Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a U.S. native tree that is finally catching on with landscape designers. Sweetbay often grows 20-30 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide as a large shrub or multi-stemmed small tree. Discovering a 50-60 feet sweetbay near by a lake or pond is not unusual to find (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). […]
Archive for the ‘Winter Garden Interest’ Category
Sweetbay Magnolia Cultivars
Posted by Hugh on April 19th, 2024
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Chlorosis (yellowing), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Flower arrangments, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, Leaf retention, Magnolia virginiana, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
No Comments »Lacebark Pine – A Year-round Treasure
Posted by Hugh on April 1st, 2024
Native to China, lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana) is an excellent, low-maintenance evergreen treasure. Winter-hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4-8, this specimen pine struggles in the summer heat and humidity of the Southern U.S. Best specmens are found growing in arboretums and botanical gardens north of zone 8. This 3-needle pine offers 4-seasons of ornamental interest. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Lacebark pine (P. bungeana), Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Non-native, Pine (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness No Comments »Three Native Azaleas That Should Be Included In Mid- Atlantic and Southern Gardens
Posted by Hugh on March 25th, 2024
About Native Azaleas: Flowers appear from April to September depending on species. Flower clusters (called “trusses”) appear just before the leaves emerge. Each truss may bear 3 – 12 blooms, which open 1.5 – 2 inches wide. Flower colors vary among native species from white, pink, orange and red shades. In many spring blooming species, the open petals […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deciduous Azaleas, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Three Native Azaleas That Should Be Included In Mid- Atlantic and Southern GardensWoodland (Snow) Crocus
Posted by Hugh on March 13th, 2024
Snow Crocus, aka early crocus (Crocus tommasinianum) is a late winter to early spring blooming bulb (corm) that is native to southeastern Europe into Asia. These tiny crocus are generally the first to pop its leaves above the ground and even bloom when there is snow on the ground, hence its common name. Snow crocus are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Corms, Crocus, Crocus, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dwarf (reticulate) iris, Forcing, Galanthus (snowdrops), Landscape ideas, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering bulbs, Summer heat tolerant, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest Comments Off on Woodland (Snow) CrocusSeven Winter Blooming Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on February 12th, 2024
If you live where winter temperatures are generally moderate in the low teens, a number of shrubs bloom in winter. In the Delmarva and mid-South regions (USDA hardiness zones 6-7), these seven plants bloom reliably for 2-3 weeks before spring officially arrives. 1. Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima), aka fragrant honeysuckle, are covered with small fragrant […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn foliage color, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compact tree, container shrub, Cornus officinalis, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Edgeworthia, Evergreen, Flower Arranging, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Japanese cornel, Jessamine (Gelsemium), Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetbox (Sarcococca), Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Winter bark, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Wintersweet (Chimonanthus), Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on Seven Winter Blooming ShrubsChristmas Fern
Posted by Hugh on January 31st, 2024
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is an evergreen native fern that grows tough as nails. This native fern, also called the Christmas dagger fern, is indigenous to much of eastern North America; it grows in every U.S. state east of the Rocky Mountains (USDA hardiness zones 3 – 9). This durable fern has long been associated […]
Posted in acidic soil, Christmas fern, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Ferns, Flower Arranging, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Christmas FernNew USDA Hardiness Zone Map
Posted by Hugh on January 7th, 2024
The USDA Plant Zone Hardiness Zone Map is an important garden reference to anyone who gardens in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released a new version of its Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM), updating this valuable tool for gardeners and researchers for the first […]
Posted in Annuals, Biennial, Environmental Conservation, Harvest Time, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on New USDA Hardiness Zone MapGrowing The True Christmas Cactus
Posted by Hugh on December 25th, 2023
Despite its name, the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi) is an epiphytic plant that grows on trees and rocks in habitats that are generally shady with high humidity. This tropical member of the Cactus family (Cactaceae) is not a true cactus. Tiny roots may cling to the plant or rock that it’s growing on. It is […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Fertilizing plants, Foliage plant, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, Mealy bugs, Non-native, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Thanksgiving cactus, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest Comments Off on Growing The True Christmas CactusSnowdrops (Galanthus)
Posted by Hugh on December 6th, 2023
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring. Depending on the region where you live, snowdrops appear in the early days of spring; often snow still blankets the ground. Snowdrops are tiny plants (3 – 6 inches tall) that produce multiple small showy, white, bell-shaped flowers, which hangs off the ends […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Cold tolerance, Container garden, Fertilizing plants, Galanthus (snowdrops), Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Snowdrops (Galanthus), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Snowdrops (Galanthus)January Blooming Vernal Witchhazel
Posted by Hugh on October 21st, 2023
This winter – follow your nose to Vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis), aka Ozark witchhazel. (USDA zones 4-8). This U.S. native witchhazel grows as a deciduous shrub to small tree. It may produce the smallest flowers of all witchhazel species, but they’re highly fragrant when little else is blooming. It naturally inhabits a wide area encompassing […]
Posted in acidic soil, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bees and other pollinators, Chlorosis (yellowing), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vernal witchhazel (H. vernalis), Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on January Blooming Vernal Witchhazel
