Cranesbills (Geranium spp.) comprise a large genus of super hardy herbaceous perennials. (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). These are not your annual geraniums which is the genus Pelargonium. They grow happily in partial sun to full shade and in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. Cranesbills tolerate full sun in cool northerly areas. Plants may produce fewer flowers in […]
Archive for the ‘Native Plant’ Category
Cranesbills (Hardy Geraniums)
Posted by Hugh on February 19th, 2024
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Cranesbill (Geranium), deadheading, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips 
Comments Off on Cranesbills (Hardy Geraniums)Seven Winter Blooming Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on February 12th, 2024
If you live where winter temperatures are generally moderate in the low teens, a number of shrubs bloom in winter. In the Delmarva and mid-South regions (USDA hardiness zones 6-7), these seven plants bloom reliably for 2-3 weeks before spring officially arrives. 1. Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima), aka fragrant honeysuckle, are covered with small fragrant […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn foliage color, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compact tree, container shrub, Cornus officinalis, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Edgeworthia, Evergreen, Flower Arranging, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Japanese cornel, Jessamine (Gelsemium), Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetbox (Sarcococca), Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Winter bark, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Wintersweet (Chimonanthus), Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on Seven Winter Blooming ShrubsFoamflowers For Your Shade Garden
Posted by Hugh on February 6th, 2024
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) is a low-growing, clump-forming woodland perennial groundcover. It grows naturally in moist forests, coves, and well-drained bottomlands where it spreads by slender runners (stolons) to form dense, 1-2 feet wide clumps of foliage or colonies. Small spikes of creamy white spring flowers and its attractive bright green foliage are solid pluses in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, plant nutrition, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Tiarella (foam flower), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Foamflowers For Your Shade GardenChristmas Fern
Posted by Hugh on January 31st, 2024
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is an evergreen native fern that grows tough as nails. This native fern, also called the Christmas dagger fern, is indigenous to much of eastern North America; it grows in every U.S. state east of the Rocky Mountains (USDA hardiness zones 3 – 9). This durable fern has long been associated […]
Posted in acidic soil, Christmas fern, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Ferns, Flower Arranging, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Christmas Fern‘Jeana’ Phlox 2024 PPOY
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2024
The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has selected ‘Jeana’ the 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year (PPOY). This exceptional garden phlox is recognized for its impressive flower show, tall sturdy plant habit, and pollinators’ delight. (USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8). Dense, domed lavender-pink flowers stand atop long sturdy stems from midsummer to early fall. Individually, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Flower arrangments, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on ‘Jeana’ Phlox 2024 PPOYRecent PHS Gold Medal* Perennial Picks
Posted by Hugh on December 12th, 2023
Each year the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS) recognizes six outstanding plants that a group of nursery owners, horticulturists, expert gardeners, and professional growers singe out as among the best performing and most beautiful for inclusion into the Mid-Atlantic Region Gold Medal program. All seven perennials perform equally well in the mid-South (Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and Northern Counties […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Ground cover, Heuchera (coralbells), Indian pink (Spigelia), Iris tectorum, Ironweed (Vernonia), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), Tiarella (foam flower), Turtlehead (Chelone), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Recent PHS Gold Medal* Perennial PicksFoster Holly
Posted by Hugh on November 30th, 2023
Foster holly (Ilex x attenuata) is an old holly favorite which has not lost its sizzle. Cultivars of Foster Hollies were selected by E.E. Foster of Foster Nursery in Bessemer, Alabama in the 1950s. It is utilized in a number of landscape options across the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7), including in containers in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Foster holly, Green Privacy Screen, Ilex (hollies), Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Foster HollyPlanting Under Trees
Posted by Hugh on November 7th, 2023
Here is an idea that I picked up at Chanticleer Gardens in Wayne, Pennsylvania and pollinators will also love you for it. When planting a deciduous tree, make good use of the ground area beneath the tree by planting shade tolerant ground covers. Evergreen trees don’t work here. You can also create a beautiful planting […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Barrenwort (Epimedium), Bees and other pollinators, Brunnera 'Jack Frost', Carex (Sedges), Cranesbill (Geranium), Dead nettle (Lamium), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Ferns, Ground cover, Hakone grass, Hellebores, Heuchera (coralbells), Heucherella (foamy bells), Hosta, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Pulmonaria, Purchasing Plants, Sedum (Groundcover types), Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Sweet flag (Acorus), Tiarella (foam flower), Trout lily (Erythronium), Twinleaf (Jeffersonia), Virginia bluebell (Mertensia), watering tips, Winter aconite (Eranthis) Comments Off on Planting Under TreesRattlesnake Master
Posted by Hugh on October 31st, 2023
Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is mostly at home in a hot sunny prairie environment in the Southeast and Midwest (USDA hardiness 3-8). Its spiny nature gives it a desert spiny yucca-like appearance. Some Indian groups were known to brew the plant’s roots as an antidote to rattlesnake venom. Some native peoples also used the dried […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Rattlesnake master (Eryngium), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Rattlesnake MasterJanuary Blooming Vernal Witchhazel
Posted by Hugh on October 21st, 2023
This winter – follow your nose to Vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis), aka Ozark witchhazel. (USDA zones 4-8). This U.S. native witchhazel grows as a deciduous shrub to small tree. It may produce the smallest flowers of all witchhazel species, but they’re highly fragrant when little else is blooming. It naturally inhabits a wide area encompassing […]
Posted in acidic soil, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bees and other pollinators, Chlorosis (yellowing), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vernal witchhazel (H. vernalis), Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on January Blooming Vernal Witchhazel
