Vernal witchhazel (H. vernalis) is a dense growing 8 to 12 foot native shrub which blooms in mid-winter in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). It is winter hardy to zone 4. Small ½ inch wide yellow flowers, flushed red at the base, emit a pleasant witchhazel aroma in the February […]
Archive for the ‘Landscape ideas’ Category
Vernal Witchhazel and New Cultivar ‘Quasimodo’
Posted by Hugh on January 24th, 2013
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, compact shrub, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness, Witchhazel (Hamamelis) 
Comments Off on Vernal Witchhazel and New Cultivar ‘Quasimodo’‘Otto Lukyen’ Cherry Laurel Exhibits Better Winter Hardiness
Posted by Hugh on January 17th, 2013
Otto Luyken (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto Luyken’) is a very compact form of cherry laurel. It produces showy, fragrant, erect white spike flowers primarily in the spring, and repeats with light blooming thru the summer months. Its fragrant white flowers are showy racemes which rise several inches above the foliage in mid-spring. Its glossy pointed tip […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bee Favorite, Cherry Laurel (Prunus), compact shrub, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreens, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Planting tips, Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ‘Otto Lukyen’ Cherry Laurel Exhibits Better Winter HardinessTwo Native Sedges Excel In Dry Shade
Posted by Hugh on December 14th, 2012
Sedges (Carex spp.) are becoming popular groundcovers with gardeners! Most demand a moist, well drained soil. Two native forms, Appalachian sedge (Carex appalachica) and Pennsylvania sedge (C. pensylvanica) excel in dry woodland shade in the eastern U.S. and Canada (USDA hardiness 3-8). Their fine textured grassy foliage and a fountain-like growing habit make them excellent […]
Posted in Carex (Sedges), Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mowing, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Two Native Sedges Excel In Dry ShadeMinor Bulbs Get A Jump On Spring
Posted by Hugh on October 18th, 2012
Companion bulbs, often called “minor bulbs”, are early signs that spring is coming. Three of the most reliable are snowdrops, winter aconites and Glory of the snow. They bloom before crocus. Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) returns with floral beauty less than three months after planting. Plants poke through the ground, grow and flower 3 to 6 inches […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow), Flowering Bulb, Landscape ideas, Perennials, Purchasing Plants, Snowdrops (Galanthus), Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Uncategorized, watering tips, Winter aconite (Eranthis), Winter flowering, winter hardiness Comments Off on Minor Bulbs Get A Jump On SpringEmerald Ash Borer And Others Are Spreading – Don’t Transport Firewood
Posted by Hugh on October 15th, 2012
Moving firewood across county or state lines may also distribute serious insect pests hundreds of miles. For whatever reasons that the tree(s) were cut down in your yard, insects (including termites) may be hiding inside the logs. They may remain alive for a long time. Over the past decade three serious exotic insect pests have been identified […]
Posted in Elms (Ulmus), Firewood, Green ash (Fraxinus), Insect (Pest) Problems, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Pests, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, Walnut Comments Off on Emerald Ash Borer And Others Are Spreading – Don’t Transport FirewoodLeyland Cypress Too Big For Many Sites
Posted by Hugh on January 30th, 2012
Leyland cypress (x Cupressocyparis leylandii) grows into a 50 foot tall evergreen behemoth. What happens when the plants (in photo) get too close to the small deck(s)? Access to the deck from the stairs will become impossible as the evergreens swallow up the entire back yard. Looking out from the deck and windows from the home won’t be likely […]
Posted in Aggressive grower, Arborvitae (Thuja spp.), Disease prone, Evergreen, Green Privacy Screen, Insect (Pest) Problems, Landscape ideas, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on Leyland Cypress Too Big For Many SitesThujopsis: Semi-Dwarf Evergreen Shrub
Posted by Hugh on November 28th, 2011
Hiba or false arborvitae (Thujopsis dolobrata) is a slow to moderate growing evergreen shrub or tree. It is also called elkhorn cedar and deerhorn cedar, referring to the shape of its scale-like leaves. Tall 50-80 feet tall tree forms arefound in the forests of Japan. This native of Japan and China has a pyramidal form and beautiful dense foliage, similar […]
Posted in acidic soil, DWARF CONIFERS, Evergreen, Evergreens, Landscape ideas, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Thujopsis, Trees & Shrubs, watering evergreens, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, Winter Protection Comments Off on Thujopsis: Semi-Dwarf Evergreen ShrubSummer Pruning of Oakleaf and Bigleaf Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on June 15th, 2011
Bigleaf or “mophead” hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) tend to get tall and leggy, and outgrow their garden space. Our native oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are pruned as blooms quality declines. Remove or “deadhead” all withered or faded flowers. Main pruning time for these two species is from mid-June thru mid-August. Mopheads may rebloom if they had […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Garden Maintenance, Hydrangea, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized Comments Off on Summer Pruning of Oakleaf and Bigleaf HydrangeasWolfeyes Chinese Dogwood
Posted by Hugh on April 20th, 2011
Chinese dogwood (Cornus kousa), a favored spring-flowering tree, reaches 20-25 feet in height and blooms two weeks subsequent to our native flowering dogwood (C. florida). The ‘Wolf Eyes’ cultivar forms a compact tree or large shrub, standing 8–10 feet tall and nearly twice as wide. lowly reaches 10 to 20 ft. tall and wide; largest […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Chinese (kousa) dogwood, compact tree, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, mulching, Non-native, Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Wolfeyes Chinese DogwoodPulmonarias: Wonderful In The Shade Garden
Posted by Hugh on March 6th, 2011
Although my multi-year addiction for hostas has never waned, I remain equally passionate about the lungworts (Pulmonaria spp.). Lungwort is also called Bethlehem sage and Jerusalem sage. Their uniquely splotched or variegated foliage wakes up a dark patch in any shade garden. Lungworts are planted as ground covers and for color accents. In early spring (March), lungworts send up […]
Posted in acidic soil, Container garden, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Pulmonaria, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Sun scald, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Pulmonarias: Wonderful In The Shade Garden
