Surviving an autumn season with a heavily fruited ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) tree is a foul smelling experience. The odorous yellow fleshy fruits ripen in October and drop onto public streets and home lawns. Several times I have witnessed the Jonesborough Tennessee Fire Department raking up fallen fruit and hosing down a sidewalk too treacherous to walk […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Autumn foliage color, Deer resistant, Gardenia, Ginkgo biloba, Large Shade trees, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Ginkgo -Sex Education 101Midwest native Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) starts the summer flowering season in my perennial garden. It naturally grows in open woods and meadows and thrives in fertile to moist soils. However, this deep rooted plant hasn’t complain about the current dry period in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6-7). Be aware that culver’s root […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Culver's Root (veronicastrum), deadheading, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Goldenrod (Solidago), Heat Tolerance, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum)Old fashioned gardenias or cape jasmines (Gardenia jasminoides) are reliably hardy in USDA zones 7-b and 8. Plants require immediate protection when the outdoor temperatures dip below 15 to 20 degrees. The new hardier cultivars are compact growers, 2-4 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. ‘Frost Proof’, Crown Jewel™, and Heaven Scent™ are three promising […]
Posted in acidic soil, Fertilizing plants, Gardenia, Insect (Pest) Problems, Planting tips, Pruning, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on New Hardier GardeniasBoxwoods and hollies are mainline evergreen shrubs, utilized for low hedging, privacy barriers. Single shrubs are planted solely for their architectural accent. Both hollies and boxwoods grow best in moist, well-drained soils and in full sun to partial shade. Both prefer soils with a pH of slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. Boxwoods tend to be more shade tolerant than […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Boxwood (Buxus), Container garden, container shrub, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Ilex (hollies), Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Weak branching, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Sky Pencil Holly vs ‘Dee Runk’ BoxwoodFive disease resistant varieties of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), released by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, are available at local garden centers this spring. Supply should be better than in past years. Powdery mildew resistant varieties: ‘Appalachian Snow’ (pictured), ‘Appalachian Blush’ and ‘Appalachian Mist’. In addition, ‘Cherokee Brave’, with dark pink flowers, exhibits good mildew resistance. […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Dogwood (Cornus), Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Dogwoods for SpringI am surprised by the increasing numbers of deodara cedars (Cedrus deodara) that are prospering in Zones 6-b and 7 gardens. Apparently, deodara cedars are much hardier than once thought. The buzz at a recent American Conifer Regional meeting is these varieties list here are worthy of planting: Tree forms: ‘Karl Fuchs’ ‘Shalimar’ ‘Eisregen’ ‘Eiswinter’ ‘Polar […]
Posted in acidic soil, Deodara cedars (Cedrus), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreens, Landscape ideas, mulching, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Hardy Forms of Deodara Cedar
