On hot clammy August days, towering 6-8 feet in height, there is Joe-Pye* weed (Eupatorium purpureum) to enjoy. It is visually hard to miss when driving along rural roads in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Joe-Pye’s flowering sends me a timely message that autumn is only six weeks away. For gardens the cultivar […]
Archive for the ‘Bee Favorite’ Category
‘Gateway’ Joe-Pye Fits Most Gardens
Posted by Hugh on August 22nd, 2011
Posted in Aggressive grower, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Eupatorium 'Gateway', Fertilizing plants, Native Plant, Perennials, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips 
Comments Off on ‘Gateway’ Joe-Pye Fits Most Gardens‘Kim’s Knee High’ Coneflower For Small Gardens
Posted by Hugh on August 11th, 2011
We are in the midst of an Echinacea revolution. Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a popular 5-6 foot tall native perennial commonly planted in meadow and butterfly gardens. Kim Hawkes, former owner of Niche Gardens Nursery in Chapel Hill, N.C. introduced compact growing ‘Kim’s Knee High’ a decade ago. It is still one of the finest cultivars. ‘Kim’s Knee High’ […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), deadheading, Fertilizing plants, Hummingbird, Perennials, plant nutrition, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, Winter Garden Interest Comments Off on ‘Kim’s Knee High’ Coneflower For Small GardensMove Over AJ, Here Comes T-Rex
Posted by Hugh on July 26th, 2011
For nearly half a century, ‘Autumn Joy’ has been the leading “stonecrop” or “live forever” sedum cultivar planted. More than once I’ve heard this saying: “if Autumn Joy won’t grow in your garden, you should try another hobby. ‘T-Rex’ is a terrific new hybrid and ‘Autumn Joy’ is one of its parents. ‘T Rex’ has […]
Torch Lily Has Long Bloom Life
Posted by Hugh on July 23rd, 2011
Torch lily (Kniphofia spp.), aka “red hot poker”, is an easy to grow long-lived perennial from South Africa. Its colorful floral spike (and a little imagination) resembles a fiery torch or sizzling poker, visited often by hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. New cultivars are mostly hybrids and vary in plant height and flower color. Starting in […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, deadheading, Disease resistant, Hummingbird, Perennials, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Torch lily (red hot poker), Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Torch Lily Has Long Bloom LifeDouble Take™ Flowering Quinces
Posted by Hugh on April 8th, 2011
Photo credit: Dr. Tom Ranney, NCSU Research Horticulturist Flowering quince (Chaenomeles spp) is an early spring flowering shrub, treasured for its brightly colored blooms (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Old fashioned quince shrubs produced small amounts of fruits which were gathered and prepared into yummy jelly in the autumn kitchen. These often large 10-12 foot tall shrubs produced small sharp […]
Posted in Bee Favorite, compact shrub, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Flowering quince (Chaenomeles), Propagation (Cuttings), Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Double Take™ Flowering QuincesCulver’s Root (Veronicastrum)
Posted by Hugh on June 28th, 2010
Midwest native Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) starts the summer flowering season in my perennial garden. It naturally grows in open woods and meadows and thrives in fertile to moist soils. However, this deep rooted plant hasn’t complain about the current dry period in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6-7). Be aware that culver’s root […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Culver's Root (veronicastrum), deadheading, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Goldenrod (Solidago), Heat Tolerance, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum)Try ‘Fireworks’ Gomphrena in Your Garden
Posted by Hugh on April 16th, 2010
‘Fireworks’ gomphrena was a sensation in the University of Tennessee Gardens at both the Knoxville and Jackson locations in 2009. Gomphrena (globe amaranth) is a great summer annual that asks for very little care. It is heat, humidity and drought tolerant. Gomphrena hold up to the wind, blooming from day of planting in May (after […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowers, Globe amaranth (Gomphrena), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Try ‘Fireworks’ Gomphrena in Your Garden
