Featured Plants : beginner

Taunton Spreading Yew Graceful & Lovely

patti-nhn — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:16:00 GMT

Evergreen shrubs are almost a staple in a lot of landscapes because of their beauty, the fact that they stay green all year and they are wonderful complementary background or foreground color for other plants that are placed around them. They make a great hedge as well.

The Taunton Spreading Yew taxus x media 'Tauntoni' is a dark green evergreen that has short needles. The height is maintainable at 3 to 4 foot tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. They can be pruned back as needed. Neither summer heat nor winter burn should bother these shrubs as they are resistant to them. They are a very hardy plant! They can be planted in zones 4-7 and require full to partial sun. They are a somewhat slower growing plant than some other Yews but if you have the patience, they are worth the wait. These would also be a good plant for beginning gardeners.

Raspberry - Caroline

patti-nhn — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:03:00 GMT

I "accidentally" started growing raspberries a few years ago. I have since moved and had to leave them behind but I'm thinking I might have to start growing them again because they are so easy to grow and every year you get a bigger harvest. There is nothing like the taste of fresh raspberries right off the bush. A friend of mine had several bushes and too many to handle so he gave me some of the bushes to get started. I was hooked from the beginning. He served them with cream and sugar or whipped cream. Since then, I've had them in pies and jams and fresh of fthe bush is still my favorite. They are also a good addition to smoothies either by themselves or mixed with other berries like strawberries, blueberris and cherries.

This Caroline 'Rubus Caroline' variety is a very good starter plant if you are impatient. It will start ripening in late august and will give you a lot of berries for your money! If you are a bird lover, just plant a few extra and they can have their share too. Mine were always in full sun although I understand that you can grow them in partial shade. No matter where you live from zone 4 to zone 7, these raspberries are the ones to grow!

Rosy Returns Daylily

patti-nhn — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:42:00 GMT

I'm excited about this Rosy Returns Daylily. In my area, I'm used to seeing daylilies in only orange colors. This would be a nice rosy color to add with them or to possibly have in different areas of a garden. We live near a museum that has a tall steep hill and they have planted hundreds of them so they cover the whole hill and it is so beautiful to drive by in the spring and summer. They choke out the weeds and keep the soil where it belongs, on the hill, instead of sloughing off down onto the road.

Daylilies are also easy to grow. They are perennials so they will continue to grow year after year. This is a dwarf variety that grows up to 16" tall. This would make it easy to use in areas where you don't want really tall daylilies. They can be planted any time from late spring to early fall. You'll want to space them 1-3 feet apart. I have heard that they are edible and are great in salads, even the stalks. I have not tried this but they say that they are high in Vitamin C and protein. Insect and disease problems are rare. These would be an easy addition to your garden and I know you'll enjoy them.

Mixed Colors Gladiolus - Giant

patti-nhn — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:05:00 GMT

The Gladiolus 'Giant Mix' is noted for it's GIANT flowers. The flowers can get to over 5-1/2" and their stems can hold as many as 10-14 flowers. These mixed color bulbs will fill your garden with a beautiful showy bouquet as they bloom. They are beautiful in large vases and other flower arrangements. This variety can grow to 36-60 inches tall and would be a colorful background to your other low growing plants.

These are good beginner plants as they are fast growing and very adaptable to many soil types. They do prefer moist, well drained soil so you will want to keep them watered well. If you have a garden that grows good vegetables, that would be a good soil for your glads. If you have a heavy soil, you can add some compost to lighten it up. Full sun is required for them to grow and bloom well. They are so cheerful they can bring a smile to your face whenever you see them.

Easy to grow bulbs - Anemone - Blue & White Mix Bulbs

patti-nhn — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:59:00 GMT

Anemone De Caen 'Blue & White Mix' are part of the anemone family which come from the Roman and Greek time periods. The Greek name roughly translates into "windflower". The wind that blows the petal open eventually blows the dead petals away. They are easy care and great for container gardening. As a beginner, this would be a good starter plant. You can rely on this plant to perform and charm you with their multiple blue and white flowers. They will bloom a long time from June to August and prefer to be planted in a partially sunny area in moist, well-drained soil.

