Helpful Gardening Tips

Growing the Spectacular ' Origami Yellow' Columbine

The ‘Origami Yellow’ Columbine has large flowers that are completely yellow in color and have lovely long spurs. The spectacular colors are superb,especially near the front of beds and borders. Use it individually in small clumps, or massed together in combined groupings to create a stunning explosion of extended color.

You can easily grow ‘Origami Yellow’ in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. It tolerates a wide range of soils except heavy, poorly drained ones, but rich, moist soils with light to moderate shade is recommended. This upright Columbine, with a moderate growth rate, has flowering stems that reach a height of 14 to 18 inches and thrives in zones 3-9.

it is wise to remove flowering stems after bloom to encourage additional bloom. Keep soils uniformly moist after bloom to prolong attractive foliage. This distinctive foliage adds texture for the rest of the season and provides year round interest, even when the plant isn't in bloom. When foliage depreciates, plants may be cut to the ground.

‘Origami Yellow’ Columbine adds a wonderful color to your garden when in bloom, and should be planted about 12 to 18 inches apart. This plant needs to be replaced every 3-4 years since their productive life dwindles. Columbines will bloom in early to mid-spring each year with fabulous 5 spurred petals sitting above 5 petal-like sepals that combine to create beautiful color combinations.

Aquilegia Origami Yellow

Posted Nov 06 2009, 02:11 PM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: columbine, columbine care, helpful gardening tips, large flowers, Origami Yellow Columbine

Growing the Astrantia (Masterwort)

The Astrantia is a group of flowers that are also known as masterwort. The Astrantias are both beautiful and unusual, and they come in a variety of colors. The flowers look very much like a star or a firework; their abundant blooms float like little pincushions above rosettes of mid-sized, deeply lobed, bright green leaves. Since the Astrantia is related to the carrot, the leaves are similar to that of carrot tops. It is a shade loving perennial that you do not see in many gardens, but you should!

Astrantia grows best in moist soil with plenty of organic material; during dry periods it needs to be watered frequently. It has a height of anywhere from 1 to 2 feet and grows well in zones 4-7.

Use Astrantia in borders or along streams. It makes an excellent cut flower and attracts butterflies. If you want more blooms, remove the old flowers. It flowers from late spring to early summer, and the bracts remain attractive well after blooming.

Astrantia 'Star of Summer' has spectacular purple/red flowers that stand tall above the bright green foliage. Each flower of 'Star of Summer' glows with a starry collar of purple red bracts surrounding a button-like umbel of white.

Astrantia Star of Summer

Posted Nov 05 2009, 02:43 PM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: Astrantia, Astrantia Star of Summer, butterfly plant, cut flowers, helpful gardening tips, masterwort, perennial

Growing the Violet Black Magic - one of the darkest flowers!

True to its name, Violet Black Magic has 1" wide, solid matte black flowers with a tiny bright yellow eye. Growing only to a height of 6 to 8 inches, it is one of the darkest flowers in existence!

This viola is an early blooming plant and is usually grown as an annual. It blooms from May to July and again in the cool of fall. Black Magic forms small low mounds with shiny, emerald green foliage.

Planting Black Magic will depend on your climate. It is a cool season bloomer, and is perfect for starting and ending the season in colder climates. It grows best in cool, moist, shady environments; good well-draining soil with organic matter is recommended. It has demonstrated good heat tolerance in the south.

In the north, plants can tolerate full sun but prefer partial to full shade. Shade from deciduous trees is ideal because the plants growing below receive full sun in the spring, followed by protection from the harsh summer sun once the trees get their leaves. If plants are cut back after the first bloom cycle, they will likely bloom again in the fall. This plant grows well in zones 5-8.

Posted Nov 04 2009, 02:06 PM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: annual, dark flower, helpful gardening tips, long bloomer, viola, Violet Black Magic

Growing the Bold and Beautiful Lenten Rose ‘Black Diamond’

Lenten Rose Black Diamond belongs to the Winter Jewels™ Series. This helleborus has a bold slate purple, almost near-black blossom, that measures 2-21/2 inches across! The foliage emerges purple in the early spring and matures to a beautiful shade of green.

It flowers during the Christian Lenten season of Lent, from which it gets its common name. This helleborus is a hardy, easy to growl perennial that thrives in partially sunny to full shade location. This low maintenance plant is tolerant of heat and humidity. It grows to a height of 15-18 inches and thrives in zones 4-9.

