Growing Hops....Make Any Garden A Beer Garden!

Yes...You can grow hops in your garden!  Hops are a perennial plant, meaning with proper care one plant will produce for many years. Hops like fertile soil, plenty of sun and water, and something to climb on.  And boy will they climb!  A hop garden is mesmerizing to watch grow. Each day there is new growth and never a boring watch. You will find yourself checking them every day, it is that addicting.  These may be a little bit tricky to find but your local horticulture professional can help!  Forget the man cave...you can have a man garden!

Coreopsis 'Mango Punch...Add some fresh,soft, low maintenace color.

Coreopsis

'Mango Punch'

The low, mounding perennial covers itself in summer with mango-orange flowers that have a red blush.

I love the fresh, fruity hue of this new variety. I have it in a couple different places...in front of some Russian Sage as well as mixed in with some white Obedient Plant.  Both plantings are gorgeous! Clip the faded blooms so the flowers will keep coming.

General Description

Low, nicely branched stems with rusty orange daisy flowers describes the Mango Punch tickseed's summer appearance. An herbaceous perennial selected by Terra Nova Nurseries of Canby, Oregon, 'Mango Punch' grows as a low mound with limited winter cold tolerance. The many rusty orange daisy flowers attract butterflies and bees. Promptly trimming off spent flowers ensures a constant flush of new flowers in summer, even into early autumn.

Plant 'Mango Punch' in a well-draining moist to slightly dry soil that is fertile and not highly alkaline in pH. Capable of enduring light drought, water it if both heat and dry soil occur in unison to prevent browning. This sun-loving perennial is well-suited to the front of perennial borders, rockeries, containers or as an edging. Its intolerance of prolonged subfreezing winter temperatures finds it best as a vivid seasonal container plant or bedding annual outside its hardiness range. It does, however, need a winter dormancy to return, even in frost-free gardens.

Characteristics                                       

• Plant Type
  Perennial
• Sun Exposure
  Full Sun, Partial Sun
• Height
  8"-11" / 20.3cm - 27.9cm
• Width
  12"-14" / 30.5cm - 35.6cm
• Native To
  Hybrid Origin

Growing Conditions

• Soil pH
  Neutral
• Soil Drainage
  Average
• Soil type
  Loam
• Growth Rate
  Fast
• Water Requirements
  Drought Tolerant, Average Water
• Habit
  Upright/Erect
• Seasonal Interest
  Summer, Fall

                                                                                                       

    Special Characteristics

• Usage
  Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Wildflower
• Sharp or Has Thorns
  No
• Invasive
  No
• Attracts
  Butterflies
• Self-Sowing
  Yes

Divide & Conquer...Or Spread The Love!

This is a great time to start dividing your plants!  Hostas and Daylily plants are hardy and easy to divide with a spade or knife.  When you divide you can replant them in another spot, give your bounty to friends, or put them in pots to donate to local gardens etc.  I have donated plants to a garden club plant sale as well as a couple of community gardens.  When you start digging and dividing you may be worried that you are damaging the plant, but fear not they will spring right back and give you a great season!  If you do decide to pot some of these guys, a gallon size pot is a good choice, with good soil, and decent drainage.  Also, make sure they get a good drink!  After a couple of plants you will be a professional!

Add Texture & Color With Lamium...Showy Ground Cover

One of my favorite fast growing perennials to be used as a ground cover!  Lamium (Spotted Dead Nettle)  prefers a semi-shady dry area with well-drained soil but will tolerate a wide range of soils and moisture.  It is best to cut this plant back after the first bloom to promote compact growth. This plant is also deer resistant & can also be used in containers with ease for a trailing addition of soft color and texture. 

Lamium is one of the best choices for a tough yet showy perennial ground cover. This selection forms a spreading patch of small silver leaves with a narrow green edge. Clusters of soft salmon-pink flowers appear in spring, then continue off and on until fall. Fairly tolerant of dry shade, once established.  Stems will root into the ground where they touch, and any new plants that form can be easily moved in spring or fall. Also easily divided.

Colors of Peonies

The peony comes in a variety of colors that add texture and dimension to any garden.

