Too begin a new gardening year, the Perennial Plant Association has named calamint (Calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta) as the 2021 Perennial Plant of the Year. One landscaper designer describes calamint as “a cloud of confetti, tiny white flowers”. Plants are dotted with masses of tiny white (or pale blue) flowers from early summer to fall. […]
Archive for the ‘Landscape ideas’ Category
Calamint – 2021 Perennial Plant of The Year (PPOY)
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2021
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Calamint, Container garden, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Calamint – 2021 Perennial Plant of The Year (PPOY)Caring For Thanksgiving/Christmas Cacti
Posted by Hugh on December 26th, 2020
Holiday cacti are not true cactus plants. They are native to tropical rainforests of South America and their care is much different than desert cacti. Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti refers to the time that they bloom in Fall. Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and Christmas cactus (S. bridgesii are available in several flower colors: red, salmon, pink, purple, orange and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Photoperiod (Daylength), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Thanksgiving cactus, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Caring For Thanksgiving/Christmas CactiRepel Deer And Rabbits
Posted by Hugh on December 11th, 2020
We live at a time that deer population numbers have grown out of control in many areas of the U.S. The internet lists plants that “DEER DON’T EAT”. However, deer have not read these lists, and secondly, a starving deer will eat just about anything. An adult deer may eat 5-6 pounds of plant material […]
Posted in Annuals, apple orchard, Apple tree, Artemisia, Begonia, Container garden, Corn (Sweet or Field), Dahlia, Deer resistant, Edible fruits, Environmental Conservation, Fencing, Fragrant, Geranium, Hosta, Landscape ideas, Lobelia (cardnial flower), Native Plant, Peach, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Poisonous or toxic, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Raised bed Gardening, Raspberries, Roses, Southern Appalachian Region, Uncategorized, Wildlife attractant Comments Off on Repel Deer And RabbitsThree Common Witchhazel Varieties
Posted by Hugh on December 6th, 2020
Common witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is likely the last native woody shrub or tree to bloom in the northern areas of the U.S. and Canada (USDA hardiness zone 3-8). This autumn blooming deciduous shrub or tree grows in open woodlands, often near a lake or a stream bank. Common witchhazels grow 15-20 feet tall as a large […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Common witchhazel (H. virginiana), compact shrub, compact tree, Container growing, container shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Environmental Conservation, Fertilizing plants, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Witchhazel (Hamamelis) Comments Off on Three Common Witchhazel VarietiesIs Your Home Ready For Monstera?
Posted by Hugh on December 1st, 2020
Monstera, aka Swiss Cheese Philodendron or Split-leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) is a climbing evergreen member of the Arum family (Araceae) native to the tropics of Central America. It may also be grown outdoors in (USDA plant hardiness zones 10-12). Monstera is grown for its large cutleaf foliage, sometimes perforated, that may grow up to 3 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Container garden, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Foliage plant, Landscape ideas, Monstera (Split leaf Philo), Philodendron, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Is Your Home Ready For Monstera?Houseplants Improve Your Home Atmosphere
Posted by Hugh on November 26th, 2020
Houseplants decorate as well as clean the air at work and in homes or apartments, particularly when windows are closed over the winter months. Doctors tell us that an environment filled with lots of plants help to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve mind function, particularly our ability to concentrate. Here are six easy […]
Posted in Bromeliads, Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), Dracaena, Ferns, Foliage plant, Fragrant, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Snake plant (Sanservieria), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering iris, ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas) Comments Off on Houseplants Improve Your Home AtmosphereCoast Leucothoe a Better Choice
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2020
Compared to other doghobble species, coast leucothoe or doghobble (Leucothoe axillaris) is a best choice for Southern U.S. landscapes (USDA zones 6 -9). This species is native to open woodland areas of the Southeastern U.S. The species grows along woodland slopes usually nearby a water source. However, its roots do not tolerate perennially damp ground. Doghobbles are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthracnose, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Deer resistant, Doghobble (Leucothoe), Environmental issues, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Leaf retention, Leaf/needle spots, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Coast Leucothoe a Better ChoicePersimmon – Native Fruit Tree
Posted by Hugh on November 11th, 2020
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a deciduous U.S. native that grows 35 to 60 feet tall and 25-35 feet wide (USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9). Mature trees have a rounded oval crown. Ovate to elliptic, 2-6 inch long leaves, alternative along the stem, are glossy dark green above. Autumn leaves turn yellowish-green, infrequently reddish purple. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Edible fruits, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Persimmon (Diospyros), Planting tips, Pollination needs, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark Comments Off on Persimmon – Native Fruit TreeStandout Ornamental Grasses Inflorescences
Posted by Hugh on November 6th, 2020
Ornamental grasses standout in the landscape most of the year. These six ornamental grasses showoff spectacular seed heads (inflorescences) in late summer or fall. These grasses are also beautiful and effective landscape screens. PAMPAS GRASS (Cortaderia selloana) – are seen planted at the beach, city parks or in your neighbor’s yard. The big feathery plumes […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Calamagrostis, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Miscanthus grass, mulching, Native Plant, Pampas Grasss (Cortaderia), Pennisetum spp., Perennials, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Switchgrass (Panicum), winter hardiness Comments Off on Standout Ornamental Grasses InflorescencesGround Covers With Colorful Berries in Winter
Posted by Hugh on November 1st, 2020
Here are four ornamental ground covers that are laden with colorful berrries in the winter landscape. Two (partridgeberry and wintergreen) grow best in a partial shade woodland environment and two (coralberry and cotoneaster) prefer sunny environs. Berries offer tasty winter food for wildlife such as pheasant, grouse, squirrels and deer. Cut stems loaded with berries […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Coralberry (Symphoricarpus), Cotoneaster, Deciduous, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Partridge berry, Partridgeberry (Mitchella), Partridgeberry (Mitchella), Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, Wintergreen (Gaultheria) Comments Off on Ground Covers With Colorful Berries in Winter