Lenten roses can be slow to establish so give them a year or two to settle in before flowering. Since it is shade tolerant, it can be planted under small, low-spreading trees. The flowers can last more than 10 weeks because they bloom during the cool season.

Lenten Roses could use 3-6 hours of morning sun, and afternoon shade is best to keep the foliage from withering. In the spring, add a couple inches of mulch or compost around the base of each plant, which helps improve the soil and keeps the roots cool and moist. When dividing is necessary, do it in August or early September.

Posted Nov 02 2009, 02:12 PM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: Black Diamond Lenten Rose, dividing lenten roses, helleborus, helpful gardening tips, lenten rose, rose

Growing Pumila Dwarf Pampas Grass

Pumila Dwarf Pampas grass fits in those smaller spaces in your garden and gives a stunning floral display - even in the first year after planting! It is extremely showy with its large, fluffy white flowerheads on 18 inch tall stout stems. The showy, silvery-cream plumes feel silky to the touch and are perfect for use in dried arrangements.

This impressive perennial will thrive in hot, full sun exposures and is especially useful as a specimen along walls and in corners. Pumila is a dwarf pampas grass that is a very good grower and much more cold hardy than the species.

Plant this ornamental grass in moderately fertile soil with good drainage. It is best to leave it standing over the winter before cutting it back hard in mid-spring. If it needs to be divided, do it in the spring.

Posted Nov 01 2009, 01:55 PM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: dried arrangements, dwarf pampas grass, helpful gardening tips, ornamental grass, pampas grass, perennial, Pumila Dwarf Pampas Grass, white flowerheads

Plant ‘All Gold’ Grass to brighten up a shady area!

The brilliantly golden-green bamboo-like leaves of All Gold Grass add an appealing bright spot in a shady or woodland garden. This shade loving perennial grass is a new dwarf form of Japanese forest grass. It displays reddish flower plumes that adds even more interest late in the season.

It is bright gold in part sun and more chartreuse in full shade. Having a graceful form and wonderful texture, this dwarf ornamental grass is upright and displays gold foliage that has a metallic and luminous quality that really stands out!

All Gold grows 9 to 14 inches in height, and prefers fertile, moist, well-drained soil. It looks spectacular with blue leafed hostas and is ideal for containers or along shaded pathways.

Posted Oct 31 2009, 07:00 PM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: All Gold Grass, container plant, dwarf grass, helpful gardening tips, hostas, ornamental grass, perennial, shade grass

Growing the Heavy Blooming ‘Rave On’ Coral Bells

What an invaluable and excellent plant for partly shaded borders, under trees, and even mixed into ornamental containers on shady patios. Rave On Coral Bells can also be planted for the rock garden, to line a path, or it does well in the light shade of a woodland.

An interesting and easy to care for perennial, it is one of the heaviest blooming Coral Bells. Rave On has flowers that are lifted above the foliage clumps on flower spikes that grow about 2' tall.

The deep green leaves with purple veining grow in clumps anywhere from 8 to 20 inches. Rave On has foliage that has a rounded growth habit, and then showcases dense clusters of eye-catching pink flowers in the late spring or early summer. These clusters of bell-shaped blooms will add spectacular color to your garden for several weeks. This lovely shade perennial prefers part to half shade, but in colder climates would like full sun with humus rich, evenly moist and well-drained soil.

Posted Oct 30 2009, 09:39 AM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: coral bells, helpful gardening tips, patio plant, perennial, Rave On coral Bells, shade perennial

Growing the Bright and Colorful Neon Sedum

The Neon Sedum has huge domed flowerheads with bright magenta-rose flowers. These flowers add an interesting and attractive appearance, and hardiness, to any garden. Along with its dark gray-green foliage, and being one of the most beautiful sedums, Neon makes a great choice for fall color. Since it doesn't bloom until the fall, Neon will give your garden a much needed fresh burst of color!

Neon Sedum is a perennial that looks especially showy in a small mass planting. It requires so little care and doesn’t need lots of babying. Because it looks good all season, Neon is suitable for edging, specimen plants, and containers.

A sedum needs to be planted in full sun in well-drained soil. It will tolerate most soil types and is drought resistant. Plant with asters or coneflowers for a wonderful autumn display: attracts butterflies and bees. Use Neon as cut flowers to fill your autumn vases with brilliant pink flowers.

