(Roundup™ is common trade name). This […]
Posted in Aggressive grower, Bishop's weed (Aegopodium), Broadleaf weeds, Chameleon plant (Houttuynia), Container garden, Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Euonymus (Ground Cover), Garden ecology, Ground cover, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Invasive plant, Invasive species, Ivy (Hedera), Landscape ideas, mulching, multi-flora rose, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, root injury, Sanitation, Soil Conservation, Southern Appalachian Region, Weed control, Weeds Comments Off on Getting Rid Of Difficult WeedsThree Really Cool Shade Plants
Posted by Hugh on March 16th, 2021
What three wildflowers can handle intense woodland shade. To most gardeners, hostas, Solomon seal, coral bells (Heuchera spp.), brunneras, and ferns are popular favorites. Expand your plant choices with these three shady favorites which are long-lived, low-care gems – Fairy wings (Epimedium spp), bellworts (Uvularia spp.), and shredded umbrella plant (Syneilesis). Fairy wings (Epimedium spp.), aka barrenworts, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Barrenwort (Epimedium), Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Heuchera (coralbells), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Syneilesis aconitifolia, Uvularia (bellwort), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Three Really Cool Shade PlantsLove in A Mist (Nigella)
Posted by Hugh on March 11th, 2021
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) is a popular cool weather annual. It is also known by several other names including “ragged lady” or “devil in the bush”. Nigella belongs to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) and is native to southern Europe, North Africa and southwest Asia. In its natural habitat, nigella is found on neglected, damp patches of […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container garden, Deciduous, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Landscape ideas, mulching, Nigella (Love-in-a-mist), Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Love in A Mist (Nigella)Six Early Spring Wildflowers To Grow In Your Woodland Garden
Posted by Hugh on March 6th, 2021
Celandine poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) is a popular Eastern U.S. native loved for its 12-18 inch tall 4-petaled, yellow flowers. Its blue-green, pinnately lobed leaves are silvery on the underside. It seeds-in readily, which is a good thing, as plants disappear by late May and comeback early next spring in abundance (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Virginia bluebells (Mertensia […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, bloodroot (Sanguinaria), Butterflies, Celandine poppy (Stylophorum), Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, organic gardening, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Shooting star (Dodecatheon), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trout lily (Erythronium), Twinleaf (Jeffersonia), Virginia bluebell (Mertensia), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia), winter hardiness Comments Off on Six Early Spring Wildflowers To Grow In Your Woodland GardenGrowing Crinum Lilies
Posted by Hugh on March 1st, 2021
Crinum Lilies, aka “River lilies”, “Cape Coast lilies”, and “Creole lilies”, are native to Southeast Asia. Crinum lilies are more akin to Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) than true lilies (Lilium). Considered to be an old staple in Southern gardens, crinum lilies are seen growing around old cemeteries, old farmsteads, and in ditches (zones 7-10). Over time long-lasting […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, compost, Container garden, Crinum lily, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Failure to Bloom, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing Crinum LiliesGrowing Japanese Maples In Containers
Posted by Hugh on February 25th, 2021
Many slow-growing and compact cultivars of Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) and full moon forms (A. japonicum) grow for 3-5 years in containers. Japanese maples develop a decorative canopy, and their lacey foliage turns yellow, orange and/or red in autumn. Most Japanese maples perform well in partial to full day sunlight, but not in full shade. […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact tree, compost, Container garden, Container growing, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fullmoon maple, Japanese maple, Landscape ideas, Maples (Acer), mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Shade Gardening, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing Japanese Maples In Containers
