Coneflowers (Echinacea spp) are immensely popular native flowering perennials prized for their summer floral beauty. Nine species of Echinacea are native in North America and are found primarily in the central and southeastern U.S. Additionally, some populations of Echinacea angustifolia extend from the U.S. northwards into southcentral Canada. Since the 1990s, a boom in Echinacea breeding has resulted in large numbers of new […]
Archive for the ‘Native Plant’ Category
Coneflower Variety Trials At MT. Cuba Center
Posted by Hugh on March 26th, 2022
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Bumble bees, Butterflies, Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Container garden, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Honey bees, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Wildflower, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Coneflower Variety Trials At MT. Cuba CenterBigleaf Magnolia
Posted by Hugh on March 6th, 2022
Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) is a deciduous, native tree that reaches 30-40 feet tall. This unusual pyramidal tree magnolia is rarely found in the wild, inhabiting a few rich wooded areas in river valleys in the southeastern U.S. (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). With age, the tree develops a spreading rounded crown. Bigleaf magnolia is a […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Planting tips, Propagation (layering), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Staking, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Bigleaf MagnoliaCreate A Garden With Four Seasons Appeal
Posted by Hugh on February 1st, 2022
Your garden should be a year-round enjoyment and you should design it to reflect that. Many trees and shrubs offer multi-seasonal attraction. Several years back I designed a series of walking paths to network through my garden to capture its 12-month natural beauty. Planning next year’s garden? Look for calendar gaps in your own landscape […]
Posted in Acer griseum, American hornbeam, Attracting birds, Autumn foliage color, Autumn Fruiting, Birch (Betula spp.), Bulb Crops, Camellia, Celandine poppy (Stylophorum), Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow), Common witchhazel (H. virginiana), Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), Cornus stolonifera, Deciduous holly, Dogwood (Cornus), Edgeworthia, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Flower arrangments, Flowering Bulb, Flowering shrub, Garden paths, Hawthorn (Crataegus), Hibiscus syriacus, Hornbeam (Carpinus), Hydrangea arborescens, Japanese maple, Katsura tree (Cercidophyllum), Kwanzan cherry, Landscape Construction, Landscape ideas, Magnolia virginiana, mulching, Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Paperbark maple, Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Purchasing Plants, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, Winter flowering, winter flowering tree, winter hardiness, Winterhazels (Corylopsis), Witchhazel (Hamamelis), Yoshino cherry (Prunus) Comments Off on Create A Garden With Four Seasons AppealMore Cool Small Flowering Shrubs
Posted by Hugh on January 23rd, 2022
For many urban gardeners, landscape space is very limited. Here are several showy shrub choices along walkways and perennial border, and in deck and patio containers. Each year the list of dwarf shrubs continues to get longer. They are low maintenance, including very little annual pruning. Shrub Roses – like Drift™ and Flower Carpet™ roses- […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bee Favorite, Bumble bees, Butterflies, compact shrub, Container garden, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Flowering shrub, Honey bees, Hummingbird, Hydrangea arborescens, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, multi-flora rose, Native Plant, Native Plant, Ninebark, Non-native, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, rose rosette disease, shrub roses, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), Weigela Comments Off on More Cool Small Flowering ShrubsSo Many Great Amsonias
Posted by Hugh on January 11th, 2022
Amsonias, commonly called blue star, are a group of easy-to-grow, long-lived native perennials. These highly dependable plants offer three-seasons of landscape interest: showy, long-lasting blooms in spring (mostly in May); threadlike green foliage in summer; and yellow foliage in fall. Amsonias are native primarily to North America and belong to the dogbane plant family (Apocynaceae). This clump-forming perennial has […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on So Many Great Amsonias2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little Bluestem
Posted by Hugh on January 6th, 2022
The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has named its 2022 Perennial of the Year — Little Bluestem (Schizachrium scoparum) (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). This ornamental grass was chosen because it is suitable for a wide range of growing climates, is low maintenance, and offers multiple-season interest. This North American prairie native grass is adaptable to many […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Beneficial insects, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Little bluestem (Schizachrium), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Native Plant, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Thrips, winter hardiness Comments Off on 2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little Bluestem2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little Bluestem
Posted by Hugh on January 3rd, 2022
2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little Bluestem The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has named its 2022 Perennial of the Year — Little Bluestem (Schizachrium scoparum) (USDA hardiness zones 3-9). This ornamental grass was chosen because it is suitable for a wide range of growing climates, is low maintenance, and offers multiple-season interest. This North […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Little bluestem (Schizachrium), Little bluestem (Schizachrium), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Propagation (dividing), Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on 2022 Perennial Plant Of the Year – Little BluestemRaked Leaves Improve Garden Soil
Posted by Hugh on December 9th, 2021
Don’t rake and send fallen leaves to urban landfills. In a recent poll, nearly one-third of weekly disposable materials are composed of yard waste, newspapers, and food waste. Many of your neighbors are sending bags of “nutrient gold” to landfills. Improve your gardening skills and save money. Adding fallen leaves back into the garden is […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bulb Crops, compost, Container garden, Disease resistant, Environmental issues, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Garden ecology, Green Recycling, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Soil Conservation, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Trees & Shrubs, Virginia bluebell (Mertensia), Wildflower Comments Off on Raked Leaves Improve Garden SoilHawthorn Trees In The Landscape
Posted by Hugh on November 1st, 2021
The world of hawthorns (Crataegus spp.) includes several outstanding landscape trees that exhibit four-season ornamental interest: 1. spring flowering, 2. disease-free summer foliage, 3. variable fall leaf color, and 4. colorful fruits for wildlife in the fall and winter months. World-wide, hawthorns are native to temperate regions of North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Anthracnose, Borers, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Hawthorn (Crataegus), Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Rust diseases, Scale, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Hawthorn Trees In The LandscapePerennials With Great Autumn Leaf Color
Posted by Hugh on October 27th, 2021
In addition to foliage changes seen in landscape trees and shrubs, a select number of perennials contribute to the autumnal leaf colors. Here is a select list of popular perennials endeared for their autumnal foliage hues. Arkansas bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) – stunning golden foliage beginning in late September. Bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) – geranium ground […]
Posted in Amsonia (blue star), Aralia 'Sun King', Autumn fern (Dryopteris), Container garden, Deciduous, Ground cover, Landscape ideas, Muhly grass, mulching, Native Plant, Perennials, Purchasing Plants, Rodgersia, Sedges (Carex), Sedum, Sedum (Groundcover types), Soil drainage, Spanish bluebells, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Switchgrass (Panicum), Uvularia (bellwort), Variegated Solomon Seal, winter hardiness Comments Off on Perennials With Great Autumn Leaf Color