The Neon reaches a height of 18-24” and has a plant spread of 18-24”. Blooming from August to September, it grows in zones 3-9.

Posted Oct 29 2009, 07:40 AM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: butterfly plant, container plant, drought tolerant, fall bloomer, helpful gardening tips, Neon Sedum, perennial, Sedum

Growing the Impressive and Showy Tall Phlox ‘Laura’

If you are looking for a plant with brilliant non-fading colors, Tall Phlox Laura will impress you! The flowers are lavender-purple with darker eyes and have a striking white star that comes out from the center. Butterflies and hummingbirds love it! Individual flowers are densely arranged in large, terminal, pyramidal clusters.

Growing in an upright clump to 2 to 3 feet in height, Laura blooms in profusion with dozens of dainty, spicy fragrant florets that cover each 5-6" flower head with dazzling color. Laura continues to bloom for months when little else is blooming--from midsummer to early fall.

Laura is an excellent perennial for borders, corners and for cut flowers. The foliage is dense and compact with deep green, lance-shaped leaves with prominent veins. Plant about 18-20" apart in rich, well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. Remove spent flower heads to encourage reblooming.

Laura Tall Phlox is more mildew resistant than others. It is wise to plant tall phlox in a well ventilated spot with some wind. This keeps the plants dry and healthy. Tall phlox will tolerate some shade, but may become leggy if not enough sun is provided.

When flower production begins to drop, Tall Phlox do benefit from being divided every 3 - 4 years.

Posted Oct 28 2009, 02:45 PM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: butterfly plant, fragrant, helpful gardening tips, hummingbird plant, long bloomer, perennial, purple flowers, rebloomer, tall phlox, Tall Phlox Laura

Plant and Grow an Exceptional Daylily, ‘Fooled Me’

The Fooled Me Daylily blooms in midsummer with extended flowering that lasts at least 16 hours each. With a diameter of 5.5 inches, this golden beauty creates a wonderful visual interest. Its award winning blooms boast "pie crust" crimped golden yellow edges with a deep red eyezone and a green throat.

This Daylily is considered a "Designer" daylily because it has been selected as a highly performing plant with exceptional bloom performance. It also has complete winter hardiness in northern zones and a vigorous habit. Growing 18-24 inches in height, it does well in zones 3-9.

This is an easy plant to grow and a good choice if you want spectacular color in your flower beds. This perennial will grow in almost any soil. It handles drought to wet conditions and prefers full sun to partial shade. It will bloom from early spring until frost, depending on the coldness of the climate.

Use Fooled Me as an edging, in borders or in mixed containers. When planted in large numbers it will quickly crowd out weeds and make a carefree and colorful groundcover. Since it can survive many harsh conditions, plant Fooled Me on slopes, poor and dry soils, and even near pavements that are salted in winter!

Posted Oct 27 2009, 09:14 AM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: container plant, daylily. daylilies, Fooled Me Daylily, groundcover, helpful gardening tips, long bloomer, perennial, salt tolerant, winter hardy

Grow the Hyssop Blue Fortune for a robust, nonstop bloomer!

Hyssop Blue Fortune is a tremendously long bloomer. This handsome, upright, low-maintenance clumping perennial casts a spot of color to the garden late in the season when many other plants have lost their color and luster. Its foliage smells distinctly like black licorice when crushed, thus its common name, Anise Hyssop. It is one of the easiest and most rewarding perennials to grow!

You can restrict the height of this tall perennial by pinching back its blue-green foliage in spring before the flower buds are formed. When you see new growth emerge, cut the stems back by about two thirds.

The large green leaves are striking with their silver undersides, and as the plant matures, the flowers develop a slight mint scent . If the color of raspberry is your favorite, try the Hyssop Raspberry Summer.

Blue Fortune will stop blooming after a hard frost. For it to survive the winter cold, wait to cut it back in spring. During the growing season do not overwater, and although a little fertilizer doesn't hurt, it is not necessary. It usually reaches a height of 2 to 3 feet and grows well in zones 6-9. It will need full sun and well drained soil.

