Perennial salvias (Salvia × sylvestris) represent a number of hybrid crosses between S. nemorosa and S. pratensis but may include S. × alpestris, S. × asperula, S. × collina, and S. × superba. Most cultivars are branched, upright, clump-forming, perennials with opposite, oblong to lanceolate, medium green leaves and showy spikes of tiny, tubular, two-lipped flowers (each to 1/2” long). Flower color choices range from blue to lavender to purple, depending […]
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Perennial Salvias Getting Better
Posted by Hugh on June 14th, 2024
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Honey bees, Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Perennials, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Salvia nemorosa, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Perennial Salvias Getting BetterIndian Pinks
Posted by Hugh on June 7th, 2024
Indian Pinks (Spigelia marilandica) is a strikingly beautiful native wildflower throughout central and southeastern U.S. It is sometimes called “woodland pinkroot”. This perennial grows well in many parts of the U.S. (Zones (5b-9). Plants emerge in mid-spring. Sometime in June, depending on locality, their bright red tubular flowers flare open, crowned by five sharply pointed […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, deadheading, Disease resistant, Heat Tolerance, Indian pink (Spigelia), Landscape ideas, Light requirement, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Indian PinksMini-Oakleaf Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on May 26th, 2024
Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a U.S. native and it offers four seasons of landscape beauty. (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). Typically, oakleafs grow 10-12 feet tall deciduous shrubs that are broad-rounded, suckering, and multi-stemmed. In the wild, if left unpruned, shrubs reach over 20 feet in height and spread. I have selected five compact growers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, compact shrub, Container garden, container shrub, Disease resistant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, Leaf/needle spots, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), Planting tips, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Mini-Oakleaf HydrangeasMT. Cuba Evaluates BlueStars (Amsonia)
Posted by Hugh on May 21st, 2024
MT. Cuba Center is located near Hockessin Delaware, near Wilmington (USDA hardiness zone 7a.). It has recently published a new trial report on bluestars (Amsonia spp.) for the mid-Atlantic region. BlueStars are a genus of popular, long-lived herbaceous perennials. Most are native to the U.S. and Mexico in addition to one Asian species (A. elliptica) […]
Posted in acidic soil, Amsonia (blue star), Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Breeding Plants, Chlorosis (yellowing), compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on MT. Cuba Evaluates BlueStars (Amsonia)Successful Gaura Growing Tips
Posted by Hugh on May 3rd, 2024
Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri) is a low-maintenance perennial native to the southern U.S. (Zones 5-9) and is a durable plant for gardeners. Its waving wands are dotted with dozens of whitish to pinkish flowers don’t stop blooming until summer temps climb above the 90°F range. Gaura is often called “whirling butterflies” because the flowers appear to […]
Posted in acidify soil, Aphids, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Gaura, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, White flies, winter hardiness Comments Off on Successful Gaura Growing TipsRethink Before Planting These Five Groundcovers
Posted by Hugh on April 26th, 2024
Initially, these 5 groundcovers were alluringly beautiful. But, over time, each grow very aggressively and become a major chore to restrained in the garden. Several states have declared one or more species as invasive and ban them for sale and interstate transportation. The most effective way to eliminate these aggressive groundcovers is to cut plants […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Biennial, Bishop's weed (Aegopodium), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Euonymus (Ground Cover), Evening primrose (Oenothera), Evergreen, Ground cover, Invasive plant, Ivy (Hedera), Landscape ideas, Native Plant, Native Plant, Non-native, Perennials, Periwinkle (Vinca spp.), Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Root suckering, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Weeds, winter hardiness, Wintercreeper (Euonymus) Comments Off on Rethink Before Planting These Five GroundcoversSweetbay Magnolia Cultivars
Posted by Hugh on April 19th, 2024
Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a U.S. native tree that is finally catching on with landscape designers. Sweetbay often grows 20-30 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide as a large shrub or multi-stemmed small tree. Discovering a 50-60 feet sweetbay near by a lake or pond is not unusual to find (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Chlorosis (yellowing), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Flower arrangments, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Large shrub, Leaf retention, Magnolia virginiana, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Privacy Screen, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Sweetbay Magnolia CultivarsChinese Fringetree
Posted by Hugh on April 7th, 2024
Gardeners are waking up to the tough as nails Chinese fringetree (Chionanthus retusus). (USDA hardiness zones 5-9). It has gorgeous foliage, showy snow-white flowers in the spring, and exfoliating bark. Native to Korea, China, and Japan, this low maintenance multi-stemmed large shrub or small deciduous tree is becoming easier to purchase at U.S. garden centers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Dioecious, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flowering, Fragrant, Fringetree (Chionanthus), Landscape ideas, mulching, Non-native, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Street tree, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness Comments Off on Chinese FringetreeLacebark Pine – A Year-round Treasure
Posted by Hugh on April 1st, 2024
Native to China, lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana) is an excellent, low-maintenance evergreen treasure. Winter-hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4-8, this specimen pine struggles in the summer heat and humidity of the Southern U.S. Best specmens are found growing in arboretums and botanical gardens north of zone 8. This 3-needle pine offers 4-seasons of ornamental interest. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evergreen, Fall Garden Interest, Lacebark pine (P. bungeana), Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Non-native, Pine (Pinus spp.), Planting tips, Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Lacebark Pine – A Year-round TreasureThree Native Azaleas That Should Be Included In Mid- Atlantic and Southern Gardens
Posted by Hugh on March 25th, 2024
About Native Azaleas: Flowers appear from April to September depending on species. Flower clusters (called “trusses”) appear just before the leaves emerge. Each truss may bear 3 – 12 blooms, which open 1.5 – 2 inches wide. Flower colors vary among native species from white, pink, orange and red shades. In many spring blooming species, the open petals […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Balled and Burlapped (b&b), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deciduous Azaleas, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rhododendrons, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Three Native Azaleas That Should Be Included In Mid- Atlantic and Southern Gardens
