Lovely White Flowering Peony (P. lactiflora) Grandma’s peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) are back in vogue. There are single- or double- flowered varieties. The single petalled types appear to Southern U.S. heat better (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). May blooming peonies come in red, pink, purple, yellow, or white colors. Depending on variety, plants grow 3 to 4 feet high and wide. […]
Archive for the ‘Flowers’ Category
Peonies Require Very Little Care Ever
Posted by Hugh on October 4th, 2012
Posted in Bee Favorite, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Peony, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, watering tips 
Comments Off on Peonies Require Very Little Care EverSuccess With Blue/Pink Mophead Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on October 1st, 2012
Mophead hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), the blue/pink flowering species, have been the gardening rage since the early 1990’s. Endless Summer® hydrangea started a wave of new repeat blooming (remontant) cultivars. They bloom on both new season’s as well as old wood from the previous year. These hardier cultivars extended the flowering time by 8 to 10 more weeks and bloomed in cooler climates formerly unable to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Failure to Bloom, Hydrangea, Hydrangeas, mulching, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, watering hydrangeas, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Success With Blue/Pink Mophead HydrangeasAutumn Clematis – Be Careful What You Ask For
Posted by Hugh on September 25th, 2012
Autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora) is a late summer flowering twining vine with dark green foliage. The sweetly fragrant white flowers bloom for 4-5 weeks. The four petal (sepal) blossom is 1 inch across, borne in clusters, and mature into puffy plume-like seed heads. Its deciduous foliage is leathery in feel and remains mostly […]
Posted in Aggressive grower, Autumn flowering, Clematis (Autumn), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Vine Comments Off on Autumn Clematis – Be Careful What You Ask ForDecorate With Fall Mums
Posted by Hugh on September 21st, 2012
Dendranthemums (mums) are favorite plants for outdoor decorating in the autumn season. Fall mums come in a variety of colors from white, yellow, pink, orange, red, bronze, and purple. Blooms attract numerous bees and butterflies. Plant heights vary, depending on the degree that the greenhouse grower has sheared or sprayed (with growth retardants) the mums. As perennials, mums are […]
Posted in Aster, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Chrysanthemum, Fall sunflower (Helianthus spp.), Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Decorate With Fall MumsMuhly Grass Pink Color Emblazens The Autumn Season
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2012
For most of the season Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) grows pretty much unnoticed. Muhly exhibits a semi- erect growth habit, 3-4 feet in height and 3-4 feet in spread. Walking past a pink billowy inflorescences of Muhly on a brisk sunny October morning is nothing short of “wow”. For 10- 12 weeks, from early September thru late November, a pink haze arises […]
Posted in Autumn flowering, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Muhly grass, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, winter hardiness Comments Off on Muhly Grass Pink Color Emblazens The Autumn SeasonThis Korean Maple Deserves To Be Planted More
Posted by Hugh on September 4th, 2012
Ullung-do Island Korean maple (Acer pseudosieboldianum ‘Takeshimense’) is a small deciduous tree which will grow to be 20 -25 feet tall tree, with a spread of 15-18 feet. It tends to branch low to the ground. It originates from the Ullung-do Island in the sea of China. Korean maple is one of the best maples […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn foliage color, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Korean maple, Maples (Acer), Ornamental fruit, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on This Korean Maple Deserves To Be Planted MoreGrowing Full Moon Maple in the Southeast U.S.
Posted by Hugh on September 1st, 2012
Simply put, golden full moon maple (Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’) is a stunner (USDA hardiness zones 5-7). It is a slow growing maple, eventually reaching 18-20 feet in height and spread at maturity. It tends to be a long-lived tree if properly cared for. Leaves are circular with 9-13 short pointed lobes. Each lobe does not […]
Posted in acidic soil, Disease resistant, Fullmoon maple, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, Winter Protection Comments Off on Growing Full Moon Maple in the Southeast U.S.‘Northwind’ Switchgrass Is Environmentally Tough and Beautiful
Posted by Hugh on August 28th, 2012
Young Clump of ‘Northwind’ Switchgrass Northwind switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’) is a medium sized 5 to 6 feet tall ornamental grass. This tall native prairie grass grows best in full sunlight for most of the day. Its tight narrow posture seems to fall apart in shade. There are many good switchgrass varieties. Northwind makes […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Switchgrass (Panicum), winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Northwind’ Switchgrass Is Environmentally Tough and BeautifulWinter Hardiness of Crape Myrtles
Posted by Hugh on August 25th, 2012
If you garden in USDA zone 6, certain crape myrtle cultivars are rated as reliably winter hardy perennials. Most dependable are the U.S. National Arboretum cultivars released starting in the 1980’s to date. Each one is named for an Indian tribe. Most of the National Arboretum cultivars are selected for cold hardiness as well as for disease and insect resistance. Among the […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, compact shrub, compact tree, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Winter Hardiness of Crape Myrtles‘Senorita Rosalita’ – A Welcome Spider Flower Addition
Posted by Hugh on August 23rd, 2012
Cleome or spider flower (Cleome hassleriana) is the 5-6 foot flowering annual that your grandmother grew in her garden. Long stamens extending from the flowers look like spider legs, hence the common name. The old fashioned varieties produced lots of seed pods which meant lots of weed seed in next year’s garden. As summer temperatures […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Butterflies, Container growing, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Southern Appalachian Region, Spider flower (Cleome), Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on ‘Senorita Rosalita’ – A Welcome Spider Flower Addition
