Spiny bear’s breeches (Acanthus spinosa) is a clump-forming perennial treasured for its attractive thistle-like foliage and architecturally bold flower spikes (USDA hardiness zones 5b-9). Plant requires little maintenance and is long-lived. Deeply-cut, arching, glossy green, spiny, thistle-like leaves attain 2-3 feet in length on older plants and remain attractive through the growing season. Leaves bear mostly hidden spines on […]
Archive for the ‘Landscape ideas’ Category
Thistle-like Bear’s Breeches
Posted by Hugh on July 13th, 2017
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Attracting Butterflies, Bear’s breeches (Acanthus), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Slugs, Snails, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Thistle-like Bear’s BreechesBest of MT Cuba Center 2017 Monarda Study*
Posted by Hugh on July 10th, 2017
Monarda, commonly known as bee balm or wild bergamot, is a popular summer flowering perennial. Their large, brightly colored flower clusters brighten the season. Flowers attract many types of wildlife, including hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, moths, and seed-eating birds. Unfortunately, many cultivars are susceptible to powdery mildew disease which causes defoliation and plant loss. Over the past three […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Disease resistant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Monarda (Beebalm), mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Best of MT Cuba Center 2017 Monarda Study*Ground Cover Types Of Flowering Abelias
Posted by Hugh on July 4th, 2017
Flowering abelias (Abelia x grandiflora) come in all shapes and sizes (USDA hardiness zones 6-9). Over the past decade the ground cover types have become very popular. They’re also utilized as accent plants in large containers. In zones 7 -8, they are evergreen. The term “ground cover” is used here to emphasize cultivars that grow low, mostly […]
Posted in Abelia, acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Autumn foliage color, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compact shrub, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Ground Cover Types Of Flowering AbeliasPanicle Hydrangeas For Small Gardens And Containers
Posted by Hugh on June 13th, 2017
Panicle, PeeGee or PG hydrangeas (Hydrangea panculata) brighten up your July-August garden. They hail from China and Japan and grow almost anywhere in the U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 3 – 8). PG hydrangeas are far more reliable in northern areas (zones 3-5), than mophead hydrangeas (H. macrophylla). They flower at their best in full to partial day sunlight (6 hours […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compact shrub, compost, Container garden, Container growing, deadheading, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Panicle Hydrangeas For Small Gardens And ContainersRain Barrels Save Water!
Posted by Hugh on May 29th, 2017
The following is a guest blog from Joy Stewart, a good friend who gardens in Bristol, Tennessee. Photos taken at her garden. Regional droughts and potential water shortages are causing people to turn to a centuries old practice of collecting rain as an alternative source of water. By collecting rainwater from your home’s roof, you have […]
Posted in Environmental Conservation, Environmental issues, Garden ecology, Garden Maintenance, Irrigation, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Rain barrel, Uncategorized, watering evergreens, watering hydrangeas, watering iris, watering tips Comments Off on Rain Barrels Save Water!Five Perennial Staples For Your Summer Garden
Posted by Hugh on May 23rd, 2017
If you are designing a new perennial garden, here are five proven perennials to start out with. All varieties are standout garden performers known for their long blooming period and showy flowers. Coreopsis and veronica are often utilized for edging along a sunny border. All can be planted in mixed containers. ‘Pow Wow Wild Berry’ coneflower (Echinacea […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compost, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container garden, Coreopsis, deadheading, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Veronica (speedwells), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Five Perennial Staples For Your Summer GardenHow Drought Affects Our Landscape Trees*
Posted by Hugh on May 20th, 2017
Long term drought can be devastating on landscape and woodland trees. An environmentally stressed tree must expend additional energy to survive. Extremes of drought leads to decreases in trunk diameter and height growth, declining resistance to pests and diseases, less food production via photosynthesis, and in flower and fruit production. Symptoms of drought stress include wilted […]
Posted in American Beech (F. grandifolia), Ash (Fraxinus), Bald cypress (Taxodium), Bur oak (Q. macrocarpa), Disease prone, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Evergreens, Firs (Abies), Garden Maintenance, Heat Tolerance, Hickory (Carya spp.), Hophornbeam (Ostrya), Hornbeam (Carpinus), Landscape ideas, Leaf retention, Linden (Tilia), Magnolia grandiflora, Maples (Acer), mulching, Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Pests, pin oak, Pines (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Poplar (Populus spp.), Purchasing Plants, Redbud, root injury, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Sycamore (Platanus), Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, Tulip tree (Liriodendron), watering tips, Willow oak (Quercus), Winter Protection Comments Off on How Drought Affects Our Landscape Trees*Five Reliable Summer – Early Fall Flowering Perennials
Posted by Hugh on May 18th, 2017
Planning a new perennial garden this summer?Include these five very dependable flowering perennials. All are low maintenance and are U.S. natives (USDA Zones 4–8). ‘Zagreb’ (Coreopsis verticillata) has a very uniform plant habit and finely dissected foliage. Plant grows only about 20 -24 inches tall, and is blanketed with bright yellow (gold) flowers coupled with […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aster, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, compost, Container garden, Coreopsis, deadheading, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Goldenrod (Solidago), Heat Tolerance, Heliopsis (False sunflower), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Five Reliable Summer – Early Fall Flowering PerennialsChinese Fringetree Is Versatile Landscape Tree
Posted by Hugh on May 8th, 2017
Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus) is native to China, Korea and Japan (Zone: 6 to 9a). Related to native U.S. species (C. virginicus), fringetrees are noted for their profuse spring bloom of fragrant white flowers. It is most often seen in cultivation as a large, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub growing to 15 – 20 feet tall with a […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Borers, compact shrub, compact tree, Container growing, container shrub, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Fringetree (Chionanthus), Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mites, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Chinese Fringetree Is Versatile Landscape TreeSummer Heat And Drought Tolerant Annuals
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2017
Annuals (bedding plants) provide many more weeks of colorful flowers and/or foliage than perennials and woody landscape plants. Planting a fabulous flower garden does involve lots of initial preparation, including adding lots of organic matter (compost) to the ground and tilling it in. First, plan your summer flower garden before you plant. Choose those that […]
Posted in acidic soil, Angelonias, Bees and other pollinators, Begonia, compost, Container garden, Cupheas, Drought tolerant, Euphorbias, Fan flower (Scaevola), Fertilizing plants, Flowers, Globe amaranth (Gomphrena), Heat Tolerance, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Marigold, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia), Million Bells (Calibrachoa), Moss rose (Portulaca), mulching, Native Plant, Pentas (Egyptian star flower), Periwinkle (annual vinca), Petunias, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Salvia, Scaevola, Sedum, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spider flower (Cleome), Spring flowering, Star zinnia, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Uncategorized, watering tips, Zinnia Comments Off on Summer Heat And Drought Tolerant Annuals
