Moonvine (Ipomoea alba)is a fast growing tropical vine. Its dark green heart shaped leaves stay clean and pest-free the entire growing season. Pure white 6-inch wide flowers open non-stop from early summer until frost. Each showy white flower lasts one day, opening in late afternoon and withering late the following morning. Plants may be purchased […]
Archive for the ‘Butterflies’ Category
Enjoy Moonvine In The Evening Garden
Posted by Hugh on May 5th, 2014
Posted in Butterflies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Moonvine (Ipomea), Planting tips, Poisonous plant, Propagation (Seed), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Vine 
Comments Off on Enjoy Moonvine In The Evening GardenIce 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 SpotsDon’t Shy Away From Annual Vincas (Periwinkles)
Posted by Hugh on April 23rd, 2014
Annual vinca or periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is a summer flowering annual popular in Southern and Midwest gardens (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). When summer’s heat and humidity soars, vincas look their best and bloom the heaviest. Vincas sparkle in containers, in flower beds, or in front borders around building foundations. Transplants are set out in mid-spring […]
Posted in acidic soil, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flowers, Heat Tolerance, mulching, Periwinkle (annual vinca), plant nutrition, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on Don’t Shy Away From Annual Vincas (Periwinkles)‘Miss Kim’ Lilac Tackles Southeast U.S. Heat and Humidity
Posted by Hugh on April 17th, 2014
When northerners move south, they insist on growing lilacs (Syringa spp.). Southern U.S. heat and humidity often take their toll on these lovely fragrant and colorful spring flowering shrubs (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). One very popular and exceptionally reliable lilac is ‘Miss Kim’ lilac (S. pubescens ssp. patula ‘Miss Kim’). A cultivar of Manchurian lilac, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Butterflies, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Lilac (Syringa), Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on ‘Miss Kim’ Lilac Tackles Southeast U.S. Heat and HumidityAttracting Monarch Butterflies To Your Garden
Posted by Hugh on April 1st, 2014
From Canada to Mexico, gardeners are called upon to halt the decline of the Monarch butterfly populations across North America. The best way you can help is to fill your garden with Monarch’s favorite flowering nectar plants and milkweeds (Asclepias spp.). Plants should be sited in open full sun and moist well-drained soil. Avoid spraying […]
Posted in Aster, Black eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Butterflies, Cosmos, Drought tolerant, Eupatorium 'Gateway', Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', Flowers, Heat Tolerance, Lantana, Liatris, Marigold, Milkweeds (Asclepias), Monarda (Beebalm), Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Star zinnia, Stonecrop sedums, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Zinnia Comments Off on Attracting Monarch Butterflies To Your GardenBeautiful 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 LimitationsChallenging Sourwood Worth A Try
Posted by Hugh on February 25th, 2014
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), aka lily of the valley tree, is one of the most beautiful U.S. native flowering trees (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). However, attempting to establish one in your landscape may prove challenging. The tree grows in sparse populations from eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and Georgia Piedmont. It grows naturally to 20-30 feet […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Fragrant, Medium sized Tree, Native Plant, Planting tips, Sourwood (Oxydendrum), Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Challenging Sourwood Worth A TryShagbark Hickory
Posted by Hugh on January 8th, 2014
Most tree lovers don’t plant U.S native shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Instead, they often inherit one when purchasing property. Shagbark hickory is notoriously difficult to transplant and grows very slowly in its early years. Like oaks (Quercus spp.) and beeches (Fagus spp.), hickories are long-lived, often standing tall in an open […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Butterflies, Drought tolerant, Hickory (Carya spp.), Large Shade trees, Native Plant, Nut Producer, Propagation (Seed), Southern Appalachian Region, Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Shagbark HickoryShiShi Gashira Camellia So Far Holding Up to Zone 6-b Winters
Posted by Hugh on October 11th, 2013
Camellias bloom at a time when most trees and shrubs are not flowering. Growing them is no longer a dream for gardeners who do not live in the deep South. A number of “designated zone 6 hardy” cultivars prosper in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). ‘ShiShi Gashira’ camellia (Camellia hiemalis) […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Camellia, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on ShiShi Gashira Camellia So Far Holding Up to Zone 6-b WintersThree New Hardy Fall Blooming Camellias
Posted by Hugh on October 10th, 2013
Three Zone 6 winter hardy camellias are becoming more available. A recent visit to a local camellia grower found these three fall bloomers: ‘Long Island Pink’, ‘Londontowne Blush’, and ‘Sweet October’ in full floral regalia. The first two are reliably hardy in USDA zone 6 and a third nearly so. ‘Long Island Pink’ was found […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Camellia, compact shrub, Container growing, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, mulching, Planting tips, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Three New Hardy Fall Blooming Camellias
