The loss or decline of a newly planted tree or shrub is usually a result of multiple factors. One of the worst mistakes is planting trees or shrubs too deeply – whether they are planted by a home gardener or a landscape professional. I’ve witnessed both. Surface roots are deprived of oxygen the deeper trees […]
Archive for the ‘Native Plant’ Category
Why Newly Planted Trees Die
Posted by Hugh on January 26th, 2024
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Deciduous, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Garden Maintenance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Street tree, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Why Newly Planted Trees Die‘Jeana’ Phlox 2024 PPOY
Posted by Hugh on January 1st, 2024
The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has selected ‘Jeana’ the 2024 Perennial Plant of the Year (PPOY). This exceptional garden phlox is recognized for its impressive flower show, tall sturdy plant habit, and pollinators’ delight. (USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8). Dense, domed lavender-pink flowers stand atop long sturdy stems from midsummer to early fall. Individually, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Flower arrangments, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on ‘Jeana’ Phlox 2024 PPOYVines Worth Growing
Posted by Hugh on December 19th, 2023
Vines add a vertical dimension in your garden. With many vines, you don’t need to construct expensive arbors and trellises for them to climb. Borrowing an idea from nature, vines love to ramble or attach readily onto shrubs and trees. Some vines like periwinkle (Vinca minor) and English ivy (Hedera helix) make attractive ground covers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Clematis 'Rooguchi', Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera), Crossvine (Bignonia), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Dutchman's pipe, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Vine, Vine, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Vines Worth GrowingRecent PHS Gold Medal* Perennial Picks
Posted by Hugh on December 12th, 2023
Each year the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS) recognizes six outstanding plants that a group of nursery owners, horticulturists, expert gardeners, and professional growers singe out as among the best performing and most beautiful for inclusion into the Mid-Atlantic Region Gold Medal program. All seven perennials perform equally well in the mid-South (Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and Northern Counties […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Ground cover, Heuchera (coralbells), Indian pink (Spigelia), Iris tectorum, Ironweed (Vernonia), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), Tiarella (foam flower), Turtlehead (Chelone), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Recent PHS Gold Medal* Perennial PicksFoster Holly
Posted by Hugh on November 30th, 2023
Foster holly (Ilex x attenuata) is an old holly favorite which has not lost its sizzle. Cultivars of Foster Hollies were selected by E.E. Foster of Foster Nursery in Bessemer, Alabama in the 1950s. It is utilized in a number of landscape options across the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7), including in containers in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Foster holly, Green Privacy Screen, Ilex (hollies), Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Foster HollySubstitutes For Callery Pear
Posted by Hugh on November 15th, 2023
The end to planting Callery pears (Pyrus calleryana), aka Bradford Pear, is almost within sight as more states are banning sales of the tree at garden centers and box store garden departments. Recently, Ohio, South Carolina and Pennsylvania have banned further plantings. This March blooming flowering tree has been determined to be invasive. It produces […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Autumn foliage color, Autumn Fruiting, Bees and other pollinators, Bradford Pear, Crabapple, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Dogwood (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Environmental issues, Invasive plant, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Pear (Ornamental), Prunus (Cherry), Purchasing Plants, Redbud, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Silverbell (Halesia), Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weak branching, Weak wooded, Weed control, Winter flowering, winter hardiness, winter injury Comments Off on Substitutes For Callery PearRattlesnake Master
Posted by Hugh on October 31st, 2023
Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is mostly at home in a hot sunny prairie environment in the Southeast and Midwest (USDA hardiness 3-8). Its spiny nature gives it a desert spiny yucca-like appearance. Some Indian groups were known to brew the plant’s roots as an antidote to rattlesnake venom. Some native peoples also used the dried […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Rattlesnake master (Eryngium), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Rattlesnake MasterJanuary Blooming Vernal Witchhazel
Posted by Hugh on October 21st, 2023
This winter – follow your nose to Vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis), aka Ozark witchhazel. (USDA zones 4-8). This U.S. native witchhazel grows as a deciduous shrub to small tree. It may produce the smallest flowers of all witchhazel species, but they’re highly fragrant when little else is blooming. It naturally inhabits a wide area encompassing […]
Posted in acidic soil, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bees and other pollinators, Chlorosis (yellowing), Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Vernal witchhazel (H. vernalis), Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on January Blooming Vernal WitchhazelThree Salvias To Try
Posted by Hugh on September 16th, 2023
Back in early spring you may have planted several kinds of salvias (sages). The arrival of the cool autumn weather turns up the flower power of sages. They’re members of the mint family and the leaves emit a mild anise scent when crushed. Looking ahead to summer of 2024, here are three salvias that you […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn flowering, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Blue anise sage (S. guaranitica), Butterflies, Container garden, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Heat Tolerance, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Salvia leucantha, Salvia oxyphora, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Texas Sage (Salvia), Wind protection Comments Off on Three Salvias To TryPerennials With Great Fall Color
Posted by Hugh on September 10th, 2023
In general, perennials are not rated very high for their fall leaf color. This is very wrong as some produce stunning autumnal foliage colors. In addition, some ornamental grasses produce colorful floral heads (inflorescences).The first six are perennial dicots and the next six are grasses with awesome inflorescenses. Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) – short 9-12 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Bees and other pollinators, Bin bluestem (Andropogon), Calamagrostis, Cold tolerance, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Muhly grass, mulching trees, Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Planting tips, Plumbago (Leadwort), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Solomon's seal, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Switchgrass (Panicum), winter hardiness Comments Off on Perennials With Great Fall Color