Posted Oct 26 2009, 08:59 AM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: fragrant foliage, helpful gardening tips, hyssop, hyssop blue fortune, hyssop plant care, long bloomer, perennial, upright plant

Add May Night Salvia to your garden for a vibrant purple color

The Salvia May Night has glowing purple stems loaded with violet-purple flowers that bloom from June to October. With its blue-gray, lance-shaped aromatic foliage, it makes an attractive accent perennial all summer long. Adding May Night Salvia guarantees you a workhorse in your perennial bed!

May Night is medium in size and should be planted in full sun in a moist well-drained area. Remove faded blooms to encourage repeat flowering. It is drought tolerant, once established, and tolerates heat and humidity. Plants may be easily divided in early spring or fall.

It has a plant height of 18” and a spread of 18-24” and stays in excellent compact form. May Night is a magnet for butterflies, bees and hummingbirds and is deer-resistant. It is a hardy plant for container gardening and provides excellent cut flowers.

May Night Salvia was the 1997 Perennial Plant of the Year.

Posted Oct 25 2009, 03:06 PM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: butterfly plant, container planting, deer resistant, helpful gardening tips, hummingbird plant, may night salvia, purple flowers, Salvia

Enjoy Scabiosa Butterfly Blue flowers from summer until fall!

The Scabiosa Butterfly Blue, also known as the Pincushion Flower, has wonderful 2" lavender-blue flowers that bloom singly on stiff stems. These flowers will add color to your garden from June until October. Butterfly Blue is a reminiscent of a pincushion full of pins.

With its gray-green foliage and clump-forming shape, it grows to a height of 12” and a spread of 12-18". Scabiosa is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun. It does tolerates part shade, particularly in the hot summer climates of the deep South, and is also disease resistant.

If watered regularly throughout the warmer months, its overall performance will increase. Deadheading after the first bloom will encourage repeat bloom time. Scabiosa Butterfly Blue is a butterfly magnet and attracts hummingbirds as well. Use in rock gardens or for front-of-the-border areas. It a standout when combined with Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam' and Dianthus 'Bath's Pink'.

With its dwarfing habit and lengthy bloom period, Butterfly Blue was named Perennial Plant of the Year in 2000.

Posted Oct 24 2009, 06:17 AM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: Butterfly Blue Scabiosa, butterfly plant, helpful gardening tips, hummingbird plant, perennial, pincushion flower, scabiosa

Growing the Heucherella Dayglow Pink

The Dayglow Pink is an easy to grow hybrid between Coral Bells and Foam Flower. The best traits of both have gone into this plant! Its flower’s color is a yummy combination, with brilliant pink flower stalks and leaves cut with a chocolate inlay. It has a long bloom time, and thrives in sun to part shade. The sprays of its brilliant pink flowers appear in late spring and last several weeks.

This recent selection forms a low mound of lobed leaves, mint green in color, with dark purple veining. Dayglow is a nice choice with this attractive foliage. Use it for the woodland garden, or for edging in a shady perennial border or rock garden. In mild winter regions, it is considered evergreen.

Performing well in full sun in the north, it does prefer some shade; consistent moisture is important if grown in full sun. Applying a layer of mulch after the ground freezes will help stop root heaving. These plants should be divided every 3 to 4 years.

Posted Oct 23 2009, 11:24 AM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: coral bells, Dayglow Pink, evergreen plant, foam flower, helpful gardening tips, Heucherella, late spring bloomer, pink flowers

Growing The Impressive False Indigo Purple Smoke

Purple Smoke is a vigorous, perennial, grower that becomes more impressive every year as it matures! It gets to a height of 4-5 feet and thrives in zones 4-9. What a spectacular perennial plant with its charcoal-green stems and dozens of giant lupine-like flowers of dusty purple.

Purple Smoke is best grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. If you have acidic soils or somewhat poor soils, plant it in full sun. This False Indigo has a good drought tolerance and has a very deep tap root, which gives it the ability to thrive during long dry spells. Since it is a nitrogen-fixing plant, it can be used as a companion plant in the vegetable or herb garden!

If you need to transplant it, early spring is the best. For the best flowering and performance, full sun is suggested. Although one plant can eventually bear 50 blooming stalks, planting several in a drift will result in a sea of light purple. The flowers will stand out in the spring, while the soft foliage catches the eye throughout the summer.

Posted Oct 22 2009, 08:58 AM by bill-nhn with no comments

Filed under: drought tolerant, false indigo, helpful gardening tips, perennial, Purple Smoke False Indigo, spring flowering plant, transplanting false indigo

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