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 […]
Archive for the ‘Attracting birds’ Category
Growing Cosmos
Posted by Hugh on May 26th, 2021
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Container garden, Container growing, Cosmos, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflowers, Wind protection 
Comments Off on Growing CosmosLittle Leaf Linden
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2021
Littleleaf linden Littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata) is highly praised as an excellent urban shade tree. The species reaches 60 to 70 feet tall and spread of 30 to 40 feet. The foliage tolerates several urban pollutants. This durable tree is often utilized as a street and park tree because of its environmental adaptability. Two year […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Japanese beetle, Landscape ideas, Linden (Tilia), mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Little Leaf LindenAshe Magnolia
Posted by Hugh on May 16th, 2021
Ashe magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla subsp. Ashei) is a small 10-20 feet tree with enormous leaf and flower sizes (zone (5)6-9). Anindividual white flower measures 6- 12 inches across with a purple blotch at the base of 3 inner petal-like tepals. Ashe magnolia blooms in late May – early June in Tennessee. Many of the white […]
Posted in acidic soil, Ashe magnolia (M. ashei), Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, compact tree, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowering, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Overcrowding, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Ashe MagnoliaMountain Laurels – A Native Shrub Many Gardeners Forget To Plant
Posted by Hugh on May 6th, 2021
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a U.S. native broadleaf evergreen shrub (USDA hardiness zone 5 – 7(8)). Whether you are hiking through area woodlands or driving through Biltmore Estates in Asheville, NC, flowering mountain laurels dominate the May-June landscape in Northeast Tennessee or Western North Carolina. Mature shrub sizes range from 5 feet (dwarf cultivars) […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, compost, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Landscape ideas, Mountain laurel (Kalmia), mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Mountain Laurels – A Native Shrub Many Gardeners Forget To PlantLove in A Mist (Nigella)
Posted by Hugh on March 11th, 2021
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) is a popular cool weather annual. It is also known by several other names including “ragged lady” or “devil in the bush”. Nigella belongs to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) and is native to southern Europe, North Africa and southwest Asia. In its natural habitat, nigella is found on neglected, damp patches of […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container garden, Deciduous, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Landscape ideas, mulching, Nigella (Love-in-a-mist), Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Love in A Mist (Nigella)Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia)
Posted by Hugh on February 21st, 2021
Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana), aka blue dogbane, is a native herbaceous perennial that is becoming more popular with U.S. gardeners (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). This erect, clump-forming plant produces terminal, pyramidal clusters of ¾ inch, soft light blue, star-like flowers in mid- to late-spring atop erect 2-3 feet tall leafy stems. Narrow, willow-shaped, dull green […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia)Twenty Highly Dependable Small Landscape Trees
Posted by Hugh on February 15th, 2021
In small landscapes, where growing space is limited, a number of outstanding trees may be planted. Several are also examples of great spring or summer flowering trees. U.S. native species are designated N. Additional landscape traits include: Grow under 30 feet in height and underneath power lines). Winter hardiness across the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones […]
Posted in American hornbeam, Appalachian dogwood series, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Cold tolerance, compact tree, Container garden, Container growing, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deciduous, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Fringetree (Chionanthus), Fullmoon maple, Hawthorn (Crataegus), Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Lilac (Syringa), Magnolia grandiflora, Native Plant, Native Plant, Okame cherry (Prunus), Ornamental cherry (Prunus), Ornamental fruit, Paperbark maple, Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Silverbell (Halesia), Small landscape tree, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Trees & Shrubs, Yoshino cherry (Prunus) Comments Off on Twenty Highly Dependable Small Landscape TreesPlant Awards Of 2021
Posted by Hugh on January 10th, 2021
For 2021, the National Garden Bureau (NGB), the non-profit organization promoting gardening in North America, has announced the five (5) plant classes that will be featured in the 2021 “Year of the” program. Annual: Year of the Sunflower Vegetable/edible: Year of the Garden Bean Perennial: Year of the Monarda Bulb: Year of the Hyacinth Flowering Shrub: Year of the Hardy […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Butterflies, Calamint, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Ferns, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering house plant, Foliage plant, Fruits & Vegetables, Green Beans, Herbs, Hibiscus acetosella, Hosta, Hummingbird, Hyacinth, Landscape ideas, Monarda (Beebalm), Native Plant, Native Plant, Nepeta (catmint), Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Sunflowers, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plant Awards Of 2021Calamint – 2021 Perennial Plant of The Year (PPOY)
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2021
Too begin a new gardening year, the Perennial Plant Association has named calamint (Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta) as the 2021 Perennial Plant of the Year. One landscaper designer describes calamint as “a cloud of confetti, tiny white flowers”. Plants are dotted with masses of tiny white (or pale blue) flowers from early summer to fall. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Calamint, Container garden, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Calamint – 2021 Perennial Plant of The Year (PPOY)Three Common Witchhazel Varieties
Posted by Hugh on December 6th, 2020
Common witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is likely the last native woody shrub or tree to bloom in the northern areas of the U.S. and Canada (USDA hardiness zone 3-8). This autumn blooming deciduous shrub or tree grows in open woodlands, often near a lake or a stream bank. Common witchhazels grow 15-20 feet tall as a large […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Common witchhazel (H. virginiana), compact shrub, compact tree, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on Three Common Witchhazel Varieties
