Japanese clethra (Clethra barbinervis) is a large, upright, deciduous shrub or small tree (USDA 5-8). As a small tree it generally grows 10-20 feet tall and features horizontally drooping, terminal racemes (4-6 inches long); the white flowers are pleasantly fragrant. Its bloom period continues over several weeks from mid to late summer. In autumn, its […]
Archive for the ‘Trees & Shrubs’ Category
Cinnamon Clethra
Posted by Hugh on May 27th, 2022
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Clethra, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Cinnamon ClethraAdding Compact Summer Flowering Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on May 24th, 2022
Yes, to reduce annual garden maintenance some gardeners are switching to space-saving flowering shrubs. Patio gardeners are popping compact shrubs into containers such as spireas, hydrangeas, crape myrtles, chaste tree, weigelias, and buddleias. They’re looking to add color and reduce their maintenance workload. Numerous new [rose] varieties have been created that are relatively resistant to the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Container garden, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Hummingbird, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Roses, Roses (Shrub type), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spirea (Spiraea), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), Weigela Comments Off on Adding Compact Summer Flowering ShrubsChinese Fringetree
Posted by Hugh on May 6th, 2022
Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus) is native to China, Korea and Japan (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). As with the native U.S. species (C. virginicus), this plant is noted for its fragrant white flowers. Gardeners first fall in love with this large, multi-stemmed, deciduous large multi-branched shrub. Some nurseries are also offering the Chinese form as a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact tree, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Flowering, Fringetree (Chionanthus), Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Chinese FringetreeFour Space-Saving Summer Blooming Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on April 21st, 2022
Miniaturation of many of our garden shrubs has been a trend for over 30 years. A common saying among gardeners has been they no making any more land making anymore or, in this case, garden planting space. In particular, urban gardeners continue to squeeze more color into limited spaces. Here are four flowering shrubs that […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Butterflies, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangeas, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Panicle hydrangea, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Vitex (Chaste tree), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Four Space-Saving Summer Blooming ShrubsNext Generation Of Kousa Dogwoods
Posted by Hugh on April 16th, 2022
‘Scarlet Fire’ is a 2017 introduction from Rutgers University with 4-5 inch wide, fade-proof, dark pink floral bracts. This Kousa dogwood tree is also heat and drought tolerant and highly disease resistant. ‘Wolf Eyes’ is a compact tree (10-20 feet tall) or multi-branched shrub form; creamy white variegated foliage is scorch-resistant. Wolf Eyes flaunts eye-catching gray-green […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Chinese (kousa) dogwood, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Foliage plant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Next Generation Of Kousa DogwoodsThree Standout Panicle Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on April 6th, 2022
For over a decade the cultivar ‘Limelight’ has been among the best selling panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). It bears large greenish-white floral trusses on 6- 8 feet tall branches; beautiful for use as cut (fresh or dried) flowers. Here are three panicle hydrangeas that are also very popular. Vanilla Strawberry™ hydrangea […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, container shrub, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Panicle hydrangea, Planting tips, Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sand Dune Protection, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Three Standout Panicle HydrangeasFive Redbuds With Dynamite Seasonal Foliage
Posted by Hugh on March 11th, 2022
Here are five notable redbuds (Cercis canadensis) possessing colorful summer foliage. Of note, the first 3 of 5 varieties are the creation of noted plant breeder Dr. Dennis Werner of NC State University in Raleigh. Flame Thrower® has stunning eye-catching foliage color breakthrough in the world of redbuds. It is marketed as Eternal Flame® in Europe. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Chlorosis (yellowing), Container garden, Container growing, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Redbud, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Five Redbuds With Dynamite Seasonal FoliageBigleaf Magnolia
Posted by Hugh on March 6th, 2022
Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) is a deciduous, native tree that reaches 30-40 feet tall. This unusual pyramidal tree magnolia is rarely found in the wild, inhabiting a few rich wooded areas in river valleys in the southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). With age, the tree develops a spreading rounded crown. Bigleaf magnolia is a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (layering), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bigleaf MagnoliaHardy Zone 6 Camellias
Posted by Hugh on February 21st, 2022
In the Southern U.S., camellias are treasured for their showy flowers in the fall-winter landscape. Their glossy evergreen foliage looks great all year long. Hardy varieties are now available for zone 6 northern gardens (-10 to 0 °F). Essentially, gardeners can raise camellias in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and in most coastal cities along the East […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Butterflies, Camellia, Cold tolerance, compact shrub, compost, Container garden, container shrub, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Flowering shrub, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Hardy Zone 6 CamelliasUniqely Different Chinese Quince
Posted by Hugh on February 16th, 2022
Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) is an under-utilized small 10-20 feet tall deciduous tree or large shrub with a dense oval crown (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Initially, it starts out a slow grower for 1-2 years to establish its roots. Throughout the year, it provides several months of landscape charm that includes an attractive form, large […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Chinese Quince (Pseudocydonia), Deciduous, Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Fall Garden Interest, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering bulbs, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Uniqely Different Chinese Quince
