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 […]
Archive for the ‘Spring flowering’ Category
“No Dig” Planting Of Tulips
Posted by Hugh on October 20th, 2018
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 TulipsTen Native Shrubs Possessing Great Fall Leaf Color
Posted by Hugh on October 1st, 2018
Some native U.S. landscape shrubs are not only great spring/summer flowering shrubs, but their fall foliage color(s) are an added attraction. Here are ten of my favorites listed alphabetically by genus: Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parvifolia) – foliage of this summer flowering shrub turns bright yellow in fall. (zones 4-8) Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) – under-planted native shrub that […]
Posted in acidic soil, Arrowwood (V. dentatum), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn foliage color, Autumn Fruiting, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Blackhaw viburnum (V. prunifolium), Blueberry (Vaccinium), Bottlebrush buckeye, Chokeberry (Aronia), compost, Cranberry bush (V. trilobum), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowering, Fothergilla, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), Purchasing Plants, Soil Conservation, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Viburnum beetles, Viburnums, Virginia sweetspire, winter hardiness, Witherod (Viburnum nudum Comments Off on Ten Native Shrubs Possessing Great Fall Leaf ColorOsage Orange As A Landscape Tree
Posted by Hugh on September 20th, 2018
Osage orange (Maclura pomifera) has been declawed and neutered (USDA Zones 5-9). A member of the mulberry family (Moraceae), this tough prairie tree species is native to east Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. It grows fast @ 2 ½ to 3 feet per year. It is also called Bois D’Arc (pronounced “bow-dark”). Osage orange is a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fencing, Fertilizing plants, Fruits poisonous, Heat Tolerance, Inconspicious, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, Messy Fruits, mulching, Native Plant, Osage Orange (Maclura), plant nutrition, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil Conservation, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on Osage Orange As A Landscape TreeNot New –Still Top Landscape Performers
Posted by Hugh on September 6th, 2018
A senior gardener knows that many new plant cultivars (varieties) are often no better than what had come before. Many “superstar” shrubs, some released a decade or more ago, are still topnotch performers in many parts of the U.S. Here are six which I continue to recommend highly. ‘Low &Behold® Blue Chip Jr.’ Butterfly Bush is a super compact 18-30 […]
Posted in Abelia, acidic soil, Althea (Hibiscus), Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Butterflies, compost, Cornus sanguinea, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood shrubs (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, Panicle hydrangea, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spirea (Spiraea), Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter blooming, winter hardiness Comments Off on Not New –Still Top Landscape PerformersKorean Sweetheart Tree
Posted by Hugh on August 1st, 2018
The late Dr. J. C. Raulston, N.C. State University horticulture professor emeritus, discovered Korean sweetheart tree (Euscaphis japonica) in 1985 on the Korean Peninsula while participating in a U.S. National Arboretum collection expedition (USDA hardiness zones 6-8). Dr. Raulston brought seeds back to the N.C. State Arboretum for assessment and evaluation. The species common name “sweetheart […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetheart tree (Euscaphis), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Korean Sweetheart TreeStunningly Beautiful Three-Flowered Maple
Posted by Hugh on June 16th, 2018
Three flower maple (Acer triflorum), often called trifoliate maple, is native to eastern Asia (USDA hardiness zones 4-7). The latter pseudonym is misleading as A. triflorum is actually one of many compound-leafed maples identified as “trifoliate maples”. This small deciduous understory maple typically grows 2o-25 feet tall with a densely-branched, rounded crown. Specimens often grow to 35-40 feet in height range. The […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Chlorosis (yellowing), compact tree, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Maples (Acer), mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Three Flower Maple (A. triflorum), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Weed control, winter hardiness Comments Off on Stunningly Beautiful Three-Flowered MapleMulti-Use Bowles’ Golden Sedge
Posted by Hugh on June 8th, 2018
Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’) is an easy to grow sedge (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Golden sedge was introduced by English plantsman and garden writer E.A. Bowles who discovered it growing in eastern England. Bowles’ Golden sedge grows 1 ½ to nearly 3 feet high (in flower) and 2-3 feet wide. It features bright lemon- […]
Posted in acidic soil, Carex (Sedges), compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Spring flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Multi-Use Bowles’ Golden SedgeAlexandrian Laurel For Deep Shade
Posted by Hugh on May 17th, 2018
Alexandrian Laurel or Poet’s Laurel (Danae racemosa) is a wonderful evergreen shrub that is rarely planted in U.S. gardens. Danae is indigenous to Iran and Syria. This evergreen shrub needs partial to full shade and the warm climes of southeast or Pacific northwest states (USDA hardiness zones 6 – 9). If winters are exceptionally cold […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alexandrian Laurel, compost, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Environmental Conservation, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Foliage plant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Alexandrian Laurel For Deep ShadeOur Native Bigleaf Magnolias
Posted by Hugh on May 9th, 2018
Bigleaf magnolias are represented by four species: (M. macrophylla), umbrella magnolia (M. tripetala), Fraser magnolia (M. fraseri), and Ashe magnolia (M. ashei). All are medium-size trees with huge leaves and large flowers that appear after the leaves unfurl. All are native to the southeastern United States as far north to West Virginia and Ohio (USDA hardiness zones […]
Posted in acidic soil, Ashe magnolia (M. ashei), Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Umbrella magnolia (M. tripetala), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Our Native Bigleaf MagnoliasThe Next Generation of Weigelas
Posted by Hugh on May 5th, 2018
Weigela (Weigela florida) is old-fashioned shrub with rose colored blooms and arching branching habit in mid-spring. This shrub is native from Japan, Korea, and China (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). New hybrids of weigelas are arriving at garden centers this spring. Compared to previous cultivars that were 6-9 feet tall, new introductions grow only 2-5 feet […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Weigela, winter hardiness Comments Off on The Next Generation of Weigelas
