For many urban gardeners, landscape space is very limited. Here are several showy shrub choices along walkways and perennial border, and in deck and patio containers. Each year the list of dwarf shrubs continues to get longer. They are low maintenance, including very little annual pruning. Shrub Roses – like Drift™ and Flower Carpet™ roses- […]
Archive for the ‘Container growing’ Category
Bald Cypress For A Small Landscape
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is well-known as a deciduous conifer native to the southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Pyramidal in form, bald cypress towers over 70 feet tall with a spread up to 50 feet. Bald cypress is naturally found in southeast U.S. swamps, marshlands, lakes, ponds, and other wetlands. On marshy ground, you […]
‘Goshiki’ Holly Tea Olive
Holly Tea Osmanthus, also called holly tea olive and false-holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus) is a large (15 feet tall), dense, upright, oval-rounded evergreen shrub. The species blooms in late fall and the tiny inconspicuous white flowers are sweetly fragrant. Small numbers of fruits ripen the following year, and often go unnoticed. Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’ is a […]
Lots of Choice With European Hornbeams
European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), aka ironwood and musclewood, is an underused tree that is an excellent urban street and park tree. (USDA hardiness zones 4-7). The tree develops a full, dense canopy and little maintenance requirements. The species typically grows 40-60 feet (less frequently to 80 feet) tall with a pyramidal to oval-rounded crown. Its dense […]
Attracting Hummingbirds
In early spring many area gardeners rush to set out hummingbird feeders filled with a sugary solution to encourage these feathery critters to visit. However, the sugary drink also attracts ants, bees, and wasps. The solution does not furnish vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids that hummingbirds pick up from pollinating flowers and eating insects. In addition, […]
Growing Cosmos
Cosmos are native to Mexico. In the U.S. these old-fashion annuals bloom throughout the summer months and attract birds, bees, and butterflies to your garden. They produce colorful 2- to 4-inch wide daisy-like flowers that sit atop 3-5 feet tall slender stems. Cosmos make excellent cut flowers and dwarf forms are ideal in containers. Annual cosmos […]
Five Hardy Evergreen Ferns
In the southeastern U.S., ferns are important additions to shady perennial and woodland gardens. Ferns can be used as a ground cover to soften the hard edges of water features, rocks and paths, and make wonderful filler for mixed container plantings. Ferns do not flower or seed, but instead, reproduce by spores that usually form […]
Growing Japanese Maples In Containers
Many slow-growing and compact cultivars of Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) and full moon forms (A. japonicum) grow for 3-5 years in containers. Japanese maples develop a decorative canopy, and their lacey foliage turns yellow, orange and/or red in autumn. Most Japanese maples perform well in partial to full day sunlight, but not in full shade. […]