Indian Pinks Generate Garden Fireworks Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica) is a strikingly beautiful native wildflower native to the Southern Appalachian region. However, this perennial grows well in most parts of the country (Zones (5b)6-9). Plants emerge quite late in the spring. Sometime in June, depending on locality, their bright red tubular flowers flare open, crowned […]
Archive for the ‘Pests’ Category
Indian Pinks Generate Garden Fireworks
Posted by Hugh on July 11th, 2020
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Hummingbird, Indian pink (Spigelia), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Indian Pinks Generate Garden FireworksTorch Lilies (Kniphofia)
Posted by Hugh on July 1st, 2020
Torch lilies (Kniphofia spp.) are easy to grow long-lived perennials from South Africa that are remarkably (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). They go by a number of common names including red hot poker and tritoma. The colorful floral spikes (and a little imagination) resemble fiery torches or sizzling pokers, visited often by hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Red hot Poker (Kniphofia), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Torch lily (red hot poker), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Torch Lilies (Kniphofia)Compass Plant – Prairie Giant
Posted by Hugh on June 26th, 2020
Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum) are impressive prairie plants that look like – but are not – sunflowers. Native to the central U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8), these sturdy prairie giants grow upwards of 5-8 feet in height (1.5 – 3 feet wide) on stiff, hairy, resinous stems. The group (Silphiums) are also called […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Compass Plant (Silphium), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Compass Plant – Prairie GiantGaura (Wand Flower)
Posted by Hugh on June 21st, 2020
Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri), also known as wand flower, whirling butterfly, and bee blossom (Gaura lindheimeri) is one tough perennial that blooms through the summer into fall. Gaura is native to Texas and Louisana and is hardy to USDA plant zones (5)6-9. It lives many years in hot humid climates and requires very little care after […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Gaura, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Gaura (Wand Flower)Four Landscape Shrubs That Are Early Summer Stars
Posted by Hugh on June 16th, 2020
Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) is one of our finest early summer native flowering shrubs for sun or shady sites. It is a dense, mounded, suckering, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub which grows 6-12 feet tall and 15-18 feet spread. It flaunts unique palmate green leaves (5-7 leaflets) and white 10-12 inch tall floral candles. The dynamic bottlebrush […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Bottlebrush buckeye, Butterflies, Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering shrub, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summersweet (Clethra), Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Landscape Shrubs That Are Early Summer StarsThe Mountain Mints – The Pollinators’ Favorite
Posted by Hugh on May 11th, 2020
Mountain mints (Pycnanthemum spp.) are clump-forming native perennials. They typically grow 1-3 feet tall depending on species (USDA hardiness zones 4 – 8). About 20 species of mountain mints are found in the southeastern U.S. As their name suggests, they belong to the mint family, very evident by their square stems and aromatic leaves when […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Garden ecology, Ground nesting bees, Heat Tolerance, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, Mountain mints (Pycnanthemum), Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on The Mountain Mints – The Pollinators’ FavoriteGrowing Coneflowers
Posted by Hugh on May 6th, 2020
No question, coneflowers have changed greatly over the past quarter century. Varieties are now available in many color shades and plants demonstrate improved longevity. Current cultivars grow alot shorter. However, some hybrid forms have been disappointing, barely surviving 1-2 years. When choosing coneflowers, Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is my #1 favorite for dependability (USDA hardiness […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering iris, Wildflowers, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing ConeflowersGolden Chain Tree
Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2020
Golden Chain Tree (Laburnum anagyroides) is a small deciduous tree or large shrub. This small landscape tree is a member of the Bean Family (Fabaceae) and is native to central Europe (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 7). It is rated as a short-lived tree that grows to 25 or 30 feet in height as a […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aphids, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease prone, Drought tolerant, Fruits poisonous, Golden Chain Tree (Laburnum), Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Golden Chain TreeNew Weigelas Keep Coming
Posted by Hugh on April 16th, 2020
Native to Japan, Korea, and China, flowering weigelas (Weigela florida) are reliable old-fashioned shrubs bearing pink or rose colored blooms in mid-spring. This deciduous shrub has an arching branch habit. New weigelas are now appearing at local garden centers. Older cultivars, typically 6 to 9 feet in height, are being replaced with compact 2 – 5 feet […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Re-Bloomers, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weigela, winter hardiness Comments Off on New Weigelas Keep ComingYellow Flowering Magnolias
Posted by Hugh on April 6th, 2020
Deciduous magnolias (Magnolia spp.) are popular landscape plants because of their bright cheery spring flowers. Breeding efforts back in the 1970’s created a new class of deciduous yellow-flowering magnolias. In 1978, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens introduced the first, Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’ (creamy white). Yellow magnolias are hybrid crosses between M. acuminata, M. subcordata, M. denudata, among […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Magnolia, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Yellow Flowering Magnolias
