Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is a late flowering lilac, often 2-3 weeks later than the popular common and hybrid shrub lilacs (USDA hardiness zone 3-7). Tree lilac is tall growing, often 20-25 feet tall with a 15-25 foot spread. It forms a nice small multi-trunked street tree. Tree lilac is the last of the […]
Archive for the ‘Pruning’ Category
Japanese Tree Lilac Is Excellent Late Flowering Form
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2014
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Lilac (Syringa), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Japanese Tree Lilac Is Excellent Late Flowering FormRooguchi Clematis: Let It Ramble
Posted by Hugh on May 12th, 2014
Combine two popular garden trends: climbing vines and vertical gardening. Vines may grow on a trellis or allow them to weave through an existing shrub or tree. In a small garden this can be a space saver. In the world of clematis, the cultivar Rooguchi, aka Roguchi, (Clematis integrifolia x C. reticulata) has become increasingly […]
Posted in Clematis 'Rooguchi', Heat Tolerance, mulching, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer flowering, watering tips Comments Off on Rooguchi Clematis: Let It RambleRoseshell Azalea Thrives In Cool Mountain Woodlands
Posted by Hugh on May 9th, 2014
Roseshell azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum, formerly R. roseum) is native from New England, a number of Midwestern states, south to Texas. In its natural habitat it is commonly grows on wooded, north-facing slopes, shaded ravines, or nearby a cool mountain stream. The plants are not stoloniferous. Roseshell azalea grows best in organically rich, acidic, well-drained, and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Azalea (deciduous), compost, mulching, Native Plant, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Roseshell Azalea Thrives In Cool Mountain WoodlandsBlackberry Lily Is Easy Summer Perennial
Posted by Hugh on May 3rd, 2014
Blackberry Lily (Belamcanda chinensis) is a summer flowering perennial native to China and Japan (USDA hardiness zones 5 -10). Don’t be fooled by its name. It is not a “lily” as it belongs to the Iris family. The iris sword-like leafy stalks stand 2 to 3 feet high. Blackberry lily blooms in early to mid-summer […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Blackberry Lily (Belamcandra), Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Ornamental fruit, Perennials, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Blackberry Lily Is Easy Summer Perennial‘Summer Gold’ Kousa Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2014
Get ready to alter your mindset with ‘Summer Gold’ Chinese (kousa) dogwood (Cornus kousa) (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Its diminutive size, 8 to 10 feet high and 4 to 5 feet wide, makes it a great fit for a small city garden. Branching is distinctly upright, which partially accounts for its narrow space needs. ‘Summer […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Chinese (kousa) dogwood, compact tree, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Ornamental fruit, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Summer Gold’ Kousa Dogwood‘Miss Kim’ Lilac Tackles Southeast U.S. Heat and Humidity
Posted by Hugh on April 17th, 2014
When northerners move south, they insist on growing lilacs (Syringa spp.). Southern U.S. heat and humidity often take their toll on these lovely fragrant and colorful spring flowering shrubs (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). One very popular and exceptionally reliable lilac is ‘Miss Kim’ lilac (S. pubescens ssp. patula ‘Miss Kim’). A cultivar of Manchurian lilac, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Lilac (Syringa), Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on ‘Miss Kim’ Lilac Tackles Southeast U.S. Heat and HumidityThree Beautiful Ornamental Crabapples
Posted by Hugh on April 4th, 2014
Crabapples (Malus spp.) get a bad rap! Many gardeners associated them with the old diseased and pest prone varieties planted a half-century ago. Modern cultivars make nice small ornamental trees. The new cultivars exhibit exceptional resistance to five serious diseases of crabapples: apple scab, fire blight, cedar-apple rust, leaf spot and powdery mildew. Three of […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, compact tree, Crabapple, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Ornamental fruit, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weeping habit, winter hardiness Comments Off on Three Beautiful Ornamental CrabapplesYoshino Flowering Cherry Is Southern Favorite
Posted by Hugh on March 21st, 2014
In The Southeast U.S. most ornamental flowering cherry trees (Prunus spp.) are challenged by summer heat and humidity. ‘Yoshino Cherry’ (Prunus x yedoensis) continues to be the top performer in the group (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). In 1912, the Japanese government gifted the United States 3000 Yoshino flowering cherries. In the years that followed, Yoshino […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact tree, Flowering, Fragrant, mulching, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, winter hardiness, Yoshino cherry (Prunus) Comments Off on Yoshino Flowering Cherry Is Southern Favorite‘Blackout’ Heuchera Exceptionally Vigorous Type
Posted by Hugh on March 18th, 2014
A floral bouquet full of tiny flowers stand tall above the high gloss ebony foliage of Blackout coralbells (Heuchera x ‘Blackout’) (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8). The foliage holds its color and sheen most of the summer. The foliage is evergreen through the winter in zones 6 thru 8. Airy spikes of cream colored […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Heuchera (coralbells), mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Potting Mix, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Blackout’ Heuchera Exceptionally Vigorous TypeStart Spring Out with Easy To Grow Japanese Pieris
Posted by Hugh on March 12th, 2014
Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) offers a year-round show in a garden with evergreen foliage and showy bell-shaped blooms (USDA hardiness zones 5- 8). New spring foliage starts out bronze-colored and matures to dark green. Attractive, pendulous branches if ivory white flower appears in early spring. Remnants of the old seed heads generally persist into the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, compact shrub, Evergreen, Flowering, Pieris japonica, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Start Spring Out with Easy To Grow Japanese Pieris
