Rutgers University has developed a handy on-line tool for gardeners with major deer issues. It is an extensive deer resistant plant list. It includes most commonly planted trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. It further subdivides the listing by: A. Rarely Damaged B. Seldom Severely Damaged Plants C. Occasionally Severely Damaged D. Frequently Severely Damaged Plants […]
Archive for the ‘Summer flowering’ Category
40+ Deer-Resistant Perennials
Posted by Hugh on October 18th, 2026
Posted in acidic soil, Agastache (Hyssop), Alliums (onion), Amsonia (blue star), Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Barrenwort (Epimedium), Beardstongue (Penstemon), Big bluestem 'Blackhawks', Brunnera 'Jack Frost', Bugleweed (Ajuga), Calamagrostis, Camassia, Carex (Sedges), Christmas fern, Christmas rose (H. niger), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container garden, Coreopsis, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Ferns, Flower arrangments, Goldenrod (Solidago), Helenium, Hellebores, Iris (Tall bearded), Iris sibirica, Iris tectorum, Lavender (Lavandula), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Lobelia (cardnial flower), Maidenhair fern (Adiantum), Miscanthus grass, Muhly grass, mulching, Native Plant, Nepeta (catmint), Non-native, Ostrich fern (Matteuccia), Pampas Grasss (Cortaderia), Peony, Perennials, Pulmonaria, Rattlesnake master (Eryngium), Red hot Poker (Kniphofia), Rosemary, Russian sage (Perovskia), Sage (Salvia), Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Sweet flag (Acorus), Virginia bluebell (Mertensia) 
No Comments »Update On Perennial Ironweeds
Posted by Hugh on October 2nd, 2026
U.S. native ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) develop a broad visual swath from the mid-Atlantic to the Midwest and from Minnesota south to Texas. Vernonia spp. is in the aster or daisy family (Asteraceae). Their abundant purple-hued flowers brighten the autumn landscape from late summer into autumn. Ironweeds serve as an important food source for pollinators. Scores […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower arrangments, Garden ecology, Heat Tolerance, Ironweed (Vernonia), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant No Comments »Heleniums Are Nothing To Sneeze At
Posted by Hugh on September 25th, 2026
Helenium Helenium autumnalis), aka sneezeweed, is a cheerful, daisy-like perennial wildflower that lights up moist meadows and stream banks across nearly all of North America with masses of golden-yellow flowers from late summer through fall (USDA hardiness zones 3–8). It has an unfortunate common name – “Sneezeweed”— which refers to a historical use of dried […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Helenium, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness No Comments »Late Blooming Swamp Azalea
Posted by Hugh on August 28th, 2026
Native to the southern and eastern U.S., swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) is a deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae (blueberry) family. This shrub generally grows 3 – 8 feet tall and nearly as wide. It is a spreading shrub that spreads slowly via underground stolons and is most at home in a moist humus-rich soil that […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Azalea (deciduous), Bees and other pollinators, Cercopora leaf spot, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Swamp Azalea (R. viscosum), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on Late Blooming Swamp AzaleaButtonbush
Posted by Hugh on August 11th, 2026
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), aka honeybells, pond dogwood, and swampwood, is a highly prized native shrub. Yes, in small landscapes, buttonbush tend to grow big @ 6-12 feet tall and wide. Their fragrant white orbital blooms are uniquely out of this world. Botanical member of the Rubiaceae (USDA hardiness zones 5-9), flowers appear from spring to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), compact shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ButtonbushHappy Summerific™ Hibiscus Week 2026
Posted by Hugh on July 27th, 2026
Rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) is a truly versatile perennial. Hardy from Minnesota to Florida (USDA hardiness zones 4-9), rose mallow bears some of the largest flowers compared to most other perennials. Blooms of some cultivars measure a huge 7-9 inches across. In addition, dwarf compact growing types are being developed that make perfect fits in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hibiscus moscheutos, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Happy Summerific™ Hibiscus Week 2026Dwarf Vitex Cultivars
Posted by Hugh on July 22nd, 2026
Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus) is an 8–10-20-foot deciduous shrub or tree form. Branching habit is dense and vase-shaped (upright). Without question, ‘Shoal Creek’ is a very popular Vitex variety that measures around 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide (USDA hardiness zone 6 – 8). So… so many varieties that grow large and should not be […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowering shrub, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Street tree, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), winter hardiness Comments Off on Dwarf Vitex CultivarsAward Winning Phlox ‘Jenna’
Posted by Hugh on July 9th, 2026
‘Jeana’ phlox was found and named by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River in Nashville, TN. ‘Jeana’ phlox is discovered by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River in Nashville, TN. Jeana phlox grows vigorously to 4-5 feet in height and 2-3 feet in spread. Stems are sturdy and well-branched to support the sweetly scented 6-inch soft lavender-pink flowers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Fragrant, Honey bees, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Award Winning Phlox ‘Jenna’America’s Happy 250th Tree- Franklinia
Posted by Hugh on July 2nd, 2026
Franklinia (Franklinia altamaha) is a uniquely different large shrub or small tree. Although rated hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5-8, I’ve never seen a landscape quality specimen in zone 5 and find that the tree performs best in zones 7. Success with growing franklinia hinges on purchasing a quality nursery plant, proper siting, and annual care, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Fertilizing plants, Franklinia, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on America’s Happy 250th Tree- FrankliniaDiscovering Native Swamp Titi Tree
Posted by Hugh on June 29th, 2026
Black Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora), aka Swamp cyrilla is an evergreen, semi-evergreen or tardily deciduous tree that is native to Southeastern U.S. and indigenous in coastal areas from Virginia south into Texas. (USDA hardiness zones 5-11). Young plants are shrubby but eventually develop into a small tree with contorted stems, smooth, cinnamon-colored young bark and flaky mature […]
Posted in acidic soil, Black Titi (Cyrilla), Butterflies, Disease resistant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Discovering Native Swamp Titi Tree
