Japanese cornel (Cornus officinalis) is a tall shrub or small tree dogwood which matures to 20-25 feet in height and 15 feet in width. ‘Sunsphere’ Japanese cornel was discovered by Mike Stansberry, owner of Beaver Creek Nursery in Knoxville, TN. Japanese cornel is the official start of spring in my garden, even though the calendar reads late […]
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‘Sunsphere’ Japanese Cornel
Posted by Hugh on February 24th, 2011
Posted in Disease resistant, Flowering, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs 
Tags: 'World's Fair cornelian cherry 
Comments Off on ‘Sunsphere’ Japanese CornelEdgeworthia Deserves A Try
Posted by Hugh on February 21st, 2011
Edgeworthia flowering in March garden First, I must thank South Carolina nurseryman, Mr. Ted Stephens, who gifted me a Chinese paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) nearly 6 years ago. Most plant authorities rate its winter hardiness to USDA zones 7 and 8. It struggled through its first winter and spring in my zone 6-b garden, but has never disappointed. […]
Posted in compact shrub, Disease resistant, Edgeworthia, Flowering, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Winter Protection Tags: Edgeworthia Comments Off on Edgeworthia Deserves A TryOpening Show in February- The Witchhazels
Posted by Hugh on February 15th, 2011
First, not to confuse you, our North American native witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) blooms in the fall. Our native vernal witchhazel (H. vernalis) has been flowering for the past few weeks. In February, the showiest witchhazels are opening now – species from China, Korea and Japan. Two of the very best are a Chinese species/cultivar called […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Chinese witchhazel, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Garden Maintenance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Wildlife attractant, Winter flowering, winter hardiness Tags: Alberta spruce, Chinese witchhazel Comments Off on Opening Show in February- The WitchhazelsCrabapple Shopping List
Posted by Hugh on February 10th, 2011
For those of you tired of the monotony of Bradford pears, go shopping for ornamental crabapples (Malus spp.). Most crabapple cultivars mature into long-lived small flowering trees less than 20 feet in height at maturity. Most fit under utility lines. Worldwide, there are over 400 cultivars of crabapples in nursery commerce. Most are susceptibility to […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Crabapple, Disease resistant, Landscape ideas, Ornamental fruit, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sanitation, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest Comments Off on Crabapple Shopping ListDisease-free Shrub Rose Trial–The Winners Are…
Posted by Hugh on January 30th, 2011
Blushing Knockout™ Over the past 10 years, the world of roses has witnessed a revolution with the popularity of the Knockout™ series of roses in gardens across the U.S. Over the past 5 years the University of Tennessee has been testing shrub roses in Poplarville, MS and two Tennessee locations. Dr. Mark Windham and his research team have […]
Posted in Disease resistant, shrub roses, Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on Disease-free Shrub Rose Trial–The Winners Are…Re-Blooming Your Poinsettia: Winter thru Summer Care
Posted by Hugh on January 27th, 2011
Part III: By late January your poinsettia plant may look droopy and the leaves pale green. Some flowers (colorful bracts) and leaves may have dropped. To revive the plant and to program it to flower again next winter requires additional care from you starting now. Move the plant to an east or south exposure window, […]
Posted in Interior (house) Plants, plant nutrition, Poinsettia, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips Comments Off on Re-Blooming Your Poinsettia: Winter thru Summer CarePlanting Trees for Future Generations
Posted by Hugh on January 15th, 2011
Oaks, beeches, hickories, ginkgoes, bald cypresses, redwoods, chestnuts and others are trees that future generations inherit from previous generations. In human terms, it takes a lifetime to grow an acorn into a mighty oak. Many tree species live hundreds of years, often asking little and contributing much beauty, summer cooling shade, winter heating comfort as windbreaks, and a […]
Posted in Attracting birds, Bald cypress (Taxodium), Beech (Fagus spp.), Butterflies, Chestnut, Hickory (Carya spp.), Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Propagation (Seed), Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Planting Trees for Future GenerationsWinter King Hawthorn – A Winter Fruit Attraction
Posted by Hugh on January 7th, 2011
bright red fruit in winter season ‘Winter King’ is an outstanding cultivar of our native green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) and is at home here in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA zones 6 and 7). Over the winter season few deciduous trees present a colorful fruiting display much better than Winter King. Winter King hawthorn is a small landscape tree, maturing to 25-30 […]
Posted in Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Hawthorn (Crataegus), Native Plant, Ornamental fruit, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark Comments Off on Winter King Hawthorn – A Winter Fruit AttractionIce Storm- Keep Hands Off
Posted by Hugh on December 26th, 2010
An ice storm is both a beautiful and horrific scene in a garden. The potential for major tree/shrub breakage is staggering. If you feel powerless, this is good thing. During the storm, do nothing / “hands off”. Most actions will likely cause more damage than what nature may have intended. After the storm assess the landscape areas which seem most vulnerable, or that […]
Posted in Bradford Pear, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized, winter injury Comments Off on Ice Storm- Keep Hands OffTry Microbiota Instead of Ground Junipers
Posted by Hugh on December 23rd, 2010
Summer Foliage of Microbiota Microbiota (Microbiota decussata) goes by numerous names including Russian arborvitae and Siberian cypress. This tough customer hails from Siberia, and quite cold hardy to -40 F. In the northern U.S. its lacy evergreen foliage turns brown in the dead of winter. Here in the Southern Appalachian region, microbiota prospers in cooler parts of zone 6 […]
Posted in DWARF CONIFERS, Ground cover, Juniper, Microbiota, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Try Microbiota Instead of Ground Junipers
