Archive for the ‘compost’ Category

‘Snow Flurry’ Zone 6 Hardy Camellia

‘Snow Flurry’ camellia is a broadleaf evergreen shrub with good plant vigor. It was one of the first zone 6 cold hardy camellias hybridized by Dr. William Ackerman and released by the U.S. National Arboretum in 1986.   Snow Flurry grows into a 4 feet tall by 6 feet wide shrub over a 10 year […]

Alaska Cedar Is Awesome Weeping Evergreen

Over the past decade, gardeners have been planting different evergreen trees in their Southern Appalachian landscapes (USDA zones 6 and 7). One of the newbies is Alaska cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis),  a wonderful medium-sized evergreen tree from the west coast of North America. Alaska cedar matures into a graceful pyramidal tree form. Long pendulous flattened sprays of  bluish green needles drape from […]

Sacred Lily (Rohdea) Brings Good Fortune

Depending on where you garden, Sacred Lily (Rohdea japonica) is either an evergreen or herbaceous perennial groundcover. It is slow growing and prospers in a moist shady woodland environment.  Small clumps of  long, strap-like leaves emerge from an underground crown to about 15” in height. Foliage is comprised of 18 inch long strap- like leaves […]

‘Autumn Bride’ Started A Heuchera Evolution

Autumn Bride heuchera (Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’) is blooming now. This native ground cover, aka “hairy alumroot”, displays wide lime-green foliage which is not as colorful as many new H. villosa  hybrids introduced in recent years. However, the white flowers on Autumn Bride are showier and more numerous. Heucheras prefer a moist, well-drained, compost-rich soil. Plants are heat and humidity […]

Sunpatiens Worth The Hype

Sunpatiens™ live up to all their hype, with a caveat. They are still impatiens, which means they love (and can’t go without) water. In the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7), Sunpatiens prosper in direct full day sun to part shade, but can’t go without weekly watering. The flower bed should be mulched […]

Old-Timey ‘Royal Standard’ Hosta Still Rules

Kingwood Center is a wonderful public garden in Mansfield, Ohio with several top notch beds of hostas. One glorious bed of ‘Royal Standard’ hosta blooms their heads off from mid-August into September. With over 35,000 registered hostas available, why look back at this vintage variety. Royal Standard was patented and introduced in 1965 by Wayside Gardens […]

Native Plumleaf Azalea Blooms In The Heat Of Summer

Plumleaf Azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium) From my garden here is a look today (July 28th) at plumleaf azalea (Rhododendron prunifolium). Plumleaf is an Alabama native, and its orangey red flowers has been growing in my east Tennessee garden for the past 15+ years. It is hardy to zone 5-b (- 15°F) which includes most of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England states. Plumleaf handles Southern […]

Summer Blooming Oyama Magnolia

A friend on vacation sent me the attached photo from Wooster, Ohio.  When I told him that it was Oyama magnolia (Magnolia sieboldii), he asked why gardeners are not growing it. Good question! Oyama magnolia is a 10-15 feet tall (and equal spread) deciduous tree or large shrub from eastern Asia. It prefers to grow […]

Rosebay Rhododendron for Cool Shady Landscapes

Rosebay Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) grows in dense woodland shade along cool mountain streams and on moist, rocky slopes. This Southern Appalachian native is extremely winter hardy to -15° to -20° F. It is a late-season bloomer reaching its peak around late June. Rosebay grows large, 15 to 20 feet in height. On some sites it […]

Flaming ‘Fireball’ Hibiscus Quite A Summer Show

  ‘Fireball’ hibiscus (Hibiscus x moscheutos ‘Fireball’) is a vigorous hardy perennial with burgundy tinted cutleaf foliage and huge 10-12 inch clear red flowers from mid-summer to late summer. Plant height is 4 – 5 feet and 2 – 3 feet in width. A strikingly beautiful plant, ‘Fireball’ thrives on heat and humidity. It wants full […]