Featured Plants : color

Mango Meadowbrite Coneflower

patti-nhn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:19:00 GMT

Doesn't the name Mango Meadowbrite bring up colorful images? I know it does for me. The Mango Meadowbrite Coneflower Echinacea hybrid 'CBG Cone3' has been released as the second Coneflower from the Chicago Botanic Garden breeding program. If you are familiar with the Orange Meadowbrite Coneflower, it is very similar to it but does not have the red pigment so it has the look of a fresh ripe mango fruit which is a very deep yellow.

Coneflowers are known to bloom all sumer long and the Mango Meadowbrite is no exception. This is one of the most fragrant of the coneflowers. It is recommended for growing from zone 4 to zone 9. They are very hardy plants and are great grown in bunches or on their own. They tend to grow to about 18 to 24 inches tall and definitely add some pizzazz to your garden.

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.

Cold Hardy Forsythia - Northern Sun

patti-nhn — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:40:00 GMT

The Forsythia - Northern Sun is a new forsythia that is especially hardy to northern climates. This is a very adaptable shrub and grows fairly quickly for planting on an embankment, for a border or for privacy. It puts on a stunning show of yellow flowers in spring and it's leaves will grow after the flowering which comes from lots of full sun. It will flower before most other flowering shrubs. The fall foliage is usually chartreuse but is sometimes a mixture including yellow, red-wine, and purple.

The shrub is upright and arching and should be pruned occasionally. You will want to prune with the shape of the arching branches. If you try to shear them into formal hedges, you will lose some of the flower producing branches and it won't be able to flower as well. You will also lose the beauty of the plant with it's arching shape. This is a good sized shrub so you'll want to make sure you plant it in an area where it can spread itself out and not too close together. This would be a great shrub for some very welcome spring color at a time that you may still have snow on the ground.

Intense Red Color! Burning Bush - Grove Dwarf

patti-nhn — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:52:00 GMT

The Burning Bush - Grove Dwarf, Euonymous alatus 'Grove Compactus' is highly desired for it's intense scarlet red color in the fall. It is also extremely versatile on it's own or as a hedge or border plant. It looks great with coniferous evergreens and will brighten any dark corner of your yard or home. Its spring flowers are green and inconspicuous. This bush loves full sun which helps it get its great fall color.

This plant has been used in front of light-colored walls of buildings and statues for it's visual impact. It is deciduous (loses its leaves) which reveals a corky ridged stem that gives you visual pleasure during the winter. They are also great for use among other plants in your garden. They can grow 5-6 feet tall and about 6-8 feet wide. This would be a great addition to your home that you can enjoy year-round!

Lots of color! Barberry - Helmond Pillar

patti-nhn — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:38:00 GMT

Barberry - Helmond Pillar Berberis thunbergii 'Helmond Pillar' grows as it is named. It is a shrub that grows in a shape like a pillar. If you like lots of color this is the shrub for you. It is magnificent with it's reddish brown stems and reddish foliage. It produces small yellow flowers with purple veins in the early spring. In the fall it sports red and maroon foliage.

It grows 4-5 feet tall and has a 1-2 foot spread. It would be great in an area where you need some height or to add some pizzaz. It is a beautiful backdrop with other colorful plants around it. I think it would look great next to a birdbath or pond. It does have a bright red fruit in the summer and fall which will attract birds although it does have thorns as well but the birds don't seem to mind those.

Burning Bush - Rudy Haag

patti-nhn — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:49:00 GMT

The Burning Bush - Rudy Haag Euonymus alatus 'Rudy Haag' is a beautiful shrub. In the fall this shrub can be spotted from far away due to it's vibrant red foliage. It's one of the sights I enjoy and actually seek out during the fall season. It's beauty stands out among grasses and other plants that are losing their color and turning brown. I don't know why but it's always a surprise when I see one and brings a smile to my face.

There are different varieties of burning bush but Rudy Haag is one of the most popular. It's very easy to grow and it starts blooming in May with yellow green flowers. It also fruits in the fall; another treat for your bird friends. It's maintenance free, no pruning is necessary and this shrub grows to only 4-5 feet so it won't take up a lot of space. It makes a great hedge, accent plant or with other plants in a hedge border.