Christmas roses (Helleborus niger) is a winter flowering perennial. It is native to central and southern Europe (USDA hardiness zones 4-8) and is not as winter hardy as lenten rose (Helleborus x orientalis). Christmas rose tends to flower 1 to 4 weeks earlier, around the Christmas holidays in southern climes (zones 7-8). New selections of H. niger are better […]
Archive for the ‘Evergreen’ Category
New Christmas Roses (Hellebores) Greatly Improved
Posted by Hugh on December 18th, 2014
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Hellebores, Perennials, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter flowering, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on New Christmas Roses (Hellebores) Greatly ImprovedNellie R. Stevens Holly
Posted by Hugh on December 16th, 2014
Hollies and the winter season work well together. Female hollies with bright red fruits (yellow-fruited forms also) contrast with their glossy evergreen foliage. ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ holly (NRS), a female form, is a cross between English (Ilex aquifolium) and Chinese (I. cornuta) hollies. NRS is the popular holly choice in Southern landscapes (USDA hardiness zones 6 to 9). Hollies are dioecious, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Green Privacy Screen, Ilex (hollies), Landscape ideas, mulching, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Nellie R. Stevens HollyProvide Space For Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar
Posted by Hugh on December 13th, 2014
Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) hails from the Atlas Mountains in northern Morocco and Algeria (USDA hardiness zone 6-9). ‘Glauca Pendula’ is a popular weeping form with blue green needle foliage. It is found in limited quantities at full service garden centers. Mature forms of weeping blue atlas cedars take up lots of space. When young its natural weeping form perform as a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Atlas cedar (Cedrus), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Heat Tolerance, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Provide Space For Weeping Blue Atlas CedarConifers For Poorly Drained Soils
Posted by Hugh on December 7th, 2014
Before planting conifers in your landscape, it’s absolutely important to know the drainage (percolation rate) of the soil, particularly if it is clay-based. Most conifers prefer well-drained sandy and clay loam soils. To determine your soil type and rate of drainage, try the “hole test” recommended by Virginia Tech University horticulturists. Dig a hole approximately one foot deep […]
Posted in Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Bald cypress (Taxodium), Chamaecyparis, Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), Evergreen, Firs (Abies), Larix kaempferi, Microbiota, Pines (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), Trees & Shrubs, Yews (Taxus spp.) Comments Off on Conifers For Poorly Drained SoilsLacebark Pine Is An Arboreal Gem
Posted by Hugh on December 1st, 2014
Lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana) is an arboreal gem which few gardeners are privileged to own (USDA hardiness zones 4-8). Hopefully, this will change. Lacebark is a lovely 3-needle pine with exquisite exfoliating bark which becomes more attractive as it ages. Bark mottling begins after 8-10 years, that’s worth the wait if you’re a young patient […]
Posted in acidic soil, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Lacebark pine (P. bungeana), mulching trees, Pine (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter bark, winter hardiness Comments Off on Lacebark Pine Is An Arboreal GemList of Zone 6 Hardy Camellias Grows Longer
Posted by Hugh on November 29th, 2014
If you live and garden in USDA hardiness zone 6, several camellia cultivars are winter hardy. The past decade has seen an increase in the list of hardy cultivars. These same cultivars are also reliable planted in zone 7. Here is a sampling of the best Zone […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Camellia, compact shrub, compost, container shrub, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter flowering, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on List of Zone 6 Hardy Camellias Grows LongerBetter Choices Than Leyland Cypress For Privacy Screen
Posted by Hugh on November 12th, 2014
For homeowners in a rush to establish a tall green privacy screen from the neighbor(s), perhaps a 12-foot tall green fence may be your better option. Among the choices of evergreens to plant, Leyland cypress (x Cupressocyperus leylandii) is fastest growing, but is plagued by any of three serious disease problems. An established leyland cypress planted 12 feet apart completely […]
Posted in Bagworms, Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Disease prone, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Leyland cypress, Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering iris, winter hardiness Comments Off on Better Choices Than Leyland Cypress For Privacy Screen‘Gyokuryu’ Japanese Cedar -Privacy Screen For Small Gardens
Posted by Hugh on November 9th, 2014
Gyokuryu Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Gyokuryu’) is a dense, broadly pyramidal evergreen shrub (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). It has short stiff needles that tend to be a slightly darker green than other cryptomeria cultivars. Gyokuryu holds its dark green color through most winters in zone 7 and further south. Expect winter bronzing when Gyokuryu is […]
Posted in acidic soil, Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Evergreens, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Privacy Screen, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Gyokuryu’ Japanese Cedar -Privacy Screen For Small GardensRebuilding A Storm Damaged Young Tree
Posted by Hugh on October 25th, 2014
An enormous 60 foot white pine toppled over several smaller trees. The aftermath was a severely damaged 3- year old sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana). Replacing the 3 1/2 inch diameter tree would have cost the homeowner over $300. My recommendation to the homeowner was to cut back the magnolia trunk to approximately 12 inches from the ground in […]
Posted in Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Landscape ideas, Large Shade trees, Magnolia virginiana, Medium sized Tree, Native Plant, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Rebuilding A Storm Damaged Young TreeBird’s Nest Spruce
Posted by Hugh on October 16th, 2014
Bird’s nest spruce (Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’) is a dwarf cultivar of Norway spruce and is native to northern Europe (USDA hardiness zones 3-7). This slow growing compact shrub will attain 4 feet in height and 5 to 6 feet spread over 15 – 20 years. The shrub grows in a round form with a distinctive […]
Posted in acidic soil, compact shrub, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, mulching, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spruces (Picea spp.), Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bird’s Nest Spruce
