Winter honeysuckle, aka fragrant honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) is a treasured heirloom shrub (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8). Plantings of this late winter blooming large woody shrub are still found in historical (older) urban neighborhoods and city parks planted prior to the 1960’s. This tough, durable shrub can reach 10+ feet tall and wide. You may opt to limb up its shaggy lower […]
Archive for the ‘Winter Garden Interest’ Category
Winter Honeysuckle Totally Ignored In The landscape
Posted by Hugh on January 6th, 2019
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Invasive species, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, White flies, Winter bark, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Winter Honeysuckle Totally Ignored In The landscapeUnusual Forms Of Umbrella Pine Are Really Cool
Posted by Hugh on December 11th, 2018
Japanese Umbrella Pine (Sciadopitys verticillata) is a prized ornamental evergreen (USDA hardiness zones 5b -9). It is not actually a pine. The only species within genus Sciadopitys, this conifer dates back to the dinosaurs. Umbrella pine is a mid-sized landscape tree with several fine attributes: 1. glossy green long narrow needles arranged like the spokes of a wheel; 2. peeling […]
Posted in acidic soil, Chlorosis (yellowing), compact shrub, compact tree, Container growing, container shrub, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Umbrella pine (Sciadopitys), Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Unusual Forms Of Umbrella Pine Are Really CoolStoloniferous Dogwoods Jazz Up The Winter Landscape
Posted by Hugh on October 25th, 2018
Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) is a medium-sized, deciduous shrub native to much of the Northern and Western United States (USDA hardiness zones 2-7). Without question these shrubs standout in winter by their colorful stems (see pruning recommendations below). Cut branches are an added plus for indoor arrangements. The yellow-twig form (C. sericea ‘Flaviramea’) is also available. Leaves are oblong-lanceolate […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, container shrub, Cornus sericea, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Stoloniferous Dogwoods Jazz Up The Winter LandscapeUmbrella Pine—A Conifer Collector’s Dream Plant
Posted by Hugh on October 10th, 2018
Japanese Umbrella Pine (Sciadopitys verticillata) is an evergreen (USDA hardiness zones 5b -9). It is not actually a pine. Historically, umbrella pines date back to the dinosaur age. This mid-sized landscape tree displays several fine attributes: shiny leaves are arranged in whorls like the spokes of an umbrella; peeling, reddish brown bark and a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, mulching trees, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Umbrella pine (Sciadopitys), watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Umbrella Pine—A Conifer Collector’s Dream PlantKorean Sweetheart Tree
Posted by Hugh on August 1st, 2018
The late Dr. J. C. Raulston, N.C. State University horticulture professor emeritus, discovered Korean sweetheart tree (Euscaphis japonica) in 1985 on the Korean Peninsula while participating in a U.S. National Arboretum collection expedition (USDA hardiness zones 6-8). Dr. Raulston brought seeds back to the N.C. State Arboretum for assessment and evaluation. The species common name “sweetheart […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetheart tree (Euscaphis), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Korean Sweetheart Tree‘Herbstsonne’ Rudbeckias Fill Their Spot
Posted by Hugh on June 20th, 2018
For an old fashion plant ‘Herbstsonne’ (Rudbeckia laciniata) still pops up in many modern day gardens. It is a tall upright growing, clump-forming perennial black-eyed Susan (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9). This vigorous North American perennial grows 4-7+ feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. ‘Herbstsonne’ is also synonymous with the cultivar ‘Autumn Sun’. Formerly […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne', Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflowers, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Herbstsonne’ Rudbeckias Fill Their SpotShort Grasses For Small Places
Posted by Hugh on May 25th, 2018
Many gardeners have small sunny or partially shaded places where select ornamental grasses thrive, including using them as companion plants in containers. Enjoy their winter architecture. Perennial grasses should be cut back to 3- to 6 inches in late winter. Here are an assortment of six of the very best along with several varieties that you should […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Calamagrostis, Carex (Sedges), compost, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Ground cover, Hakone grass, Landscape ideas, Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Native Plant, Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium), Ornamental fruit, Ornamental Grasses, Pennisetum spp., Pennisetum spp., Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Short Grasses For Small PlacesAlexandrian Laurel For Deep Shade
Posted by Hugh on May 17th, 2018
Alexandrian Laurel or Poet’s Laurel (Danae racemosa) is a wonderful evergreen shrub that is rarely planted in U.S. gardens. Danae is indigenous to Iran and Syria. This evergreen shrub needs partial to full shade and the warm climes of southeast or Pacific northwest states (USDA hardiness zones 6 – 9). If winters are exceptionally cold […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alexandrian Laurel, compost, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Environmental Conservation, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Foliage plant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Alexandrian Laurel For Deep ShadeNative Serviceberry
Posted by Hugh on March 17th, 2018
Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is a medium-sized native tree. Its native range stretches from Ontario to the Gulf Coast (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). However, it performs well across the Western and Central U.S. Serviceberry is regionally known by many names, including shadbush, shadblow, sarvisberry, sarvis tree, and Juneberry. The latter refers to the small greenish-blue, ripening […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Cold tolerance, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Native ServiceberryEuonymus ‘Moonshadow’ – A Ground Cover For All Seasons
Posted by Hugh on November 24th, 2017
Many so-called shade perennials such as hostas, astilbes, brunneras, and coralbells (Heuchera spp.) actually excel in areas that are bathe mostly morning sunlight. In these areas ‘Moonshadow’ euonymus (Euonymus fortunei ‘Moonshadow’) makes a great companion shrub with these perennials (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Moonshadow has become a favorite ground cover euonymus of mine. ‘Moonshadow’ euonymus is […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Euonymus (Ground Cover), Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Euonymus ‘Moonshadow’ – A Ground Cover For All Seasons
