Angel trumpet (Brugmansia) is tropical plant native from Venezuela to Peru (USDA hardiness zones 7-b to 10). Plants are surprising hardy outdoors in zone 6-b in protected areas. This beautiful perennial/shrub, grown in tree form, reaches heights of 6-10 feet. It is a member of the Solanaceae family which includes tomato, potato, petunia, nicotiana and other great garden plants. They’re […]
Archive for the ‘Bee Favorite’ Category
Growing Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia)
Posted by Hugh on April 26th, 2020
Posted in acidic soil, Angel trumpet (Brugmansia), Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Fruits poisonous, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Poisonous plant, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), Uncategorized, watering tips, Wind protection, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Growing Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia)New Weigelas Keep Coming
Posted by Hugh on April 16th, 2020
Native to Japan, Korea, and China, flowering weigelas (Weigela florida) are reliable old-fashioned shrubs bearing pink or rose colored blooms in mid-spring. This deciduous shrub has an arching branch habit. New weigelas are now appearing at local garden centers. Older cultivars, typically 6 to 9 feet in height, are being replaced with compact 2 – 5 feet […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Re-Bloomers, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weigela, winter hardiness Comments Off on New Weigelas Keep ComingYellow Flowering Magnolias
Posted by Hugh on April 6th, 2020
Deciduous magnolias (Magnolia spp.) are popular landscape plants because of their bright cheery spring flowers. Breeding efforts back in the 1970’s created a new class of deciduous yellow-flowering magnolias. In 1978, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens introduced the first, Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’ (creamy white). Yellow magnolias are hybrid crosses between M. acuminata, M. subcordata, M. denudata, among […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Magnolia, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Yellow Flowering MagnoliasDouble Take® Flowering Quince
Posted by Hugh on April 2nd, 2020
D 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 (quince) which were gathered and made into yummy jelly in the autumn kitchen. Old fashioned varieties often grew 10-12 feet tall shrubs and produced small sharp thorns which made […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container growing, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowering, Flowering quince (Chaenomeles), Flowering shrub, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Double Take® Flowering QuinceSiberian Wallflowers – Tough Winter Annuals
Posted by Hugh on March 26th, 2020
In areas of the U.S. where winters are mild, Siberian Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri), (formerly Cheiranthus cheiri), is an early flowering favorite in the late winter garden. The species hails from Southern Europe (USDA hardiness zones 7-9). Many books list them as biennials and a few as “tempermental perennials”. Wallflower is a woody-based herbaceous perennial subshrub in the mustard […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Biennial, Failure to Bloom, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flowers, Landscape ideas, mulching, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Siberian Wallflower (Cheiranthus), Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Uncategorized, Wallflower (Erysimum), watering tips, Winter flowering Comments Off on Siberian Wallflowers – Tough Winter AnnualsSmoketrees For Their Multi-Seasonal Appeal
Posted by Hugh on March 11th, 2020
Smoketree or smokebush (Cotinus coggygria) is a large shrub or small tree native from southern Europe to central China (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). Over time it typically matures to 10-15 feet high and wide. Depending on cultivar (see list below), smoketrees have oval leaves tinted in rich purple, gold, or green shades. Generally, they grow […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact tree, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Smoketree (Cotinus), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Smoketrees For Their Multi-Seasonal AppealSix Perennials For Dry Shade
Posted by Hugh on March 6th, 2020
Many of the following perennials tolerate dry shade but flourish in moist, well-drained soil. Each typically displays the richest foliage colors with a couple of hours of direct sunlight a day. All hold up well to dry conditions and are deer and rabbit resistant. Barrenworts (aka Bishop’s cap, Fairy Wings) (Epimedium spp.) represent over 70 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Barrenwort (Epimedium), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bugleweed (Ajuga), Container garden, Cranesbill (Geranium), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Geranium, Ground cover, Hellebores, Landscape ideas, Lenten rose (Hellebore), Liriope, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Sacred Lily (Rohdea), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Six Perennials For Dry ShadeRhododendrons You Should Be Growing
Posted by Hugh on March 1st, 2020
“A healthy plant in the right place with proper maintenance” is a rhododendron that has few problems. Rhododendrons and azaleas are acid loving plants meaning plants should be planted in humus-rich slightly acidic soil (pH 5.2 -6.5). If the soil is not well amended, rhododendrons will have trouble surviving long term. Once planted, water during […]
Posted in acidic soil, Azalea (deciduous), Azaleas (evergreen), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Container garden, Evergreen, Flower arrangments, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, plant nutrition, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Rhododendrons You Should Be Growing‘Sun King’ Aralia Named 2020 Perennial Plant Of The Year
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2020
Plants with golden foliage can brighten up almost any drab garden patch. Sun King golden aralia (Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’) is no exception, hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3-9. It is also known as Japanese spikenard and mountain asparagus. Under ideal conditions this thornless, rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial grows rapidly to 3-5 feet tall and as […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Aralia 'Sun King', Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Sun scald, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness 1 Comment »Anise (Illicium) Shrubs Coming To Mid-South Gardens
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2019
There is lots of interest in this shrub group. Anise shrubs (Illicium spp.) are fast growing, evergreen shrubs (USDA zones 7 to 10). They exhibit a multi-stemmed, upright, compact growth habit. The green foliage of Florida anise (I. floridanum) is quite attractive and aromatic, smelling similar to anise spice when crushed. Their shiny, leathery leaves are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anise tree (Illicium), Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, compact tree, Container garden, Container growing, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Fragrant, Green Privacy Screen, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering evergreens, watering tips Comments Off on Anise (Illicium) Shrubs Coming To Mid-South Gardens
