Some vintage daylily varieties are timeless performers. Strawberry Candy daylily (Hemerocallis x ‘Strawberry Candy’) is a daylily classic, one of the first to open in June in Southern Appalachian gardens (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). Its grass-like foliage is semi-evergreen here. The 4- inch diameter flowers open strawberry pink with a prominent rose red eye […]
Archive for the ‘Perennials’ Category
Vintage ‘Strawberry Candy’ A Sensational Daylily Performer
Posted by Hugh on June 26th, 2012
Posted in Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Daylilies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, watering tips 
Comments Off on Vintage ‘Strawberry Candy’ A Sensational Daylily Performer‘Red Volunteer’ – Outstanding Veteran Red-flowering Daylily
Posted by Hugh on June 24th, 2012
In the gardening world new does not always mean better. Red Volunteer daylily (Hemerocallis x ‘Red Volunteer’) is not new, introduced by Oakes Daylily Nursery, near Knoxville, TN in 1984. Daylily catalogs describe it as a “candle red self with a golden yellow throat”. It is a mid-season bloomer and the foliage is semi-evergreen. The […]
Posted in Daylilies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, watering tips Comments Off on ‘Red Volunteer’ – Outstanding Veteran Red-flowering DaylilyPowdery Mildew: The Bane of Beebalm
Posted by Hugh on June 9th, 2012
Beebalm (Monarda spp.) is one of our great native perennials and herbs. Native Americans used beebalm as a tea, brewing it for colds, minor bronchial and digestive complaints, and also as a poultice to soothe insect stings. During the Boston Tea Party, rebellious colonists utilized beebalm as a tea substitute, calling it “Oswego tea”. […]
Posted in Bee Favorite, Butterflies, deadheading, Disease prone, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Herbs, Hummingbird, Monarda (Beebalm), Native Plant, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Powdery Mildew: The Bane of Beebalm‘Helene Von Stein’ Lamb’s Ear Is More Behaved
Posted by Hugh on May 30th, 2012
Stachys byzantina is a dense gray woolly perennial ground cover, which earns it the common name “lamb’s ear”. ‘Helene Von Stein’ is the single best cultivar, displaying larger leaves, and is more heat and humidity tolerant. Sometimes listed as ‘Big Ears’, it rarely produces flowers which may tarnish its lovely silvery gray foliage appearance. Lamb’s ear grows […]
Posted in Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Lamb's ears (Stachys), Perennials, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, watering tips Comments Off on ‘Helene Von Stein’ Lamb’s Ear Is More BehavedAdd Hardy Begonia To Your Shade Garden
Posted by Hugh on May 28th, 2012
Hardy begonia (Begonia grandis) is the only species of begonia which is winter hardy in USDA zones 6-9 (zone 5 with protection). This shade-loving perennial grows 18 -24 inches high and wide, and displays a well-branched mounding habit. Foliage is medium to olive green above and reddish green with red veining beneath. Leaf shape is […]
Posted in compost, Disease resistant, Hardy begonia (B. grandis), mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Add Hardy Begonia To Your Shade GardenNorthern Maidenhair Fern Appear Delicate But Grow Tough
Posted by Hugh on May 23rd, 2012
Their leaves (called “fronds”) appear delicate, but maidenhair ferns (Adiantum spp.) are reliable long-lived perennials. Northern maidenhair (A. pedatum) thrives in most gardens within USDA zones 3-8, while the Southern counterpart, (A. capillus-veneris), predominates in warmer USDA 7-10. Unfortunately, planting of maidenhairs are not utilized in the Southern Appalachian gardens (USDA zones 6-8). Fronds average 18-24 inches in […]
Posted in alkaline soil, compost, Disease resistant, Foliage plant, Maidenhair fern (Adiantum), mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Northern Maidenhair Fern Appear Delicate But Grow Tough‘Fireworks’ Pennisetum
Posted by Hugh on April 23rd, 2012
Fountain grasses are popular annual grasses that thrive in Southern Appalachian gardens (USDA zones 6 and 7). The new cultivar ‘Fireworks’ is totally spectacular. The mid-vein of the grass blade is burgundy red and edged in hot pink. Fireworks displays three seasons of awesome foliage color before dying off in the fall. Red plume foxtail flowers bloom […]
Posted in acidic soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), Irrigation, Ornamental Grasses, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on ‘Fireworks’ PennisetumFountain Grasses Are Summer Sizzlers
Posted by Hugh on April 21st, 2012
Purple Pennisetum Grass in Hot Parking Lot Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum ) is a warm season grass native to Northern Africa (USDA zones 8-10). It is a dense clump-forming grass with several topnotch cultivars. Most popular are purple fountain grasses (varieties ‘Purpureum’ and ‘Rubrum’) for their heat resistant dark reddish purple foliage. The pink to […]
Posted in acidify soil, alkaline soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), Heat Tolerance, Ornamental Grasses, plant nutrition, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Fountain Grasses Are Summer SizzlersPeruvian Lilies – A Gift Which Keeps On Giving
Posted by Hugh on April 16th, 2012
Peruvian lilies (Alstroemeria spp.), also called Lilies of the Nile), are not true lilies (Lilium spp.). Likely, you have purchased a bouquet of alstroemerias from the florist section of your local supermarket. In addition, many potted hybrid varieties have been introduced from Holland and elsewhere over the past decade. Turns out that some Peruvian lilies are perennials, winter hardy in the Southern Appalachian Region (USDA hardiness zones 6 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily), Fertilizing plants, Perennials, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Peruvian Lilies – A Gift Which Keeps On GivingTurk’s Cap Lily for Your Summer Enjoyment
Posted by Hugh on April 12th, 2012
Turk’s cap lily (Lilium superbum) is native perennial started from bulbs. The strong single stem grows up to 6 feet tall. Leaves generally form in whorls of 3-9 along the stem. The lanceolate leaves are individually upwards of 7 inches longand 1 inch wide, and rather stiff to the touch. Upwards of 1-12 flowers nod downward from 4-8″ […]
Posted in acidic soil, Butterflies, compost, Flowering Bulb, Flowers, Hummingbird, Lily (Lilium spp.), Native Plant, Perennials, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Voles Comments Off on Turk’s Cap Lily for Your Summer Enjoyment
