Back in early spring you may have planted several kinds of salvias (sages). The arrival of the cool autumn weather turns up the flower power of sages. They’re members of the mint family and the leaves emit a mild anise scent when crushed. Looking ahead to summer of 2024, here are three salvias that you […]
Archive for the ‘Perennials’ Category
Three Salvias To Try
Posted by Hugh on September 16th, 2023
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Blue anise sage (S. guaranitica), Butterflies, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Heat Tolerance, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Salvia leucantha, Salvia oxyphora, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Texas Sage (Salvia), Wind protection 
Comments Off on Three Salvias To TryPerennials With Great Fall Color
Posted by Hugh on September 10th, 2023
In general, perennials are not rated very high for their fall leaf color. This is very wrong as some produce stunning autumnal foliage colors. In addition, some ornamental grasses produce colorful floral heads (inflorescences).The first six are perennial dicots and the next six are grasses with awesome inflorescenses. Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) – short 9-12 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Bees and other pollinators, Bin bluestem (Andropogon), Calamagrostis, Cold tolerance, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Muhly grass, mulching trees, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Planting tips, Plumbago (Leadwort), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Solomon's seal, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Switchgrass (Panicum), winter hardiness Comments Off on Perennials With Great Fall ColorSwamp Hibiscus
Posted by Hugh on September 5th, 2023
Swamp hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus), aka scarlet rose mallow, is a hardy perennial plant that grows in swamps, marches and roadside ditches in the Southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It can grow 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Its 5- to 6-inch-long leaves are palmately lobed into 3, 5, or 7 parts. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hardy hibiscus, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hummingbird, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, Leaf/needle spots, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Swamp HibiscusAbout Penstemons
Posted by Hugh on August 30th, 2023
Some 40 years ago, Dr. Dale Lindgren, plant breeder at the University of Nebraska released ‘Husker Red’ penstemon (Penstemon digitalis). This pioneering variety has purple-green foliage and white flowers. New penstemon varieties continue through the breeding pipeline with larger and colorful blooms, more compact habit, or dark foliage. (Z 3-8). Penstemons (Beardstongue) belong to the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Beardstongue (Penstemon), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bumble bees, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Penstemon, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on About PenstemonsSummerific Hibiscus Are Awesome
Posted by Hugh on August 16th, 2023
Among my favorite summer flowering perennials are the hardy herbaceous hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos). During the early days of August, Walters Gardens, a premier perennial plant breeder, requests garden writers to celebrate and promote their awesome product line of Summerific hardy hibiscus. Last week, the first week of August, was dubbed Summerific Week. It’s never too […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Flower Arranging, Hibiscus moscheutos, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Summerific Hibiscus Are AwesomeCreeping Jenny – Accent /Weed
Posted by Hugh on August 13th, 2023
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’, aka creeping yellow loosestrife, golden moneywort, and several more colloquial names). It is an herbaceous, semi-evergreen perennial in the primrose (Primulaceae) family native to Europe (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). Introduced in North America this ornamental ground cover grows aggressively. Be careful what you invite into your garden as this fast-growing plant […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Container garden, Creeing jenny (Lysimachia), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Perennials, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Vine, winter hardiness Comments Off on Creeping Jenny – Accent /WeedColorful Bugleweed As A Groundcover
Posted by Hugh on June 29th, 2023
Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), aka “carpetweed” and “carpet bugle”, is a fast-growing evergreen perennial ground cover in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. The species name “reptans” means creeping. It is native to Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia. Cultivars are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3-9 (unless otherwise noted). Most bugleweed cultivars demonstrate aggressive plant vigor that helps to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Bees and other pollinators, Bugleweed (Ajuga), Bumble bees, Butterflies, Container garden, deadheading, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, rabbit damage, Root rotting, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Weed control, Weeds, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Colorful Bugleweed As A GroundcoverGoatsbeard
Posted by Hugh on June 19th, 2023
Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) or “goat’s beard” is a North American perennial that produces feathery plumes of cream-colored flowers in late spring or summer. Goatsbeard is also indigenous to western Europe. This clump-forming woodland plant is hardy in zones 3-7a (?) and appears to flounder under the intense summer heat in Georgia and the Carolinas. The […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Flower arrangments, Goatsbeard (Aruncus), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on GoatsbeardBergenia Or Pigsqeak For Sun Or Shade
Posted by Hugh on June 9th, 2023
Bergenia (Bergenia spp), aka “pigsqeak”, is a herbaceous perennial with distinctive glossy, rounded leaves. Bergenias are native to the forest and alpine zones of China and Siberia. Eight species are available including heartleaf Bergenia (B. cordifolia), leather bergenia (B. crassifolia), and fringed bergenia (B. ciliata). Hybrid selections are also available. (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Bergenia’s […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Bergenia (pigsqueak), Butterflies, Container garden, deadheading, Deer resistant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bergenia Or Pigsqeak For Sun Or ShadeWestern Sunflower
Posted by Hugh on May 16th, 2023
Western sunflower (Helianthus occidentalis) is actually native to eastern and central North America, not western North America (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). It is one of the shortest of the many sunflowers found in the U.S. You have seen this Midwest native growing in glades, prairies, dry meadows, fields and rocky open woodlands. It grows equally […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower arrangments, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sunflower (Helianthus), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Western Sunflower