Of all the flowers you can grow, peonies are often the most luxurious and spectacular blooms in an early summer garden. Among the many reasons to grow peonies are fragrance and color. Doubles are extremely fragrant whereas single blooms are much lighter. Some have no scent at all. Colors range from white, cream and ivory through myriad pinks and roses. Several lovely yellows, which are intersectional crosses between herbaceous and tree forms, are also available, though the cost for these rare peonies is high.

Pinks

Peonies come in a large range of pinks, all the way from soft baby pink to stunning, bright fuchsia pink. The Albert Crousse variety is a double-flowered peony that comes in a light pink, is mildly fragrant and is a graceful addition to any cut arrangement.

Peonies come in many shades of pink.

White

White peonies come in variations of crisp whites and soft creamy whites. The Amalia Olson variety is an all-white variety that may have a tinge of blush upon opening. This variety is very sturdy and highly fragrant making it a favorite for cut arrangements.

Peonies also come in several variations of white and cream.

Yellow

The yellow varieties of peonies are a stunning addition to any garden. These varieties are a bit more rare and will be more costly. The Itoh Bartzella is a vigorous, bright yellow variety that can have blooms up to 6 inches in diameter, making for a stellar show. It is also used as a cut flower with a mild, spicy fragrance.

Yellow peonies are a relatively new color on the market.

Multiple Colors

You can also find varieties of peonies that have multiple colors among their blooms. The Bric Brac variety has twisted petals of cream to white with magnificent cherry colored, streaked ruffles along the edges of the petals. This peony brings both color and texture to the garden.

Praying Hands Hosta...The MUST HAVE Hosta!!!

I am generally not a hosta freak BUT I do like this hosta a lot!  It has some great potential for giving height in containers!  This is definitely a MUST HAVE for those who collect hostas!  Amazing! Perhaps we should call this the un-hosta, as Hosta 'Praying Hands' is the most un-hosta looking hosta to ever hit the market. Each small, 18" wide clump is composed of strangely folded, dark green crinkled leaves, each with a narrow, creamy yellow border. Indeed, a clump resembles a multitude of hands folded in prayer. Due to First Amendment concerns, it cannot be planted near courthouses in Alabama or near any Federal government building. The upright clumps are topped with 18" spikes of light lavender flowers..a hummingbird treat in late summer. This sets a new standard for "unique" in the hosta world.   Gotta have it!  Ordering 2 trays of liners to get growing!

2011 Perennial Plant of the Year

Amsonia hubrichtii grows 36 inches tall and 36 inches wide in a mounded form. This hardy perennial grows in hardiness zones 4 through 9 and is a versatile North American native.


Amsonia offers a variety of features throughout the seasons. From late spring to early summer, two- to three-inch wide clusters of small, light blue, star-shaped flowers are borne above the ferny foliage. The alternate-arranged leaves are bright green in spring and summer, but turn a bright yellow-golden color in fall.

• Light – Plants thrive in full sun to partial shade
• Soil – This plant performs best in average, moist well-drained soil but tolerates less moisture. Once established, it can tolerate drier conditions.
• Uses – This perennial for the seasons is an asset in borders, native gardens, cottage gardens, or open woodland areas. It is best when massed. Arkansas blue star is attractive when mixed with ornamental grasses and plants that have attractive seed heads.
• Unique Qualities – Light blue flowers in spring are followed by marvelous foliage in summer. Golden-yellow fall color is second to none among herbaceous perennials.
• Hardiness – USDA Zones 4 to 9

I do not have this in my garden but I have a dozen on order to put a couple in my gardens and share!  I am anxious to watch this perform through the growing season and to see the fall coloration.

Creeping Jenny...Great For Beds and Even Better For Containers

Creeping Jenny is a perennial ground cover that I love to use in landscape beds and also in containers!  Its bright color and vibrant yellow flowers are awesome and its trailing habit is perfect for containers!

Creeping Jenny is a  low-growing, rampant, evergreen groundcover with rounded, brillant green foliage. In summer, it produces many cup-shaped, bright yellow flowers.Noteworthy characteristics: This cultivar can withstand damper soils than many other types of ground covers and can tolerate limited foot traffic.Care: Grow in a moist, but well-drained soil, rich in organic matter. Soil should not dry out in summer. Full sun or partial shade, but color is best in full sun.
I have used this in many of my own containers and it will come back in the new season...no replanting!  These can be easily split and moved around the garden as well.  You will see this a lot in many custom container plantings...but I think many people do not realize that this will come back!  This should be relatively easy to get at a good garden center and very easy to get from your local landscaper.

