Many garden annuals shrivel up in the summer heat. Below is a listing of many floral beauties that Beat the Heat of Summer. They keep your garden alive with color all through the summer’s dog days and into fall. They’re tolerant of the high day and night temperatures as well as being moderately drought tolerant. […]
Archive for the ‘Propagation (Seed)’ Category
These Flowering Annuals Beat The Summer Heat
Posted by Hugh on June 15th, 2026
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Cupheas, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evolvulus, Fall Garden Interest, Fan flower (Scaevola), Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Landscape ideas, Lantana, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia), mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Salvia, Scaevola, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spider flower (Cleome), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips 
No Comments »Four Perennial Lantana Varieties
Posted by Hugh on May 25th, 2026
Lantanas (Lantana camara) are garden favorites for their small, lovely blooms in dense, 2-inch (5-cm) wide clusters, (USDA hardiness zones 7-11). Floral colors range from red, purple, pink, orange, yellow, and white, often flower clusters in multiple colors. This woody annual/perennial is in the verbena botanical family (Verbenaceae) family and is native to the West […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Fruits poisonous, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Invasive species, Landscape ideas, Lantana, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness No Comments »Tough Colorful Lantanas
Posted by Hugh on May 7th, 2026
Lantanas are popular flowering perennials in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11 and are heavily planted as annuals in zones 7 and 8. In areas where growing seasons are long, native lantanas are also dependable shrubs in Florida, South Texas, or Southern California. Lantana shrubs may reach up to 6 feet tall in tropical climates. In […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Lantana, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tough Colorful LantanasAshe Magnolia – A Very Special Small Tree
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2026
Ashe magnolia (Magnolia ashei) is a small 10-20 feet deciduous tree with enormous size flowers and leaves (zone (5)6-9). Each white flowers may measure 6- 12 inches across with a purple blotch at the base of 3 inner petal-like tepals. Ashe magnolia blooms in late May – early June here in Tennessee, Virginia and North […]
Posted in acidic soil, Ashe magnolia (M. ashei), Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Magnolia, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Scale, Small landscape tree, Snails, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Thrips, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Ashe Magnolia – A Very Special Small TreeBloodroot In The Spring Garden
Posted by Hugh on February 1st, 2026
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a member of the poppy family Papaveraceae. This botanical family includes about 825 species, including bleeding hearts (Dicentra spp. and Lamprocapnos spectabilis), Corydalis, and opium poppy (Papaver). Bloodroot is native to the eastern half of North America continent from Canada south to Florida. Bloodroot typically rises 6-10 inches tall and spreads over time to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, bloodroot (Sanguinaria), Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Environmental Conservation, Fragrant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bloodroot In The Spring GardenEarly Risers In The New Year Garden
Posted by Hugh on January 2nd, 2026
Some flowering bulbs, corms, and tubers are early-bloomers. With the start of calendar year January 2026, several days in the 50’s and 60’s have been forecasted. In our garden, flowers of three perennials are beginning to poke through the soil. That’s besides the early daffodils which are always early-risers but hold off blooming until late […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Flower arrangments, Galanthus (snowdrops), Ground cover, Hellebores, Lenten rose (Hellebore), mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Winter aconite (Eranthis), Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Early Risers In The New Year GardenRe-Blooming Clivia House Plant
Posted by Hugh on December 12th, 2025
Chase away any winter blahs with colorful flowers of clivia (Clivia miniata). This sub-tropical plant should brighten your home. Start by purchasing a plant already budded or in flower. Clivia lives a long time as a potted house plant. An older plant will grow 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Grow in a large, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Clivia, Clivia, Container garden, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Mealy bugs, Mites, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Re-Blooming Clivia House PlantGround Covers Maybe You Should Avoid
Posted by Hugh on October 10th, 2025
Some varieties of groundcovers make good lawn substitutes because they’re vigorous and aggressive growers. Many garden centers and box stores sell many of these garden thugs. Yes, the selling point for these plants is their rapid, low-growing groundcovers that fill in spaces between steppingstones or may be utilized as a lawn alternative. Some non-native species […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Chameleon plant (Houttuynia), Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Ground cover, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, Non-native, Periwinkle (Vinca spp.), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant Comments Off on Ground Covers Maybe You Should AvoidSummer Planting Combinations At Biltmore
Posted by Hugh on August 30th, 2025
On a recent visit (8/27/25) to the fabulous Biltmore Estates* Walled Garden near the Greenhouse Conservatory were some wonderful colorful plant combinations: *Biltmore Estates in Asheville, North Carolina
Posted in Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Canna lily, Castor bean (Ricinus), Coleus, Cupheas, Flower Arranging, Globe amaranth (Gomphrena), Gourds (Ornamental), Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized Comments Off on Summer Planting Combinations At BiltmoreScarlet Rose Mallow
Posted by Hugh on August 16th, 2025
Swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus), aka scarlet rose mallow, is a hardy perennial plant that grows in swamps, marches and roadside ditches in the Southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It can grow 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. The 5- to 6-inch-long palmate leaves are 3 – 7 lobes and have jagged […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hibiscus coccineus, Hummingbird, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Staking, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Scarlet Rose Mallow
