It’s late August and across the Southern Appalachian region White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata) are blooming. Their small daisy flowers are often seen blooming in shady woodlands in late summer. They start blooming a week or two later in the New England states and Canada (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). In a natural woodland Wood’s Aster […]
Archive for the ‘Heat Tolerance’ Category
Six Perennials To Include In Your Garden
I continue to report to you on plants that perform. I am quick to eliminate plants that don’t live up to expectations.Here are six topnotch perennials you will enjoy in your garden for many years. Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) grows into a 2-3 feet tall arching clump of soft, feathery green leaves. Blue starry flowers […]
New Inkberry Varieties Substitute For Boxwoods
Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) is a slow-growing evergreen shrub (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). This U.S. native hale from coastal Canada south to Florida, and west to Louisiana. Commonly, inkberry (the species) grows to 5-8 feet tall. It is at home in sandy woodlands and the edges of swamps and bogs where they form colonies via root […]
Tall Stonecrops (Sedums)
Stonecrops (Hylotelephium spectabile) are tall clumping sedums. They are frequent seen in their habitat growing on rocks or stony ledges. Also written as Sedum spectabile, many varieties grow 1.5 to 2 feet high. Approximately 33 species of these drought-tolerant herbaceous perennials are found to Asia, Europe and North America (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Stonecrop make excellent […]
Three High Performance Coneflower Series
Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are very popular perennials (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Their colorful flowers will attract a multitude of beneficial pollinators to your garden. Some cultivar series come in a myriad of colors. For the best and biggest flowers, coneflowers perform at their best in full sun and in well-drained soils. After planting echinaceas grow […]
Grow Crocosmias In Your Summer Garden
Crocosmias are bulbous summer blooming flowering perennials that are closely related to gladiolas, also called montbretia and sword lilies. They’re actually corms, not bulbs, and are indigenous to South Africa (USDA hardiness zones 5b to 9). Crocosmias enjoy lots of sun, soil moisture, and hot temps to produce flowers. Plants prefer nutrient-rich, slightly acidic, moist, […]
Black Mondo Grass
Black mondo grass or black lilyturf (Ophiopogon planiscapus) is sold as a number of cultivars – ‘Arabicus’, ‘Black Dragon’, ‘Nigrescens’, or ‘Ebony Knight’. This stoloniferous grass-like perennial belongs to the lily family (Liliaceae) (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). Its blackish-purple foliage (3/16 inch wide leaf blades) forms lush arching clumps. For the patient gardener, know that […]
Enjoy Two Kinds Of Stachys In Your Summer Garden
Many gardeners are acquainted with the wooly leaf perennial called lambs ears (Stachys byzantina). But the genus Stachys is also home to betony (S. officinalis) / (S. monieri). Alpine betony (Stachys monieri) is native to Europe and Asia (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). ‘Hummelo’ betony is very different in appearance from its gray velvety leaf relative […]
Planting Small Trees Under Power Lines
Look Up before you plant. From city streets to country roadside are a myriad of power (utility) lines, e.g. electric, telephone, and cable TV wires. Utility companies have a “right of away” clearance to operate their lines. In most municipalities, mature trees growing into their lines can be cut down or all offending branches removed. Large trees often end […]
Three New Summer Annuals You’ll Get Excited Over
Here are three new annuals which should delight: Striking Senecio ‘Angel Wings’ has silky, silvery white foliage. Angel Wings senecio is beautiful to add to mixed containers or use it solitary on patio or deck planters. Warning: you can’t resist touching the long, broad velvety leaves. Angel Wings grows 10-12 inches high and about as wide. Plant Angel Wings […]