The Garden Media Group (GMG) has released its annual Garden Trends Report for 2016. The report, titled “Syncing With Nature,” identifies eight consumer trends that the group predicts will shake up the garden and outdoor living industry this coming year. The report finds “gardening” has transformed into a connected lifestyle in 2016, with a rising […]
Archive for the ‘Attracting Butterflies’ Category
Consumer Gardening Trends For 2016*
Posted by Hugh on January 26th, 2016
Posted in Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Blackberries, Blueberries, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Elderberry (Sambucus), Environmental issues, Grapes, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Ornamental vegetables, Peach, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Planting tips, Raspberries, Southern Appalachian Region, Strawberries, Tomato, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest 
Comments Off on Consumer Gardening Trends For 2016*Petunias For Nearly Every Garden
Posted by Hugh on January 21st, 2016
Petunias (Petunia x hybrida) are top performing summer flowering annuals. There are hundreds of colorful varieties to beautify any flower bed or container garden. Petunias are divided into three basic types: Grandiflora petunias grow 8-12 inches tall and 8-10 inches spread; they start out upright branched and bear large size 4 to 5 inch wide blooms. Ideal for flower […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Container garden, deadheading, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Ground cover, Mowing, Petunias, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Petunias For Nearly Every GardenFive Summer Perennials You Will Love
Posted by Hugh on November 10th, 2015
In the past few years several great performing perennials have caught my eye. Some are exceptional landscape performers exhibiting long bloom period and exceptional disease resistance. All are hardy in Zones 4-9. Here are five of the best: Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit coneflower mix (Echinacea purpurea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’) offers a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container growing, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Monarda (Beebalm), mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Sedum (Groundcover types), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Five Summer Perennials You Will LoveTips On Sowing Milkweed Seeds
Posted by Hugh on November 1st, 2015
Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), aka butterfly weeds, are tuberous rooted perennials native to the Eastern and southern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9). It grows in dry/rocky open woodlands, prairies, farm fields, and along roadsides. A clump of milkweed plants grow 1- 3 feet tall and spread 1 ½ feet wide. Unlike other milkweeds […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Butterfly weed (Asclepias), Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflower, Wildflowers, winter hardiness Comments Off on Tips On Sowing Milkweed SeedsNew England Aster A Great Pick For Fall Garden
Posted by Hugh on October 22nd, 2015
New England (NE) Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), aka Michaelmas Daisy, is a long-lived native perennial from the east shore west to New Mexico (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Flowering time is from August to October. It is a favorite choice for prairie restorations, roadside plantings, and wetland sites. This large aster species […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aster, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Virus diseases, winter hardiness Comments Off on New England Aster A Great Pick For Fall GardenAdd Alliums In Your Spring Flower Garden
Posted by Hugh on October 19th, 2015
Ornamental alliums, members of the onion family (Amaryllidaceae), produce flowers that are uniquely ball shaped and stand atop long, graceful stems. Young children marvel about the lollipop or stargazing blooms. Depending on species, alliums come in many colors (white, yellow, pink, purple, blue), shapes (round, oval, cascading), and sizes (5 inches to 5 feet tall). […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alliums (onion), Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bulb Crops, Butterflies, Container growing, deadheading, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower arrangments, Flowering Bulb, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Add Alliums In Your Spring Flower GardenNew ‘Black and Bloom’ Salvia Lovely Touch To Late Summer Garden
Posted by Hugh on October 16th, 2015
Blue anise sage (Salvia guaranitica) is native to central South America (USDA hardiness zones 7-10). It primarily utilized as a garden annual in the U.S., but is rated a tender perennial in protected locations with winter mulch cover in zone 6. Plants exhibit a shrubby, somewhat open habit with upright branching, to 3-5 feet tall as a perennial and 2 ½ […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Blue anise sage, Butterflies, container shrub, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Overcrowding, Perennials, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on New ‘Black and Bloom’ Salvia Lovely Touch To Late Summer Garden‘Victory’ Chosen Hosta Plant Of The Year For 2015
Posted by Hugh on September 15th, 2015
The Hosta Growers Association has selected ‘Victory’ the Hosta of the Year for 2015 (USDA Zones 3–9). ‘Victory’ is a large hosta cultivar with gold edged variegated leaves and an upright vase-shaped plant habit. Victory hosta is a sport of H. nigrescens ‘Elatior’, distinctive also for its beautiful, upright form. Plant develops into a broad 3 – […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, compost, Container growing, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Foliage plant, Hosta, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Victory’ Chosen Hosta Plant Of The Year For 2015All About Thistles
Posted by Hugh on July 30th, 2015
Some weeds are very nasty and on top of my list are the dreadful thistles. Learn the lifecycles of those in your region and the proper method to eliminate them. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a perennial species found in many areas of the eastern U.S. Other thistles in my region are bull and […]
Posted in Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Garden Problems, Invasive plant, Invasive species, Mowing, Pesticide recommendations, Southern Appalachian Region, Weed control, Weeds, Wildflower Comments Off on All About ThistlesLong Blooming Tennessee Coneflower
Posted by Hugh on July 27th, 2015
Dependable Tennessee coneflowers (Echinacea tennesseensis) bloom almost all summer (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). That’s three months long. Plants are covered with pale pink, flat ray flowers; blooms measure 2 to 3 inch across with greenish-brown centers or cones. It is a great addition to hot dry sites, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container growing, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tennessee Coneflower, watering tips, Wildflowers, winter hardiness Comments Off on Long Blooming Tennessee Coneflower
