Salvias are native to central South America. Some species may surprising survive here in Tennessee/Virginia (zone 7) as tender perennials. In the early days of autumn, salvias seem to revitalize – vegetatively and flower numbers. Salvias are both reliable nectar and pollen sources for butterflies and hummingbirds and are seldom damaged by deer. Listed here […]
Archive for the ‘Garden Maintenance’ Category
Salvias – Nature’s Last Hurrah
Posted by Hugh on September 1st, 2022
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower arrangments, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Salvias – Nature’s Last HurrahWhy My Tree Turns Yellow in Summer
Posted by Hugh on August 27th, 2022
Leaves of some landscape trees turn yellowish- green color in the summer. The common cause for this malady is a lack of minor nutrients (“micronutrients”) that are essential for plant growth. These nutrients are available in the soil in very small quantities. Nutrient deficiencies are not common, except in the high pH soils, particularly the […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, alkaline soil, Azaleas (evergreen), Birch (Betula spp.), Chlorosis (yellowing), Deciduous, Landscape ideas, Maples (Acer), Oaks (Quercus spp.), pin oak, plant nutrition, river birch, Silver maple (Acer saccharinum), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Why My Tree Turns Yellow in SummerGrowing Rain Lilies
Posted by Hugh on August 22nd, 2022
Rain lilies (Zephyranthes), aka Zephyr lily, Atamasco lily, fairy lily, et al. are small perennial bulbs that are native to the southeastern United States, Central and South America (USDA hardiness zones 7-10). In the U.S., these bulbous members of the Amaryllis Family (Amaryllidaceae) grow in shady woodlands and wet meadows where they peek out along […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering Bulb, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Rain lilies (Zephyranthes), Rain lilies (Zephyranthes), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing Rain LiliesFour Gold Leaf Landscape Trees
Posted by Hugh on August 17th, 2022
Deciduous trees that flaunt gold foliage in the spring and summer months are a rare sight in U.S. landscapes. Listed below are four tree species/cultivars that possess bright gold foliage, particularly when sited in full sun. Under partial shade, leaf color may eventually turn lime green to chartreuse. All four species are winter hardy in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Black locust (Robinia), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Fragrant, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Shade tree, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Gold Leaf Landscape TreesSurprise Lilies
Posted by Hugh on August 8th, 2022
Add a bit of unexpected beauty to your garden in late summer with surprise lilies (Lycoris spp.), aka spider lilies, resurrection lilies, magic lilies, and naked ladies. (Zones 4-9). Along coastal areas of the southern U.S., they are called “hurricane lilies”. The most popular is red spider lily (L. radiata), a long-lived heirloom flower in Southern gardens, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fall Colchicum, Fall crocus, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering Bulb, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Lycoris (Spider lily), Lycoris (Surprise lily), mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Surprise LiliesCelebrate Summer Growing Colorful Perennial Hibiscus
Posted by Hugh on August 3rd, 2022
Perennial hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) is commonly known as rose mallow or dinner plate size hibiscus. Blooms measure a huge 7-9 inches across. Plants are exceptionally hardy, and can withstand winters as cold as zone 4 (-20°F to -30°F) in Minnesota (zone 4) and the heat of zone 9 (20°F -30°F) in Florida. Each flower lasts […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hardy hibiscus, Heat Tolerance, Hibiscus moscheutos, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Celebrate Summer Growing Colorful Perennial HibiscusMini Reblooming Smooth Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on July 31st, 2022
Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) generally grow 6 -7 feet high, and some wild forms upwards of 10 feet (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). The exceedingly popular Invincibelle® series grow 5-6 feet high. Three recently introduced mini-types (listed below) are perfect for a small garden or in a large container. Shrubs in the series reach full size in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compost, container shrub, deadheading, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Fragrant, Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mini Reblooming Smooth HydrangeasMimosa Tree – Love It Or Not
Posted by Hugh on July 21st, 2022
Over the hot spring and summer months, weedy Mimosa trees (Albizia julibrissin) stand beautiful along U.S roadsides. During the rest of the year, people pay very little attention to this arboreal Asian beauty that inhabit a vast area from Iran to China (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). From late spring through summer, mimosa struts an attractive […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, Mimosa tree (Albizia), mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mimosa Tree – Love It Or NotRose of Sharon – A Summer Delight
Posted by Hugh on July 16th, 2022
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), aka althea, is a vigorous, upright, vase-shaped, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that typically grows 8-12 feet tall with some exceptions. Altheas may also be trained as small trees or espalier. Showy 5-petaled flowers appear over a long summer period and sometimes into early fall. The center of each flower has prominent […]
Posted in acidic soil, Althea (Hibiscus), Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Flowering shrub, Hedges, Hummingbird, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Rose of Sharon – A Summer DelightA Late Season Blooming Tree
Posted by Hugh on July 10th, 2022
Seven Son Flower (Heptacodium miconioides) is a large, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that grows 15-20 feet tall and 10-12 feet wide at maturity. This rare unique specimen is catching on in the U.S. because of its year-round appeal (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It is an excellent choice for a lawn specimen or plant several in a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching trees, Non-native, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Seven son flower (Heptacodium), Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Trumpet vine (Campsis), watering tips, Weak branching, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on A Late Season Blooming Tree
