Red Abyssinian banana (Ensete maurelii ‘Red Abyssinian’) is a tropical banana from high in the mountains of Ethiopia in eastern Africa. Its enormous reddish to purplish foliage and red – burgundy trunk adds a tropical presence to any garden. Compared to hardier banana genus Musa, Ensete does not produce root suckers […]
Archive for the ‘watering tips’ Category
Red Abyssinian Banana For Tropical Looking Landscapes
Posted by Hugh on May 24th, 2015
Posted in acidic soil, Banana (Ensete spp.), Container garden, Container growing, Fertilizing plants, Foliage plant, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Red Abyssinian Banana For Tropical Looking Landscapes‘Short and Sassy’ Helenium (Sneezeweed)
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2015
Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) is a bee/butterfly friendly perennial that blooms heavily from mid-summer into early fall. Helenium (“sneezeweed”) does not cause hayfever or irritate sinus passages. The genus Helenium is named for Helen of Troy. Its dried leaves were once crunched to make a snuff to promote sneezing. This tough prairie native thrives in full […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Helenium, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Short and Sassy’ Helenium (Sneezeweed)American Yellowwood Deserves To Be Planted More
Posted by Hugh on May 19th, 2015
American yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) is a beautiful native tree which is rarely planted in U.S. landscapes (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Yellowwood is a tree for all seasons. It is both a lovely shade and flowering specimen. Long white wisteria-like flowers appear in mid- to late-May. It eventually matures into a lovely 35 to […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Disease resistant, Failure to Bloom, Fragrant, Native Plant, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness, Yellowwood Comments Off on American Yellowwood Deserves To Be Planted MoreCosmos For Sunny Gardens
Posted by Hugh on May 15th, 2015
Cosmos, indigenous to Mexico and South America, are one of the easiest-to-grow flowering annuals. They start blooming in early summer and are at their best in late summer and early autumn. Two most popular species are Cosmos sulphureus and C. bipinnatus. Flower heads are composed of disc and ray flowers. Cosmos is a member of the aster […]
Posted in alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container garden, Cosmos, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Failure to Bloom, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Hummingbird, mulching, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Cosmos For Sunny GardensFill Flower Gardens & Containers With Sweet Alyssums
Posted by Hugh on May 12th, 2015
Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) is one of the easiest annuals to grow. A member of the mustard family (Brassicaeae), it is native in the Mediterranean region and the Canary and Azores Islands (AHS heat zones 3-8). Modern day cultivars possess exceptional heat, humidity, and drought tolerance in summer months once fully established. Alyssums may be utilized in mixed […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alyssum (annual), Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fragrant, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Fill Flower Gardens & Containers With Sweet AlyssumsCardinal Flower Attracts Hummingbirds and Butterflies
Posted by Hugh on May 6th, 2015
With their vibrant red colored blooms in July and August and a strong vertical growth habit, you visually can’t miss with our native cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). Hummingbirds and butterflies won’t pass them by either. Cardinal flowers are also called scarlet lobelias. Their vibrant red single raceme flowers single them out […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Hummingbird, Lobelia (cardnial flower), mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Cardinal Flower Attracts Hummingbirds and ButterfliesGood News About Garden Impatiens
Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2015
Gardeners no longer have to give up growing garden impatiens (Impatiens walleriana). No, the worldwide disease outbreak of downy mildew on garden impatiens is not over. But new disease resistant cultivars of impatiens are arriving at garden centers this spring. Two of the newest are: SunPatiens® Spreading Shell Pink and Bounce® Pink Flame (‘Balboufink’). […]
Posted in acidic soil, Container garden, Container growing, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Impatiens, mulching, New Guinea impatiens, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Good News About Garden ImpatiensAmerican Fringetree – A Spring Flowering Treasure
Posted by Hugh on April 28th, 2015
American fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) is one of the finest spring flowering trees (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Individual flower heads are large and billowy, snowy white, and very fragrant in the early evening hours. Flower panicles peak through the large leaves, and are large and showy compared to Chinese fringetree (which I also like). Leaf sizes […]
Posted in acidic soil, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Fringetree (Chionanthus), Irrigation, mulching trees, Native Plant, Propagation (Seed), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on American Fringetree – A Spring Flowering TreasureJapanese Kerria Beautiful Old-fashioned Shrub
Posted by Hugh on April 23rd, 2015
Japanese Kerria (Kerria japonica) is an old fashioned shrub that never seems to go out of style (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Some call it the “Yellow Rose of Texas”, although kerria originates from eastern Asia. Its showy yellow buttercup-like flowers bloom in spring, after the forsythias have […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Bee Favorite, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Kerria, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness 1 Comment »Many New Beebalm Cultivars Continue to Roll Out
Posted by Hugh on April 21st, 2015
Bee balms, aka bergamots or Oswego tea (Monarda spp.) are native to eastern North America (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Plants are easy to grow, bloom beautifully, and multiply rapidly. They are treasured for their raging colored flowers and medicinal properties. Numerous bee pollinators as well as butterflies and hummingbirds favor the summer blooms. The native […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container growing, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Monarda (Beebalm), Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Powdery mildew, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Many New Beebalm Cultivars Continue to Roll Out
