If you garden in zones 6 to 8, there are a number of shrubs that bloom in the wintry month of February. Usually, a warm period lasting a few days to a week may spur flower buds to open. Nightly lows may cause some flower injury, but additional flowers soon follow. All seven listed below […]
Archive for the ‘Flowers’ Category
Seven Shrubs That Bloom In February*
Posted by Hugh on January 27th, 2018
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, container shrub, Daphne odora, Disease resistant, Edgeworthia, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Fragrant, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Jessamine (Gelsemium), Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetbox (Sarcococca), Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Wind protection, Winter blooming, Winter flowering, winter flowering tree, winter hardiness, Wintersweet (Chimonanthus), Witchhazel (Hamamelis) 
Comments Off on Seven Shrubs That Bloom In February*Winter Honeysuckle Totally Ignored In The landscape
Posted by Hugh on January 21st, 2018
Winter honeysuckle, aka fragrant honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) is a treasured old-fashioned shrub (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8). It can still be found growing in older urban neighborhoods and parks. Winter blooming fragrant honeysuckles are a harbinger of spring. Budded branches may be cut and forced indoors. This vigorous durable shrub grows 6 -10 feet in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Aphids, Bees and other pollinators, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Insect (Pest) Problems, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Winter Honeysuckle Totally Ignored In The landscapeSmall Landscape Tree – Try Chinese Pistache
Posted by Hugh on January 17th, 2018
Chinese pistache tree (Pistachia chinensis) is an underplanted small 30-35 foot landscape tree native to China, Taiwan and the Philippines (USDA hardiness zones 6b-9). It is related to the edible nut pistache tree (Pistachia vera). Foliage consists of pinnate compound, dark green leaves (to 10 inches long), each leaf typically having 10-12 lanceolate leaflets (to 4 inches […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Chinese pistache (Pistacia), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Small Landscape Tree – Try Chinese PistacheFour Top Rated Coreopsis You May Not Know
Posted by Hugh on January 14th, 2018
In 2016, Mt. Cuba Center in Greenville, Delaware reported the garden performance of 13 different perennial coreopsis (tickseed) species, hybrids, and related cultivars native to the eastern U.S. Over a period of three years, plants were assessed for their habit, floral display, disease resistance, and longevity. In the trial many popular tickseed cultivars performed poorly […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Coreopsis, Coreopsis 'Flower Tower', Coreopsis 'Gold Standard, Coreopsis 'Last Dance', Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Top Rated Coreopsis You May Not KnowKey Landscaping Tips
Posted by Hugh on January 11th, 2018
To develop a successful landscape plan, first do a walk-a-round before you start digging and planting. Record your landscape’s sun patterns, soil types, wind and water movement. This information will help you select the kinds of plants that will prosper under existing conditions. Sun exposure shifts daily and seasonally. Observe the garden at different times to gain […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Bulb Crops, Camellia, Container garden, Daphne odora, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Environmental Conservation, Evergreens, Fertilizing, Green Privacy Screen, Landscape ideas, mulching trees, Native Plant, Pieris japonica, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Rhododendrons, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Soil Testing, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Key Landscaping TipsSteps To Making Gardening Easier
Posted by Hugh on December 30th, 2017
Take an inventory of your gardening time, talley up of costs, and develop a plan how to make your garden space more beautiful with less work and cost to you. Plant Smarter Simplify! For example, in my zone 6 garden, bigleaf hydrangeas disappoint tow out of three years and they’re water hogs in the summer. Smooth (AG) hydrangeas (like […]
Posted in Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, compost, Container garden, Crop rotation, Deer resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Garden Maintenance, Garden Tools, Globe amaranth (Gomphrena), Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, mulching, mulching trees, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Raised bed Gardening, Scaevola, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Steps To Making Gardening EasierDeck The Halls With These Ten Festive Plants
Posted by Hugh on December 24th, 2017
Celebrate the holiday with these live plants, some of which you receive as gifts. These houseplants can stand alone or complement the festive holiday decor: Poinsettia. No other houseplant captures the Christmas spirit more than poinsettias. Thanksgiving/Christmas Cacti (Schlumbergera bridesii or S. truncata) – these easy to care for dependable flowering cacti (they’re really succulents) come in red, pink or […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amaryllis, Amaryllis (Bulb), Autumn flowering, Bulb Crops, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Container garden, Cyclamen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Kalanchoe, Norfolk Island Pine, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Poinsettia, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Thanksgiving cactus, Tillandsia, watering tips, Winter flowering, Winter Protection Comments Off on Deck The Halls With These Ten Festive PlantsPoinsettias – Best Of Show**
Posted by Hugh on December 16th, 2017
This holiday season poinsettia breeders continue to give plant buyers lovely colors, patterns and shapes. Recently, at Mitchell’s Nursery & Greenhouse in King, North Carolina, Judy Mitchell got the word out about their annual Poinsettia Open House. Close to 400 people attended their openhouse and evaluated the 10,000 poinsettias, choosing which of the 79 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Breeding Plants, Flower arrangments, Flowering house plant, Flowers, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Photoperiod (Daylength), Poinsettia, Poinsettia, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Winter flowering Comments Off on Poinsettias – Best Of Show**Protect New Trees From Winter Sunscald
Posted by Hugh on December 13th, 2017
Across the northern U.S. and Canada, cold temperatures can damage many plants. Wide fluctuations in temperature can be particularly detrimental to newly planted landscape and fruit trees from late fall to early spring. Street trees are particularly susceptible. Sun scald is described by elongated, sunken, dried, or cracked areas of dead bark, usually on the […]
Posted in apple orchard, Apple tree, Asian Pears, Cherries, Cold tolerance, Crabapple, Environmental issues, Garden Problems, Honeylocust (Gleditsia), Landscape ideas, Linden (Tilia), Maples (Acer), Mountain ash (Sorbus), Peach, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Plum, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Sun scald, Trees & Shrubs, Wind protection, Winter bark, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Protect New Trees From Winter SunscaldNew: The Bushel and Berry Collection Of Patio Fruits
Posted by Hugh on December 4th, 2017
Back in late 2016 Star® Roses and Plants* purchased the company formerly known as BrazelBerries®. In 2017 they have rebranded the plant offerings into the new Bushel and Berry™ Collection. Beside the old favorites, a new collection of edible berry plants are available at participating garden centers nationwide. I have successfully grown two varieties on the sunny portion of […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Blueberries, Cold tolerance, Container garden, Disease resistant, Downy mildew, Fertilizing plants, Fruits & Vegetables, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Mites, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Raspberries, Repotting plants, Sanitation, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on New: The Bushel and Berry Collection Of Patio Fruits
