A decade ago, boxwoods (Buxus spp.) were the quintessential shrubs, particularly for formal hedges. Over the past half century, many new boxwood varieties have been introduced into nursery commerce, a boxwood variety that will work in most garden situations. Just five years ago, boxwood production at U.S. nurseries was greater than for azaleas, hollies, hydrangeas, and arborvitaes. […]
Archive for the ‘Flowers’ Category
Update On Boxwood Blight Disease
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2019
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Boxwood (Buxus), Chlorosis (yellowing), Container garden, Disease prone, Environmental issues, Evergreen, Hedges, Landscape ideas, mulching, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, watering tips 
Comments Off on Update On Boxwood Blight DiseaseOutdoor Holiday Decorating With Poinsettias and Cyclamens
Posted by Hugh on December 6th, 2018
If you live in U.S. hardiness zones 3-7, December weather is ordinarily is too frigid to grow poinsettias and cyclamen outdoors. Southeastern U.S. cities like Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA, and northern parts of FL like Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando enjoy mild December temperatures 50 º F. lies in zone 8 as well as most of the Dallas […]
Posted in acidic soil, Cyclamen, Deer resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Heat Tolerance, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Planting tips, Poinsettia, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Soil drainage, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Outdoor Holiday Decorating With Poinsettias and CyclamensSpring Star Flowers (Ipheion)
Posted by Hugh on November 28th, 2018
Spring star flowers (Ipheion uniflorum), native to Argentina and Uruguay, feature grass-like foliage and 6-petaled star-shaped flowers on 3-6 inches tall stems in early spring (April). Each bulb produces multiple flowering stems. Flowers range in color from almost white to violet blue and emit a mild spicy fragrance. In addition the grassy foliage gives off an oniony […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Star flower (Ipheion), winter hardiness Comments Off on Spring Star Flowers (Ipheion)Hardy Sedum Groundcovers
Posted by Hugh on November 25th, 2018
Sedums (Sedum spp.) are tough, easy to grow perennials (zones 3-9). Plants prefer average dry to moist well-drained soils and full to partial sun. Most sedums do not tolerate wet soils. Their thick succulent glossy leaves lead to the plants’ exceptional drought resistance. Sedums are exceptionally easy to root from leaf and stem cuttings. Low groundcover types […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (layering), Purchasing Plants, Sedum, Sedum (Groundcover types), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Hardy Sedum GroundcoversTips for Growing Abutilon (Flowering Maple)
Posted by Hugh on November 20th, 2018
Abutilon (Abutilon x hybridum) is a group of tender evergreen perennials (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). In USDA hardiness zones 6 thru 8, abutilon is grown outdoors from mid-spring to mid- autumn, when it is moved indoors and grown as a tropical houseplant. When moved indoors, partially cut back to fit its indoor space. In early spring prune the plant […]
Posted in Abutilon (Flowering Maple), acidic soil, Annuals, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Foliage plant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Insect suseptible, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Mite susceptible, Mites, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, White flies, Winter flowering, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tips for Growing Abutilon (Flowering Maple)Dieback Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on November 5th, 2018
Dieback shrubs are a group of hardy landscape shrubs that emerge and grow vigorously from mid-spring through early summer. They bloom reliably from late summer into early fall. Plants are near the edge of their hardiness range, and often die back to the ground in the winter. They act more like herbaceous perennials. The above-ground shoots are not […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Blue mist (Caryopteris), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Butterflies, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower arrangments, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Vitex (Chaste tree), watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on Dieback ShrubsFall – Winter Pruning Dos and Don’ts
Posted by Hugh on October 30th, 2018
Pruning is a chore that you don’t need to put off until spring. Many trees and shrubs may be pruned this autumn. However, NOT all landscape trees and shrubs are pruned. Here are some pruning guidelines to follow: WAIT to prune spring flowering deciduous shrubs such as Forsythia, Lilac, Bridal Wreath & Vanhoutte Spireas, Quince, Viburnums, Fothergilla, […]
Posted in Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), Blue mist (Caryopteris), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Chinese (kousa) dogwood, compact shrub, Crabapple, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Daphne odora, Dogwood (Cornus), Dogwood shrubs (Cornus), Flowering, Flowering quince (Chaenomeles), Forsythia, Fothergilla, Garden Maintenance, Hibiscus syriacus, Hybrid teas, Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Large shrub, Mahonia, Maples (Acer), Mountain laurel (Kalmia), multi-flora rose, Panicle hydrangea, Pieris japonica, Pruning, pruning climbing roses, Purchasing Plants, Re-Bloomers, Rhododendrons, river birch, Roses, Shade tree, Small landscape tree, Spirea (Spiraea), Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer flowering, Summersweet (Clethra), Vitex (Chaste tree), Weigela, Winter flowering, Yellowwood Comments Off on Fall – Winter Pruning Dos and Don’tsStoloniferous Dogwoods Jazz Up The Winter Landscape
Posted by Hugh on October 25th, 2018
Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) is a medium-sized, deciduous shrub native to much of the Northern and Western United States (USDA hardiness zones 2-7). Without question these shrubs standout in winter by their colorful stems (see pruning recommendations below). Cut branches are an added plus for indoor arrangements. The yellow-twig form (C. sericea ‘Flaviramea’) is also available. Leaves are oblong-lanceolate […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, container shrub, Cornus sericea, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Stoloniferous Dogwoods Jazz Up The Winter Landscape“No Dig” Planting Of Tulips
Posted by Hugh on October 20th, 2018
Digging lots of holes to plant 25 0r 50 tulip bulbs is a backbreaking chore. It doesn’t have to be that way. More than a decade ago, plant researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., developed a planting method called “top-planting”. It eliminates all the digging and the tulips come back and bloom well for […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Daffodil (Narcissus), Flower arrangments, Flowering Bulb, Landscape ideas, Mulch Quality, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Root rotting, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tulips, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on “No Dig” Planting Of TulipsOverwintering Caladium Tubers
Posted by Hugh on October 15th, 2018
Dr. Mary Lewnes Albrecht, retired dean of the Herbert College of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee, offers her recipe for overwintering caladiums. For many years Dr. Albrecht has been saving several heirloom varieties by this procedure: #1. Plants start to go dormant in late September through October (zone 7a Tennessee) and earlier if summer […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Bulb Crops, Caladium, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Flowers, Foliage plant, Harvest Time, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Storage Overwinter, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Winter Protection Comments Off on Overwintering Caladium Tubers
