Over the past 25 years our native Eastern ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) has been reborn. Its overly vigorous nature has been tamed. Latest up is Summer Wine™ ninebark with small, deeply cut, wine burgundy leaves, quite different from the medium green foliage of old-fashioned ninebarks. Summer Wine is a more compact (5-6 feet in height and width) grower. Grow ninebark in […]
Archive for the ‘Regional’ Category
Summer Wine™: The Taming of The Ninebark
Posted by Hugh on May 19th, 2011
Posted in compact shrub, container shrub, Ninebark, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Summer Wine™: The Taming of The NinebarkSelect Hollies for Privacy
Posted by Hugh on May 16th, 2011
Ilex opaca ‘Greenleaf’ I continue to witness the overplanting of Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis x leylandii) across the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). This is followed by Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and western arborvitae (Thuja x plicata). These three evergreen species have a rapid growth rate and eventually attain heights of 40-60 feet, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Ilex (hollies), Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Select Hollies for Privacy‘Janet Blair’ Rhododendron
Posted by Hugh on May 13th, 2011
Here in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7) rhododendrons can be challenging. Of critical importance is to choose a good garden spot and to plant a hardy cultivar. Over the past 25 years ‘Janet Blair’ has been one of the most reliable varieties in my Northeast Tennessee garden. ‘Janet Blair’ bears medium-sized […]
Posted in acidic soil, compost, deadheading, mulching, plant nutrition, Rhododendrons, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, water garden maintenance, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on ‘Janet Blair’ RhododendronGrowing Azaleas in Outdoor Containers Year-Around
Posted by Hugh on May 10th, 2011
In the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7), if you desire to grow azaleas in above ground containers year around, you must select winter hardy cultivars. Two of the best for containers are ‘Elsie Lee’ (2½- inch wide semi-double light lavender blooms) and ‘Herbert’ (1 ¾- inch wide bright purple with dark blotch). […]
Posted in acidic soil, Azaleas (evergreen), Container growing, mulching, plant nutrition, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing Azaleas in Outdoor Containers Year-AroundStop Ignoring Enkianthus
Posted by Hugh on May 7th, 2011
From the photo, looks like a pieris? No, it’s redveined enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus) and its brightly colored bell-shaped flowers are attention getters in the early May garden. Lovely cream yellow to orangy red bell shaped flowers are faintly red veined. The bell shaped blooms exude a slight scent, one that you may like or not. From the start, growth rate […]
Posted in acidic soil, compost, Enkianthus, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips Comments Off on Stop Ignoring Enkianthus“Mary, Mary, How You Do Grow in My Garden”
Posted by Hugh on May 4th, 2011
‘My Mary’ is a hybrid deciduous azalea (R. ‘Nacoochee’ x R. austrinum) ending its flowering cycle in my spring garden. ‘My Mary’ has been a steady performer, averaging 4-5 feet in height in 10 years. Its clusters of bright yellow orange tubular flowers measure 2 1/2” across. Its early morning sweet fragrance is a gentle […]
Posted in acidify soil, Azalea (deciduous), compost, Deciduous Azaleas, Fertilizing plants, mulching, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter Protection Comments Off on “Mary, Mary, How You Do Grow in My Garden”Take Flight With The Unique Dove Tree
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2011
Up for a challenge. Dove tree (Davidia involucrata) is a medium-size tree from China. Mature dove trees are 30-40 feet in height and 20-30 feet in width. A young tree exhibits a pyramidal form and forms a rounded canopy at maturity. The coarsely textured 4 – 5 inch circular leaves are bright green with no significant fall color, dropping either pale […]
Posted in Dove tree (Davidia), Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized Comments Off on Take Flight With The Unique Dove TreeEnjoy a Mite-free Alberta Spruce This Summer
Posted by Hugh on April 23rd, 2011
A popular saying among gardeners is “the right plant in the right location”. They must be thinking of Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’). Within a few years after planting, this popular dwarf conifer becomes devastated by spider mite infestations. The rule is to plant Alberta spruce where it receives good air circulation on all sides. […]
Posted in Mite susceptible, Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on Enjoy a Mite-free Alberta Spruce This SummerWolfeyes Chinese Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on April 20th, 2011
Chinese dogwood (Cornus kousa), a favored spring-flowering tree, reaches 20-25 feet in height and blooms two weeks subsequent to our native flowering dogwood (C. florida). The ‘Wolf Eyes’ cultivar forms a compact tree or large shrub, standing 8–10 feet tall and nearly twice as wide. lowly reaches 10 to 20 ft. tall and wide; largest […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Chinese (kousa) dogwood, compact tree, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, mulching, Non-native, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Wolfeyes Chinese DogwoodGordlinia- Nothing Like it Before!
Posted by Hugh on April 17th, 2011
‘Sweet Tea’ resulted from crossing franklinia (F. alatamaha) and loblolly bay or gordonia (G. lasianthus). Sweet Tea is still abit finicky like franklinia, but is more resistant to Phytophthora disease (soil pathogen). This new intergeneric cross possesses huge (5 inch diameter), showy flowers that look like big fried eggs. Sweet tea exhibits semi-evergreen foliage with large, […]
Posted in Flowers, Gordlinia, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Gordlinia- Nothing Like it Before!
