Archive for the ‘watering tips’ Category

‘Victory’ Chosen Hosta Plant Of The Year For 2015

The Hosta Growers Association has selected ‘Victory’ the Hosta of the Year for 2015 (USDA Zones 3–9). ‘Victory’ is a large hosta cultivar with gold edged variegated leaves and an upright vase-shaped plant habit. Victory hosta is a sport of H. nigrescens ‘Elatior’, distinctive also for its beautiful, upright form. Plant develops into a broad 3 – […]

Fall Landscaping Tips

                  Cool autumn temperatures and increased rainfall make Autumn an ideal time to plant. Attractive landscaping adds value to your home and property. Selecting select deciduous trees and shrubs may reduce home winter heating bills and provide cooling shade in summer. Gardeners living in condos or townhouses should also consider a winter hardy […]

Italian Arum Returns Every Autumn

Italian arum (Arum italicum) is a long-lived woodland perennial native to Italy and much of the Mediterranean region. Several members of the arum family (Araceae), including this species, are also known as “Lords and Ladies”. It typically grows 9-18 inches tall (depending on location) and slowly spreads over many years. Shoots first emerge from beneath the woodland leaf […]

Mid-Summer Blooming ‘Happy Days’ Sunflower

The cheerful golden yellow flowers of Happy Days sunflower (Helianthus ‘Happy Days’) should brighten your garden during the waning days of summer (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). This perennial sunflower has a long 4 to 6 week blooming period. In its first season new plants grow 24-30 inches tall and almost as wide. In subsequent years, tack on an additional 12-18 inches in […]

Fall Planting of Peonies

Fall is the perfect time to plant peonies either from bare-root plants or from pre-potted plants at garden centers. Fall planted peonies will adapt to their new garden spot over the winter and usually will bloom in the spring. There are three types of peonies: herbaceous, tree, and intersectional (hybrids of herbaceous and tree types). […]

‘Purple Dome’ Aster Reliable In The Late Summer Garden

    New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) is indigenous to a wide geographic area that encompasses moist prairies, meadows, valleys and stream banks in most Eastern and midwest states as far south to New Mexico. ‘Purple Dome’ is a very popular dwarf cultivar introduced by Dr. Richard Lighty, former director of Mt. Cuba Center in Greenville, Delaware. […]

Seven Step Lawn Renovation Program

Fall (late August to mid-October) is the “springtime” for lawn care. Most weeds have stopped growing and the cooler weather is a more comfortable time to work outdoors. If your home lawn is in horrible condition, now (not spring) is the best time of the year to take on lawn renovation. First, here are a few […]

Purple Heart Tradescantia

              Purple Heart tradescantia (Setcreasea pallida  ‘Purple Heart’), formerly Tradescantia purpurea), is an annual trailing groundcover with purple stems and violet-purple foliage. This flowering vine is primarily grown for its vibrant foliage. Purple Heart is utilized in garden beds, large containers or hanging baskets. By summer’s end individual plants may grow 8-12 […]

Long Blooming Tennessee Coneflower

                  Dependable Tennessee coneflowers (Echinacea tennesseensis) bloom almost all summer (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). That’s three months long. Plants are covered with pale pink, flat ray flowers; blooms measure 2 to 3 inch across with greenish-brown centers or cones. It is a great addition to hot dry sites, […]

Sensuous Begonia boliviensis

                Bolivian begonias (Begonia boliviensis) are tuberous rooted types indigenous to the Andes Mountains in Bolivia and Argentina (USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11).  Plants grow rapidly and bloom non-stop from late spring to early fall. No deadheading of spent flowers is necessary. Bright red to orange flowers feature four […]