Archive for the ‘winter hardiness’ Category

What To Know About Flowering Vines

For some gardeners planting vines is not for the faint of heart. Vines need space, support, training, and for some – lots of pruning. Some vines don’t demand lots of room while others chew up lots of space. Small vines like clematis or annual morning glories (Ipomoea) may be grown in a large patio container for many years […]

Growing Trilliums

                Trilliums (Trillium spp.) are the beloved native wildflower around the world. Many species are native to the U.S. Five popular U.S. species are great white trillium (T. grandiflorum), yellow trillium (T. luteum), prairie trillium (T. recurvatum), drooping trillium (T. flexipes), and sweet Betsy trillium (T. cuneatum). For 8 months and more, trilliums are […]

Slender Deutzia Is Versatile Landscape Shrub

                Most gardeners have never heard of deutzias (Deutzia spp.) which is very unfortunate. There are many species of deutzias. They bloom in spring and grow into many shapes and sizes. Slender Deutzia (Deutzia gracilis) is a small densely branched deciduous shrub with upright to slightly arching branching (USDA zones 5-8). […]

Angel Trumpet Blooms All Summer Long

Angel trumpet (Brugmansia) is tropical plant native from Venezuela to Peru (USDA hardiness zones 7-b to 10). Plants have shown to be surprising hardy outdoors in zone 6-b in a protected area. This beautiful shrub, sometimes grown in a tree form, reaches heights of 6-10 feet. It is a member of the Solanaceae family (tomato, potato, petunia, nicotiana […]

Carolina Allspice Sweetshrub

Carolina allspice sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus), aka strawberry bush, bubby bush, sweet Betsy, et al., is a trouble-free medium size spring flowering shrub. This dense rounded deciduous shrub is native to Eastern North America (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). As its common name hints, flowers emit a sweet fruity fragrance. Intensity of floral fragrance is highly variable […]

New Cannova® Cannas Worth A Try

                Cannova® Cannas (Canna x generalis) are one of a new series of seed produced hybrid cannas. In addition to profuse flowering, they’re highly rated for their compact bushy plant habit and ability to form multiple shoots. They bloom earlier and continue nonstop through summer up to first frost. Their bold, […]

Fothergillas Are Topnotch

              In the Eastern U.S. two species, dwarf fothergilla (F. gardenii) and large fothergilla (Fothergilla major), are native. They are also labeled “witch alder”. Both species appear almost identical, except for flower and leaf size, and overall shrub size. Large fothergilla is indigenous to the mountain and Piedmont Regions […]

Patio Peach Blooms In Early Spring

  For small garden spaces patio peach (Prunus persica) is a gem. This miniature tree bears long narrow lush green (or reddish) foliage. Site selection is crucial to ward off potential disease and insect problems. Patio peach is a genetic dwarf and may be grown in a large container on your deck or patio. Tree height averages 6-8 feet tall […]

Autumn Fern Changes With The Seasons

              Ferns are fine textured lacey-leaf groundcovers. Many kinds of ferns add a tropical accent to the shade garden. Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora), aka Japanese wood fern,  has evergreen or semi-evergreen arching foliage, depending how cold it gets in winter (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8). Its common name is misleading. Best frond colors are in spring; the fronds unfurl […]

Native Partridgeberry

  Partridge berry (Mitchella repens) is cherished for its evergreen foliage, spring flowers and fall-winter colorful berries (USDA Zones 4–8). This native groundcover is frequently spotted in moist woodlands along banks of streams and on dry slopes in the eastern and central North America as far west as Minnesota and south to northern Texas and Florida. This […]