Ornamental cabbage and kale (Brassica oleracea) are very close related to the same vegetables that we eat at our kitchen table. They are edible, just not as tasty. Plants are biennials, e.g. they produce leaves one year and flower the following spring. Ornamental kales have deeply cut serrated or ruffled leaves while leaves of ornamental cabbage […]
Archive for the ‘Attracting Butterflies’ Category
Tis The Season For Ornamental Kales and Cabbages
Posted by Hugh on October 27th, 2017
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Biennial, Butterflies, Cabbage, Caterpillars, compost, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Insect (Pest) Problems, kale, Landscape ideas, mulching, Ornamental vegetables, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Tis The Season For Ornamental Kales and CabbagesPlant American Beautyberry For A Fall Show
Posted by Hugh on October 20th, 2017
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a loose open growing shrub valued for its spectacular fruits in the fall (USDA hardiness zones 6-10). The growth rate of this native shrub is rapid, eventually reaching 4-7 feet in height and 4-6 feet in spread within 5 years after planting. Beautyberry thrives in a moist, humus-rich, mildly acidic, well-drained soil […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plant American Beautyberry For A Fall ShowMulti-Purpose Lavender Spur Flowers Sparkle In The Cool Fall Air
Posted by Hugh on September 6th, 2017
Lavender Spur Flower (Plectranthus Mona Lavender™) is a fast growing flowering annuial that is full of lavender blue flowers from late summer to autumn frost (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). Flowers can usually cope with light frosts of 25 – 30° F in early autumn. Plants grow 2 to 2.5 feet tall and wide forming […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Spur Flower (Plectranthus), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Multi-Purpose Lavender Spur Flowers Sparkle In The Cool Fall AirPlant Late For Fall Pollinators
Posted by Hugh on September 3rd, 2017
Don’t give up gardening in the fall. Many beneficial insects depend on the terrific job that you are doing. The following is a sample listing of annuals and perennials that can employ to support pollinators in the fall. Included are many fall-blooming annuals and perennials. When designing a pollinator-friendly landscapes, include an adequate number of these fall-blooming plants […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anemone, Angelonias, Aster, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Blanket flower (Gaillardia), Butterflies, Calibrachoa (Million bells), Canna lily, Canna lily, Chrysanthemum, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container garden, Coreopsis, Coreopsis 'Flower Tower', Coreopsis 'Gold Standard, Coreopsis 'Last Dance', Cosmos, Dahlia, Diascias, Fall Garden Interest, Fall sunflower (Helianthus spp.), Flowers, Globe amaranth (Gomphrena), Ironweed (Vernonia), Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Petunias, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Salvia, Sedum, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Sunflower (Helianthus), Sunflowers, Texas Sage (Salvia), Toadlily (Tricyrtis), Turtlehead (Chelone), watering tips Comments Off on Plant Late For Fall PollinatorsMussaenda: A Stunning Tropical For Summer Gardens
Posted by Hugh on August 27th, 2017
Mussaenda (Mussaenda spp.) is a small tropical tree or large shrub. It’s a spectacular bloomer that grows to 10-15 feet tall in tropical zones (USDA zones 10-12). It is sometimes called “tropical dogwood” or “Buddah’s lamp”. In large containers it will reach 1-3 feet tall. Mussaenda blooms from late spring to mid-fall in mild-winter areas. Bloom […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Mites, mulching, Mussaenda, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Mussaenda: A Stunning Tropical For Summer GardensTropical Beauty Of African Rose Mallow
Posted by Hugh on August 24th, 2017
African Rose Mallow (Hibiscus acetosella), aka Red-leaf Hibiscus and false Roselle, is grown in most of the U.S. as a colorful annual, although it is rated as a perennial shrub for USDA Zones 9-11. It is native to Africa and, as expected, thrives in hot tropical environment such as in the deep South or Southern California […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Hibiscus acetosella, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Photoperiod (Daylength), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rain barrel, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Tropical Beauty Of African Rose MallowFlowering Shrubs of Summer
Posted by Hugh on August 7th, 2017
In several areas of the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 6-9), summer landscapes along the east and west coast and Southern U.S. are filled with these botanical beauties: Panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) – so many great choices of these hydrangeas, mostly with lime white flowers starting in July into August. Most popular cultivars are ‘Limelight’, ‘Little Lime, […]
Posted in Abelia, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), Blue mist (Caryopteris), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Butterflies, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease resistant, Flowering, Fragrant, Ground cover, Hibiscus syriacus, Hummingbird, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, Panicle hydrangea, Plumleaf azalea, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Southern Appalachian Region, Summersweet (Clethra), Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree) Comments Off on Flowering Shrubs of SummerHard Working Perennials For Your Late Summer Garden
Posted by Hugh on August 1st, 2017
Add several fall-flowering perennials to your garden that will add late season color and pizzazz . These are reliable tough perennials, and beneficial pollinators love them. Visit garden centers in August to make your purchases. However, for these great plants to return next year and subsequent years, plants need to get their root systems established. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anemone, Aster, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial Insects, Butterflies, Chrysanthemum, Container garden, Drought tolerant, Fall sunflower (Helianthus spp.), Landscape ideas, Little Bluestem, Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Miscanthus grass, Muhly grass, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Russian sage (Perovskia), Sage (Salvia), Salvia leucantha, Sedum (Groundcover types), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sunflower (Helianthus), Switchgrass (Panicum), Toadlily (Tricyrtis), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Hard Working Perennials For Your Late Summer GardenFour Top Rated Coreopsis You Should Know About
Posted by Hugh on July 19th, 2017
Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.) are flowering perennials (and annuals) native to the eastern U.S. In 2016, MT Cuba Center* in Greenville, Delaware reported on the overall garden performance of 13 species and related cultivars and hybrids in the Mid-Atlantic region. Over a period of 3 years, the MT Cuba staff evaluated habit, floral display, disease resistance, […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Coreopsis, Coreopsis 'Flower Tower', Coreopsis 'Gold Standard, Coreopsis 'Last Dance', deadheading, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness 1 Comment »Thistle-like Bear’s Breeches
Posted by Hugh on July 13th, 2017
Spiny bear’s breeches (Acanthus spinosa) is a clump-forming perennial treasured for its attractive thistle-like foliage and architecturally bold flower spikes (USDA hardiness zones 5b-9). Plant requires little maintenance and is long-lived. Deeply-cut, arching, glossy green, spiny, thistle-like leaves attain 2-3 feet in length on older plants and remain attractive through the growing season. Leaves bear mostly hidden spines on […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Attracting Butterflies, Bear’s breeches (Acanthus), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Thistle-like Bear’s Breeches
