Chosen by American Hosta Growers*, the winners are… 2015 Hosta of the Year Victory is an impressive plant. It forms giant vase-shaped clumps with large, shiny leaves with green centers and margins that change from greenish yellow in the spring to creamy white by early summer. Victory is big hosta that grows 30 inches high […]
Archive for the ‘Rabbit/deer Protection’ Category
2015-16 Hosta Awards Announced
Posted by Hugh on January 28th, 2015
Winter Blooming Flowering Apricot
Posted by Hugh on January 28th, 2015
Flowering apricot (Prunus mume) is native to southeastern Asia(USDA hardiness zones 6-8). It is primarily grown for its mid to late winter bloom of pink flowers. This small 15-20 feet tall tree grows in average well-drained, acidic soils in full sun to partial shade. Avoid planting in heavy or wet soils. Most abundant flowering occurs in full sun. In the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, compact tree, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Flowering, Flw. apricot (Prunus mume), Fragrant, Harvest Time, Heat Tolerance, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter flowering, winter flowering tree, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Winter Blooming Flowering ApricotAll About Mulches
Posted by Hugh on December 10th, 2014
Mulches aid in retaining soil moisture and reducing weeding chores. Over the years organically-based mulches gradually improve garden soils. Organic mulches are basically recycled bark, branches, twigs and leaves (including needles). Frequently they are organic by-products from the logging industry. Grass clippings and straw are also mulch sources. Hay is usually full […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, alkaline soil, compost, Garden Maintenance, Green Recycling, Mulch Quality, mulching, organic gardening, Planting tips, poor quality mulch, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Voles, watering tips, Weeds, winter hardiness Comments Off on All About MulchesEmerald™ Arborvitae
Posted by Hugh on December 4th, 2014
Emerald™ or ‘Emerald Green’ arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) is not new shrub or cultivar. More than 3 generations of gardeners have used this unique form of eastern arborvitae as their “go to” evergreen shrub up and down the eastern coast and through the Midwest (USDA hardiness zones 3-7). Emerald is a semi-dwarf evergreen shrub with a […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Bagworms, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Green Privacy Screen, Landscape ideas, Mites, mulching, Native Plant, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation(grafting), Rabbit/deer Protection, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Emerald™ ArborvitaeThe Giant Or Jumbo Class Of Hostas
Posted by Hugh on August 10th, 2014
The “Giant” class of hostas is aptly named. Cultivars in this class are novelties. Their enormous leaves and plant sizes (height and spread) definitely will make a bold statement in any garden. To attain their glorious best in plant majesty and leaf size, each cultivar must have a compost-rich, moist, well-drained soil with pH between […]
Posted in Hosta, Perennials, Rabbit/deer Protection, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on The Giant Or Jumbo Class Of HostasFour Old Fashioned Hostas Continue To Delight
Posted by Hugh on August 4th, 2014
During my annual summer travel to public gardens around the U.S., several clumps of old-timey hostas that were popular in the 1960’s and ’70’s caught my eye. These hosta beauties still own their garden place. Here are listed only four, but there are so many more. ‘Gold Standard’is an old-time favorite. In August multiple pink-lavender […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hosta, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Shade Gardening, Slugs, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Old Fashioned Hostas Continue To DelightHosta Award Winners
Posted by Hugh on July 26th, 2014
Without question, hostas are the most popular perennial for the shade garden. Their lovely foliage provides color, texture and architecture in their garden space from April to a hard autumn frost. They are hardy, long-lived, and relatively maintenance-free. Hostas range in size from miniature 2 to 3 inches tall types to enormous large leafy clumps […]
Posted in Fragrant, Hosta, Hummingbird, Perennials, Pests, Propagation (dividing), Rabbit/deer Protection, Slugs, Slugs, Snails, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, watering tips Comments Off on Hosta Award WinnersBlazing Star– Electric Summer Flowering Perennial
Posted by Hugh on June 27th, 2014
Blazing star (Liatris spp.) is a popular summer flowering perennial. Also called gayfeather, it belongs in the aster family. This tall, upright, clump-forming perennial is found in moist meadows and at the edge of a marsh. (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Liatris makes an excellent addition to a rain garden. Its distinctively reddish-purple flower spikes win […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Blazing star (Liatris), Butterflies, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Blazing Star– Electric Summer Flowering Perennial‘Guacamole’ Hosta An Outstanding Garden Performer
Posted by Hugh on September 14th, 2013
Guacamole (Hosta plantaginea ‘Guacamole’) is rated one of the top performing hostas in the Northeast and mid-South U.S. gardens. Guacamole is a hybrid and one of its parents is H. plantaginea ‘Fragrant Bouquet’. In 2002 it was selected Hosta of the Year by the American Hosta Society. Guacamole is a medium-sized hosta. It matches its […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, compost, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Hosta, Hummingbird, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Rabbit/deer Protection, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Guacamole’ Hosta An Outstanding Garden PerformerSummer Flowering Heleniums Should Not Make You Sneeze
Posted by Hugh on April 18th, 2013
Helenium, named for Helen of Troy from Greek mythology, is U.S. prairie perennial. In times past powdered disk flowers and leaves of some heleniums were used as snuff, hence the common name. It’s difficult to sell ‘sneezeweed” and many garden catalogs now list it as “helenium”. A number of good hybrid selections have been introduced […]
Posted in Butterflies, deadheading, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Helenium, Native Plant, Perennials, Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips Comments Off on Summer Flowering Heleniums Should Not Make You Sneeze
