Annual vinca or periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is a summer flowering annual popular in Southern and Midwest gardens (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). When summer’s heat and humidity soars, vincas look their best and bloom the heaviest. Vincas sparkle in containers, in flower beds, or in front borders around building foundations. Transplants are set out in mid-spring […]
Archive for the ‘watering tips’ Category
Don’t Shy Away From Annual Vincas (Periwinkles)
Posted by Hugh on April 23rd, 2014
Posted in acidic soil, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Periwinkle (annual vinca), plant nutrition, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips 
Comments Off on Don’t Shy Away From Annual Vincas (Periwinkles)Growing Sunflowers Fun Family Activity
Posted by Hugh on April 20th, 2014
Growing sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are the current rage. Sunflowers are native to Central America and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Sunflowers are classified as annuals, living one growing season, and often returning the following spring from seeds dropped the previous fall. Some gardeners put out large beds to feed the birds. Sunflowers come […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowers, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Sunflowers, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing Sunflowers Fun Family ActivityMighty Rodgersias For Your Shade Garden
Posted by Hugh on April 14th, 2014
In a shade garden the large palmately compound foliage of rodgersias (Rodgersia spp.) make a bold statement (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). In recent years rodgersias are becoming more available at garden centers in the U.S. Three of five species are listed below. Hybrid forms are also available. Rodgersias thrive in moist, organically rich soils. They […]
Posted in acidic soil, compost, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Rodgersia, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mighty Rodgersias For Your Shade GardenJoin The Brunnera Revolution
Posted by Hugh on April 10th, 2014
Over the past decade heartleaf brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla), aka Siberian Bugloss and Alkanet, has become a popular spring flowering perennial in U.S. and Canadian gardens (USDA plant hardiness zones 3 – 8). Native to Russia brunnera need little care when properly sited. Sprays of tiny blue-petalled /yellow centered forget-me-not flowers explode into a blue haze […]
Posted in acidic soil, Brunnera 'Jack Frost', compost, Flowers, Ground cover, mulching, Nematodes, Perennials, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Join The Brunnera Revolution‘Thailand Giant’ Elephant Ear Fun Novelty
Posted by Hugh on April 6th, 2014
‘Thailand Giant’ elephant ear (Colocasia gigantea) is rated as an annual (USDA hardiness zone 8-10), where the growing season may last 300 days and longer. Thailand Giant develops into a massive 9- foot tall plant with attractive grey-green foliage species. In the Southern Appalachian and Middle Atlantic regions they may reach 5 – 6 feet […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Colocasia, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on ‘Thailand Giant’ Elephant Ear Fun NoveltyAttracting Monarch Butterflies To Your Garden
Posted by Hugh on April 1st, 2014
From Canada to Mexico, gardeners are called upon to halt the decline of the Monarch butterfly populations across North America. The best way you can help is to fill your garden with Monarch’s favorite flowering nectar plants and milkweeds (Asclepias spp.). Plants should be sited in open full sun and moist well-drained soil. Avoid spraying […]
Posted in Aster, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Butterflies, Cosmos, Drought tolerant, Eupatorium 'Gateway', Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Lantana, Liatris, Marigold, Milkweeds (Asclepias), Monarda (Beebalm), Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Star zinnia, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Zinnia Comments Off on Attracting Monarch Butterflies To Your Garden‘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 TypeHypearls® St. John’s Wort Worth The Hype
Posted by Hugh on March 15th, 2014
St. John’s Wort’s (Hypericum spp.) are terrific landscape shrubs and ground covers with bright yellow flowers in late spring and colorful berry fruits starting in late summer (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Bees and birds are attracted to flowers and fruits respectively. Hypearls® are a new series of hypericums. Cultivars are available in four compact growing […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Ornamental fruit, Southern Appalachian Region, St. John's Wort (Hypericum), Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on Hypearls® St. John’s Wort Worth The HypeStart 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 PierisPlant Native Allegheny Spurge More
Posted by Hugh on March 6th, 2014
Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) is a popular ground cover for partly shaded landscape areas. Our native pachsandra, called Allegheny spurge (P. procumbens), is less known and utilized. The glossy dark evergreen leaves are wider than Japanese pachysandra. Clusters of white bottlebrush flowers emerge 2-4 inches high in early spring; flowers mature pale pink as […]
Posted in acidic soil, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Native Plant, Pachysandra, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plant Native Allegheny Spurge More
