Annual geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) are popular bedding plants in the garden or in all kinds of containers including window boxes or hanging baskets. Color choices include red, pink, rose, salmon, orange, lavender, violet, or white. High summer heat is challenging for all geraniums. Some types of geraniums stop blooming completely and perk up […]
Archive for the ‘Summer flowering’ Category
Geraniums Enjoy The Cool Autumn Season
Posted by Hugh on October 30th, 2017
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Autumn flowering, Botrytis disease, Cercopora leaf spot, Container garden, deadheading, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Flowers, Geranium, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips 
Comments Off on Geraniums Enjoy The Cool Autumn SeasonFall Trimming Of Perennials
Posted by Hugh on October 23rd, 2017
You do not need to cut perennials back in the fall, but many gardeners do so as part of the garden cleanup. Don’t rush the job. Leaves of many perennial plants continue to produce and store carbohydrates in crowns and roots until they go fully dormant. Wait until after the first hard frost or until […]
Posted in acidic soil, Artemisia, Aster, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), deadheading, Drought tolerant, Echinops (Globe thistles), Fall Garden Interest, Hellebores, Landscape ideas, Lavender (Lavandula), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), mulching, Ornamental fruit, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Russian sage (Perovskia), Sedum (Groundcover types), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fall Trimming Of PerennialsPlant American Beautyberry For A Fall Show
Posted by Hugh on October 20th, 2017
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a loose open growing shrub valued for its spectacular fruits in the fall (USDA hardiness zones 6-10). The growth rate of this native shrub is rapid, eventually reaching 4-7 feet in height and 4-6 feet in spread within 5 years after planting. Beautyberry thrives in a moist, humus-rich, mildly acidic, well-drained soil […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plant American Beautyberry For A Fall ShowSizing Up Crape Myrtles (Including Most Recent Introductions)
Posted by Hugh on September 24th, 2017
Hybrid crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia fauriei x indica) have undergone significant makeovers over the past quarter century. Several new cultivar series continue to arrive garden centers, including: Black Diamond™ series, Enduring Summer™, Delta™ series, and Magic™ series. In landscape terms size is very important and gardeners often make a serious error when not calculating the size of […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, compact shrub, compact tree, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease resistant, Flowering, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Sizing Up Crape Myrtles (Including Most Recent Introductions)Multi-Purpose Lavender Spur Flowers Sparkle In The Cool Fall Air
Posted by Hugh on September 6th, 2017
Lavender Spur Flower (Plectranthus Mona Lavender™) is a fast growing flowering annuial that is full of lavender blue flowers from late summer to autumn frost (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). Flowers can usually cope with light frosts of 25 – 30° F in early autumn. Plants grow 2 to 2.5 feet tall and wide forming […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Spur Flower (Plectranthus), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Multi-Purpose Lavender Spur Flowers Sparkle In The Cool Fall AirMussaenda: A Stunning Tropical For Summer Gardens
Posted by Hugh on August 27th, 2017
Mussaenda (Mussaenda spp.) is a small tropical tree or large shrub. It’s a spectacular bloomer that grows to 10-15 feet tall in tropical zones (USDA zones 10-12). It is sometimes called “tropical dogwood” or “Buddah’s lamp”. In large containers it will reach 1-3 feet tall. Mussaenda blooms from late spring to mid-fall in mild-winter areas. Bloom […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Mites, mulching, Mussaenda, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Mussaenda: A Stunning Tropical For Summer GardensTropical Beauty Of African Rose Mallow
Posted by Hugh on August 24th, 2017
African Rose Mallow (Hibiscus acetosella), aka Red-leaf Hibiscus and false Roselle, is grown in most of the U.S. as a colorful annual, although it is rated as a perennial shrub for USDA Zones 9-11. It is native to Africa and, as expected, thrives in hot tropical environment such as in the deep South or Southern California […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Hibiscus acetosella, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Photoperiod (Daylength), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rain barrel, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Tropical Beauty Of African Rose MallowPrairie Dropseed (Sporobolus) – A Durable Ornamental Grass
Posted by Hugh on August 20th, 2017
Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepsis) is one of the finest warm season grasses native to the Western U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9). Initially, this clump-forming perennial grass grows at a slow to medium rate. By early summer its fine textured deep green leaves form an arching fountain habit. Prairie dropseed inhabits prairies, meadows, open […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mowing, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus) – A Durable Ornamental GrassBlonde Ambition® Blue Grama Grass
Posted by Hugh on August 17th, 2017
Looking for something a little different, plant Blonde Ambition® blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’). It was discovered and introduced by David Salman of High Country Gardens. This prairie species is native from Manitoba Canada, south through the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Midwestern states, to Mexico. It is exceptionally heat and cold hardy […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Blue Grama Grass, Container garden, Container growing, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mowing, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Blonde Ambition® Blue Grama GrassComparing Encore™ and Bloom-A-Thon™ Azaleas
Posted by Hugh on August 4th, 2017
Hey gardeners, how about azaleas that bloom nearly 5 months a year. Flowering lasts for 4-6 weeks in spring and another 12-16 weeks in summer and fall. Check out Encore™ and Bloom-A-Thon™ series of azaleas (USDA hardiness zones 6-10). The main differences between these two azaleas is the Bloom-A-Thon series tend to bloom more abundantly in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Azaleas (evergreen), Bees and other pollinators, Cold tolerance, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Encore azaleas, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Comparing Encore™ and Bloom-A-Thon™ Azaleas