Perennial Hibiscus

Perennial Hibiscus or Rose Mallow are one of the centerpieces in one of my large landscape beds.  The flowers are huge...salad plate of larger in size!

If you have always loved the looks of hibiscus, but thought it could only grow in very warm climates, you should try planting perennial hibiscus. While there is a tropical or Chinese hibiscus that does need tropical or sub-tropical temperatures, perennial hibiscus can be grown almost anywhere. And, the great thing is, it won’t be killed by winter weather.

Perennial hibiscus dies back in the winter but then comes bursting forth again in the spring. And, because it is a perennial, you only have to plant it once and it will magically reappear every spring. Only the tops of the plants die off, while the roots just take a rest and start producing new shoots in the spring.

Incrediball Hydrangea

I have at least 5 different varieties of hydrangeas in my gardens..including this one!  Incrediball Hydrangea is really amazing and puts on a great summer show.  The flower heads are ginormous!

The huge white blooms have a slight green tinge and measure an incredible 12" wide! Stems are so strong that they’ll easily support these enormous flowers, even in a rainstorm. A superb improvement over Annabelle, with giant blooms that have roughly four times as many flowers as Annabelle. The show begins in midsummer with huge round blooms clustered atop large branches surrounded by medium green oval leaves. Astonishing blooms keep coming for up to two months in this hardiest of summer-blooming hydrangeas. Cut back in spring to promote flowering on summer wood. Fantastic as a specimen shrub or in a border.  This specimen should be fairly easy to get around town at any gardening center!

The Purpose Driven Gardener

Fruits and vegetables don't only taste good--they look amazing in the garden too!  Homeowners are seeing the value in incorporating them into their gardens!  Small fruit shrubs like blueberries will be hugely popular again this year!  Enjoy your fruits and have a nice shrub with fall color!

Weeping Larch---A Dramatic Specimen Tree

Weeping Larch is a graceful, small, deciduous conifer with elegant drooping foliage and branches.  I absolutely love this unique specimen tree as it draws immediate attention to the landscape.  It does best in a well-drained open site, with cool, moist soil. It will tolerate wet soil.  Fertilize with Holly Tone once or twice a season for optimal health.  This tree may be a little more difficult than some to find but your local landscaper can get them for you.  I have two on order for customers already!

Hardy Ice Plant...Drought Resistant!



I have this planted along some boulders in the full sun and
it looks fantastic and requires little to no care during the season.

 Ice plants are drought tolerant, and experience few insect or disease problems. So they make a gardener’s life a little easier. In general the only problems might be deer damage, and possibly scale. They make excellent ground covers for banks and slopes.
It does prefer dry and sandy soil and does not like wet soil in the winter. Hot conditions keep the flowers blooming most of the summer and it requires little to no care. Delosperma looks great as a ground cover in a rock garden or in front of a perennial border.  This one may be slightly hard to find.  I always order several to keep on hand!

Russian Sage...Looking for more blues...This is a great addition.

Russian Sage is a great addition to any perennial garden.  Russian sage is a deciduous semi-woody subshrub with upright, grayish white stems and lobed, silvery gray leaves to 2 in (5 cm) long and 1 in (2.5 cm) wide. Older stems are woody at the base, and younger stems are herbaceous and square in cross section. The stems and leaves give off a pungent odor when crushed or bruised. In late summer and autumn Russian sage produces 12 in (30.5 cm) spires of small, tubular lavender flowers. Flowering persists for two or three months. Russian sage grows in a clump, 3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m) tall with a spread of two or three feet, and sometimes falls over, especially if not positioned in full sun. This perennial is very easy to grow and requires little maintenance.   I like to mix this in with roses and cone flowers in shades of pink.  The colors jump out and it is a beautiful display.  I have also used sprigs in cut flower arrangements.  Even if it is not flowering the whitish, gray stem color provides wonderful contrast.