Wild indigo or Baptisia (Baptisia spp.) are a wonderful group of U.S. native perennials (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). A few species have remained outside the gardening scene until recent years. Breeders are creating several hybrids that offer a grand color palette and superior plant form. Baptisia, belong to the Pea family, new growth emerges in […]
Archive for the ‘Garden Maintenance’ Category
Loads Of Hybrid Baptisias Available
Posted by Hugh on April 11th, 2020
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Baptisia (wild indigo), Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowering, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Loads Of Hybrid Baptisias AvailableYellow Flowering Magnolias
Posted by Hugh on April 6th, 2020
Deciduous magnolias (Magnolia spp.) are popular landscape plants because of their bright cheery spring flowers. Breeding efforts back in the 1970’s created a new class of deciduous yellow-flowering magnolias. In 1978, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens introduced the first, Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’ (creamy white). Yellow magnolias are hybrid crosses between M. acuminata, M. subcordata, M. denudata, among […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Magnolia, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Yellow Flowering MagnoliasDouble Take® Flowering Quince
Posted by Hugh on April 2nd, 2020
D Flowering quince (Chaenomeles spp) is an early spring flowering shrub treasured for its brightly colored blooms (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Old fashioned quince shrubs produced small amounts of fruits (quince) which were gathered and made into yummy jelly in the autumn kitchen. Old fashioned varieties often grew 10-12 feet tall shrubs and produced small sharp thorns which made […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container growing, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowering, Flowering quince (Chaenomeles), Flowering shrub, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Double Take® Flowering QuinceSiberian Wallflowers – Tough Winter Annuals
Posted by Hugh on March 26th, 2020
In areas of the U.S. where winters are mild, Siberian Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri), (formerly Cheiranthus cheiri), is an early flowering favorite in the late winter garden. The species hails from Southern Europe (USDA hardiness zones 7-9). Many books list them as biennials and a few as “tempermental perennials”. Wallflower is a woody-based herbaceous perennial subshrub in the mustard […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Biennial, Failure to Bloom, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Landscape ideas, mulching, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Siberian Wallflower (Cheiranthus), Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Uncategorized, Wallflower (Erysimum), watering tips, Winter flowering Comments Off on Siberian Wallflowers – Tough Winter AnnualsSix Easy To Grow Spring Wildflowers
Posted by Hugh on March 21st, 2020
These six native wildflowers emerge in early spring in rich woodland soils. In gardens grow them in moist, organically rich soils in partial to full shade. Adding compost substitutes for fertilizing. All grow in moderately acidic to slightly alkaline soils (pH 6.0-7.5). Plants go dormant by early to mid-summer, earlier if soils dry out. Under ideal […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, bloodroot (Sanguinaria), Celandine poppy (Stylophorum), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, organic gardening, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Shooting star (Dodecatheon), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trout lily (Erythronium), Twinleaf (Jeffersonia), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Six Easy To Grow Spring WildflowersRedbuds With Awesome Summer Foliage
Posted by Hugh on March 16th, 2020
Native redbuds Cercis canadensis) is native to eastern and central North America (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). This small tree is a highly dependable small flowering tree. Redbud is typically a relatively short-lived tree, perhaps 20-30 years at best. Depending on variety, their lavender / pink/ white pea-like flowers emerge in early spring, usually a week […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, winter hardiness Comments Off on Redbuds With Awesome Summer FoliageSmoketrees For Their Multi-Seasonal Appeal
Posted by Hugh on March 11th, 2020
Smoketree or smokebush (Cotinus coggygria) is a large shrub or small tree native from southern Europe to central China (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Over time it typically matures to 10-15 feet high and wide. Depending on cultivar (see list below), smoketrees have oval leaves tinted in rich purple, gold, or green shades. Generally, they grow […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact tree, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Smoketree (Cotinus), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Smoketrees For Their Multi-Seasonal AppealSix Perennials For Dry Shade
Posted by Hugh on March 6th, 2020
Many of the following perennials tolerate dry shade but flourish in moist, well-drained soil. Each typically displays the richest foliage colors with a couple of hours of direct sunlight a day. All hold up well to dry conditions and are deer and rabbit resistant. Barrenworts (aka Bishop’s cap, Fairy Wings) (Epimedium spp.) represent over 70 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Barrenwort (Epimedium), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bugleweed (Ajuga), Container garden, Cranesbill (Geranium), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Geranium, Ground cover, Hellebores, Landscape ideas, Lenten rose (Hellebore), Liriope, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Sacred Lily (Rohdea), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Six Perennials For Dry ShadeRhododendrons You Should Be Growing
Posted by Hugh on March 1st, 2020
“A healthy plant in the right place with proper maintenance” is a rhododendron that has few problems. Rhododendrons and azaleas are acid loving plants meaning plants should be planted in humus-rich slightly acidic soil (pH 5.2 -6.5). If the soil is not well amended, rhododendrons will have trouble surviving long term. Once planted, water during […]
Posted in acidic soil, Azalea (deciduous), Azaleas (evergreen), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Container garden, Evergreen, Flower arrangments, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, plant nutrition, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Rhododendrons You Should Be Growing‘Alleghany’ Viburnum – A Versatile Spring Flowering Shrub
Posted by Hugh on February 26th, 2020
Alleghany viburnum (Viburnum x rhytidophylloides ‘Alleghany’) is a hybrid cross between V. rhytidophyllum and V. lantana ‘Mohican’ (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). ‘Alleghany’ viburnum is rated a four season landscape shrub, with multiple year-round appeal including a durable semi-evergreen leathery foliage, dependable spring flowering, and showy fruits in fall and winter. This lovely spring flowering shrub grows 10-12 feet tall and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Drought tolerant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Viburnum 'Alleghany', Viburnums, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Alleghany’ Viburnum – A Versatile Spring Flowering Shrub