If you pinch off the faded flowers you can increase the flowering of the plant for quite some time. These also make great dried flowers for wreaths and flower arrangements. The flowers would really be great around a deck and they bloom season after season. You will want to wait until the danger of frost has passed before planting these bulbs in the spring. You could also try planting them in the fall and see them bloom in the spring to enjoy them even longer. Blue is my favorite color and sometimes it is hard to find blue flowers. These are such deep and pure colors that I'll have to plant some myself! Add some red anemones to them and you would have a nice patriotic flower garden.

Blue Hosta - Halcyon

patti-nhn — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:30:00 GMT

The Hosta 'Halcyon', Hosta tardiana 'Halcyon' is a wonderful anchor to your hosta garden or to include with other flowers you want to show off. It makes a great background with it's deep blue leaves. If you have never planted hostas, this is a good one for a beginner to try. You can depend on it to grow vigorously and dependably year after year. It's flowers are white to pale lavender that will bloom mid-to-late summer.

Like their other hosta cousins, they need full shade. Unlike some of their cousins they are very slug-resistant as their leaves are very thick and harder for the slugs to dig into. These look great planted around a shade tree, near a pond or birdbath. Enjoy them as you cool off from the summer heat in the shade near your pool. We have a variety of hostas around our old water pump/bird bath in our back yard under our maple tree and it's so enjoyable to see all the different varieties complementing each other. They each have their individual appeal and group appeal. If you want versatility in a hardy shade plant, this is the one to get!

New! Pinky Winky Hydrangea

patti-nhn — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:24:00 GMT

How about something new for your garden this year? If you like Hydrangeas, this one's for you! The blooms are huge at 14 inches long and will fill up the bush. The colors of the blooms are one of it's biggest strong points as they bloom in pink and white and their fall color is often reddish-purple.

If you live in an area affected by drought, this is the hydrangea for you! It is drought tolerant, urban tolerant and widely adaptable to soil types. It is also less affected by the PH balance of the soil than other hydrangeas. In the colder climates, it is cold hardy through zone 4.

This is a good beginner plant due to it's sturdiness and adaptability. It also needs little care beyond watering and some pruning. Beyond the garden, this would make a great flowering hedge. Container plantings are easy too. It grows 6-8 feet but could be kept pruned back to a smaller size. It's worth a try whether you are a beginner or an expert, both will enjoy it's beauty.

Hosta - Patriot is Great for Beginners

patti-nhn — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:00:00 GMT

The Hosta 'Patriot', Hosta fortunei is one of the most durable of the hostas which makes it a good choice if you have never grown hostas. The Patriot is purchased often for its lush mounds of medium green foliage and purple or white flowers. Their leaves are also heart shaped with creamy white edges.

There are a number of varieties of hostas that have different leaf shapes, colors and types of flowers as well as different sizes of mounds. They can be mixed and matched with the Patriot to use as borders or edging or among other flowers. We planted six varieties around our bird bath last year in late summer and they grew heartily.

Hostas need a shady space so they do well under trees or a shady spot in your yard. They also grow well in barrels or good size pots. You don't have to prune them and they will start growing again in the spring. They are very easy care and can be divided in late summer and planted in other areas of your garden.

An Old Faithful Pee Gee Hydrangea

patti-nhn — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:38:00 GMT

The Pee Gee Hydrangea 'Hydrangea paniculata' is a gardening favorite. One of the most interesting uses for hydrangeas, and this is one of the most popular of hydrangea, is for drying. Once dried they can be used in a number of arrangements and crafts. They are beautiful in vases and I see them a lot on tables for entertaining.

In your garden, they will grow in a variety of climates. They are hardy to zone 3. They do need several hours of sun to bloom their beautiful pink and blue blossoms that are cone shaped or "panical shaped". These plants can grow very tall and wide so could fill an empty space in your yard or maybe even hide an unsightly utility box or some other sight you'd prefer not to see.

Their blooms are white and I'm told they turn pink with age. They also turn pink in the fall and have gray-green leaves. The flowers bloom until the first hard frost. With it's wonderful history and variety of uses, this might be a good plant for beginner hydrangea gardeners.