For over a quarter of a century, wherever daylilies (Hemerocallus spp.) grow, you will find the very popular gold-flowered ‘Stella d’Oro’ daylily (USDA hardiness zones 2-9). It’s one of a few daylilies that blooms 3 out of 4 seasons. Its small size makes it an ideal choice as a ground cover. This short clump growing […]
Archive for the ‘Bee Favorite’ Category
‘Stella D’Oro’- First And Last Daylily To Bloom
Posted by Hugh on June 13th, 2014
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Daylilies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, mulching, Perennials, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on ‘Stella D’Oro’- First And Last Daylily To BloomDoghobble for Shady Landscape Areas
Posted by Hugh on May 30th, 2014
Mountain doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana) is native to woodland areas in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Florida coast leucothoe (L. axillaris) is another regional favorite, native from Virginia south to Florida. Over time it grow tall, usually 3-4 feet high as a rambling ground cover. Every 3 to 4 years hand pruning […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Doghobble (Leucothoe), Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Fragrant, Ground cover, mulching, Native Plant, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Doghobble for Shady Landscape AreasAllium ‘Millennium’ Outstanding Summer Blooming Ground Cover
Posted by Hugh on May 26th, 2014
Allium ‘Millennium’ is a rhizomatous type allium (onion) introduced by plant breeder Mark McDonough over a decade ago (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). In nursery catalogs it is sometimes listed Allium nutans‘Millennium’. Fleshy strap-like 12-inch long glossy green foliage emits a slight oniony smell when crushed. ‘Millennium’ is a rhizomatous (clump growing) long-lived perennial. Individual plants […]
Posted in acidic soil, Alliums (onion), Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowers, Ground cover, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Allium ‘Millennium’ Outstanding Summer Blooming Ground CoverJapanese Tree Lilac Is Excellent Late Flowering Form
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2014
Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is a late flowering lilac, often 2-3 weeks later than the popular common and hybrid shrub lilacs (USDA hardiness zone 3-7). Tree lilac is tall growing, often 20-25 feet tall with a 15-25 foot spread. It forms a nice small multi-trunked street tree. Tree lilac is the last of the […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Lilac (Syringa), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Japanese Tree Lilac Is Excellent Late Flowering FormSweetbay Magnolia
Posted by Hugh on May 15th, 2014
Sweetbay, aka laurel magnolia, (Magnolia virginiana) is a U.S. native tree. This small to medium-sized native species often 20-30 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide as a large shrub or multi-stemmed small tree. Finding a 50-60 feet sweetbay near by a lake or pond near where you live is not unusual (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Magnolia virginiana, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Sweetbay MagnoliaIce Plant – A Cool Plant For Dry Sunny Spots
Posted by Hugh on May 1st, 2014
From the extreme heat and dry climates of east and Southern Africa come the hardy ice plants (Delosperma spp.). There are two popular species, Purple ice plant (D. cooperi) and Orange-yellow iceplant (D. nubigenium), plus hybrid cultivars galore. Ice plants are dependable zone 6 winter hardy succulents. They’re excellent candidates for roof top and rock […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Ice Plant (Delosperma), Perennials, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Ice Plant – A Cool Plant For Dry Sunny Spots‘Summer Gold’ Kousa Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2014
Get ready to alter your mindset with ‘Summer Gold’ Chinese (kousa) dogwood (Cornus kousa) (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Its diminutive size, 8 to 10 feet high and 4 to 5 feet wide, makes it a great fit for a small city garden. Branching is distinctly upright, which partially accounts for its narrow space needs. ‘Summer […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Chinese (kousa) dogwood, compact tree, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Ornamental fruit, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Summer Gold’ Kousa DogwoodGrowing Sunflowers Fun Family Activity
Posted by Hugh on April 20th, 2014
Growing sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are the current rage. Sunflowers are native to Central America and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Sunflowers are classified as annuals, living one growing season, and often returning the following spring from seeds dropped the previous fall. Some gardeners put out large beds to feed the birds. Sunflowers come […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowers, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Sunflowers, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing Sunflowers Fun Family ActivityThree Beautiful Ornamental Crabapples
Posted by Hugh on April 4th, 2014
Crabapples (Malus spp.) get a bad rap! Many gardeners associated them with the old diseased and pest prone varieties planted a half-century ago. Modern cultivars make nice small ornamental trees. The new cultivars exhibit exceptional resistance to five serious diseases of crabapples: apple scab, fire blight, cedar-apple rust, leaf spot and powdery mildew. Three of […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, compact tree, Crabapple, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Ornamental fruit, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weeping habit, winter hardiness Comments Off on Three Beautiful Ornamental CrabapplesBeautiful Giant Dogwood Has Some Limitations
Posted by Hugh on March 28th, 2014
Giant dogwood (Cornus controversa) is a medium-sized deciduous tree that grows to 35 to 40 feet high (in the wild to 60 feet) in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 7. This Asian native (China and Japan) is cherished for its distinctive horizontal (tiered) branching habit. Giant dogwood prefers an acidic, organically rich, moisture, well-drained soil. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Deer resistant, Disease prone, Dogwood (Cornus), Flowering, Insect (Pest) Problems, Medium sized Tree, Planting tips, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Beautiful Giant Dogwood Has Some Limitations
