Japanese snowbells (Styrax japonicus) is a graceful, slow growing, low branched spring flowering tree. At present snowbells are not popular with U.S. gardeners , mostly because of unavailabliity (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Snowbells are lovely understory trees, similar to our native dogwoods (Cornus florida). Small, pendulous, slightly fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers appear in May. Small white […]
Archive for the ‘Spring flowering’ Category
Japanese Snowbells Worth A Try
Posted by Hugh on June 10th, 2016
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, compact tree, Fertilizing plants, Firewood, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Styrax, Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness, winter injury 
Comments Off on Japanese Snowbells Worth A TryThree Native Flowering Shrubs For Your Summer Landscape
Posted by Hugh on June 1st, 2016
Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) flowers in late spring with dark green, pest-free summer foliage that turns brilliant red in fall (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It thrives in full sun to partial shade, and in moist mildly acidic soils. It is also highly drought tolerant once established. Fertilize […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, compost, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Hummingbird, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Plumleaf azalea, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summersweet (Clethra), Trees & Shrubs, Virginia sweetspire, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Three Native Flowering Shrubs For Your Summer LandscapeTips On Growing Delphiniums
Posted by Hugh on May 30th, 2016
Modern day delphiniums (Delphinium spp.), also called larkspurs, are the result of 2 centuries of complex breeding efforts in Europe and U.S. Delphiniums are short-lived perennials, at their best for 2-3 years. They’re most attuned to the cool temperate climes of the northern U.S. Delphiniums belong in the Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family (USDA hardiness zones […]
Posted in acidic soil, compost, deadheading, Delphinium, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Slugs, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer flowering, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tips On Growing DelphiniumsSix Summer Annuals Your Grandma Did Not Know About
Posted by Hugh on May 24th, 2016
Angelonia (“summer snapdragon”)… are outstanding performers in the summer flower garden, yet so many gardeners have never heard of them. Angelonias demonstrate outstanding heat and humidity tolerances. Serenita™ (12-14 inches high), Serena™ (15-18 inches high), and Archangel™ (12-14 inches tall high) series, are available in purple, lavender, pink, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Angelonias, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Begonia, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Euphorbias, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Pentas (Egyptian star flower), Planting tips, Scaevola, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Torenia (wishbone flw.), winter hardiness Comments Off on Six Summer Annuals Your Grandma Did Not Know AboutHold In Confinement
Posted by Hugh on May 18th, 2016
Some plants are incredibly aggressive. Herbicides like Roundup™ won’t phase them. They often escape and take over other areas of your garden or neighborhood. Four notorious examples are ditch lilies (Hemerocallus fulva), swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Mexican petunia (Ruellia brittoniana), and pink evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa). You can grow these four weedy offenders in confinement. All will survive […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container garden, Daylilies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Evening primrose (Oenothera), Heat Tolerance, Invasive plant, Milkweeds (Asclepias), Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Ruellia (Mexican petunia), Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Weeds, winter hardiness Comments Off on Hold In ConfinementTulip Poplar And Cultivars
Posted by Hugh on May 15th, 2016
Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), aka yellow poplar and tulip tree, is a large stately deciduous tree of eastern North America (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). This fast growing native typically grows 60-90 feet tall. It is also an important timber tree. A member of the magnolia family, flowers attract large numbers of bees. Ornate 2-inch-wide goblet-shaped flowers are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Aphids, Autumn foliage color, Bee Favorite, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Large Shade trees, Native Plant, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Tulip tree (Liriodendron), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Tulip Poplar And CultivarsDeadheading Rhododendron Flowers
Posted by Hugh on May 9th, 2016
Large-flowered rhododendrons (Rhododendron catawbiense) benefit from “deadheading”, the practice of removing the old spent flower heads. Deadheading encourages increased branching, which frequently results in more blooms the following spring. It also cleans up their scruffy appearance. Small-flowered types (including ‘PJM’, lepidote rhododendrons, and azaleas) do not benefit from deadheading and are mostly […]
Posted in compact shrub, Native Plant, Pruning, Rhododendrons, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Deadheading Rhododendron FlowersChinese (Kousa) Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2016
Chinese dogwood, aka kousa dogwood, (Cornus kousa) is a small 25 to 35 foot flowering tree (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It grows in either full or partial sunlight (4-hours sunlight minimum). Depending where you garden, kousa dogwood begins blooming from late April or in May, almost two weeks after our native […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, compact tree, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Chinese (Kousa) Dogwood‘Palibin’ Lilac A Good Choice For Small Landscapes
Posted by Hugh on April 15th, 2016
Dwarf Korean lilac (Syringa x meyeri ‘Palibin’) forms a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub, 4 to 5 feet high and 5 to 6 feet wide, with rounded top or canopy (USDA hardiness zones 3-7). It branches low to the ground. Flower buds form which are distinctively violet in color. In mid-spring this diminutive lilac is covered by billowy panicles of fragrant purple […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Butterflies, compact shrub, compact tree, container shrub, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Lilac (Syringa), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Palibin’ Lilac A Good Choice For Small LandscapesUpdate: Prevention / Treatment Options For Rose Rosette Disease
Posted by Hugh on April 13th, 2016
Rose rosette is a devastating disease of most species of garden roses, including hybrid and shrub roses. Rose rosette disease has spread from the Rocky Mountains to the East Coast over several decades and is poised to obliterate the rose industry. To date, there is no known effective treatment. Rose rosette is caused by an […]
Posted in climbing roses, Garden Problems, Hybrid teas, Landscape ideas, Mites, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, rose rosette disease, rose virus, Roses, shrub roses, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Virus diseases Comments Off on Update: Prevention / Treatment Options For Rose Rosette Disease
