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Tip of the Day – Use Autumn Joy to fill gaps

12 Dec

Have a spot you need to fill in your perennial bed?  Not sure where to start?  Autumn Joy looks great everywhere I put it, and after 6 years it is everywhere in my garden.

I have managed to divide this gem of a plant into almost every area of my yard, front and back.  It is really easy to divide and move around, which is what makes it such a great problem-solver when you need to fill gaps in your gardening landscape. And it helps that it is hardy in both sun and shade!

I used to exclusively plant it in the back of the border but have recently experimented in the front as well. I like this the best because of its lasting, seasonal flexibility with color. In the summer, it is a beautiful green and then in the fall it transitions to a show-stopper burgundy.

The Autumn Joy’s flexibility extends to floral arrangements as well. I routinely add it to the bouquets in my flower share service – both as a green filler in the summer as well as adding some texture and dark red colors to bouquets in the Fall.

So the next time you have a gap to fill, try the Autumn Joy!

Top 10 Reasons You Should Add a Hydrangea Limelight to Your Garden

16 Jul

Top 10 Reasons You Should Add a Hydrangea Limelight to Your Garden

1. A shrub that could pass for a beautiful perennial, it really adds to any perennial border.
2. They are extremely low-maintenance.
3. They have a super-long blooming period, from the 2nd week of July until the first frost.
4. They make a gorgeous cut flower and are a great addition to any bouquet, as they are a neutral color.
5. They’re extremely easy to grow in many different conditions. They grow exceptionally well in my garden, both in full sun and a significant amount of shade. I have 6 hydrangea limelights that stretch from the shadiest part of my garden under my large pine tree to the sunnier spots.
6. They look extraordinary just placed in a large pot. Then, after enjoying them all summer, you can place them in their permanent home in your yard in the fall.
7. This is the decade for the HYDRANGEA, so you can find them everywhere, I have bought them at Costco for $19.99, Whole Foods for $12 and Johannsen’s Greenhouse for $29. I have also seen them at Felly’s Flowers, The Bruce Company, Jung Garden Center and Winterland Nursery.
8. They make an impressive privacy hedge.
9. They look magnificent next to a plethora of flowers and perennials. In fact, they look magnificent next to anything and everything. I have some next to large black elephant ears and another next to zebra grass, and some are next to red monarda.
10. No yard is complete without an outstanding hydrangea limelight!

The Annabelle Hydrangea

16 Jun

The Annabelle Hydrangea variety is my favorite because it produces beautiful cut flowers.  It is also great in the garden as the whiteness of the flowers will light up your garden at night.  It is super easy to grow and not fussy at all.  It is the best of the hydrangeas for shade, but does great in full sun too.  It becomes a no-maintenance shrub in several years, but looks as beautiful as perennials.

You can buy Annabelle Hydrangeas at jungseed.com, Item #20532, $10.95 or  6 for $54.95.  I  also saw loads of larger healthy ones at Winterland Nursery, which is next-door to Seasonal Splendors in Oregon, Wisconsin.

As I have written in previous blogs, Ed Lyon, the director of Allen Centennial Gardens, said at the recent Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society Meeting that this is the decade for the Hydrangea. So we will be seeing new and improved hydrangeas of all kinds exploding onto the market.  But I must say, nothing can beat the Annabelle Hydrangea!

Bleeding Heart

10 May

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Casa Blanca Lily

6 Apr

The Casa Blanca Lily is a must-have for every garden.  I love it. It took me a while to understand the differences in lilies.  There are many different lilies, never mind daylilies, orienpet, oriental, trumpet, Asiatic . . . It can be quite confusing.  But one thing I know for sure is everyone should have the Oriental Lily “Casa Blanca.”  I grew it in my own garden for the first time last year.  It is an outstanding, large, fragrant, white flower.  It has staying power – never have I seen a flower last so long.  I had it in a very shady spot and have since moved it to a sunnier location.  Lilies are great bulbs for suppressing weeds.

You can buy the Casa Blanca Lily this spring and summer as a plant potted up and growing or as a bulb to plant and watch grow.  I recommend you get some of each, for a little instant gratification.  Jungs Garden is offering this bulb 3 for $5.95, 6 for $10.95.  This flower also makes an excellent cut flower to bring indoors – you will enjoy it for weeks indoors as the blooms last an unusually long time.

Easter Lilies

5 Apr

img_1050img_1051Easter Lilies have hit the stores with very low prices.  You can get this flowering potted bulb for as low as $5.99.  Enjoy it for several weeks inside now.   Then this spring you can plant it outside in your garden and it will re-bloom next summer.  This is a great addition to your home and garden as it has a wonderful fragrance and staying power, not to mention it is beautiful.

Elephant Ears

10 Mar

dsc01454Elephant Ears (or Colocasia) are one of my favorite tropical plants and make an excellent addition to any home.  Elephant ears are very easy to grow, they come in several sizes and varieties, and you can take them in and out of the house depending on the season! Don’t be afraid to garden outside your zone either. If you are willing to get your elbows dirty, elephant ears can be a lot of fun, and you can enjoy them year around both in your yard and indoors as house plants.

1. Terrific Flexibility

Elephant ears are terrific in pots as well as the garden.   Their biggest strength is that they will do well in full sun, partial sun and even shade.

However, they will  not survive in cold temperatures.  If you do decide to plant them in your garden (and you don’t live in zone seven), you’ll need to dig them up at the end of the season. This year was the first winter I decided to pot them and it was a great treat enjoying them indoors.  If you don’t have room to keep them as a houseplant, the bulb can be dug up and stored in a cool, dry space such as a basement.

2. Price to size ratio

You’ll love the price to size ratio! That is, without spending a lot of money, you can get a beautiful plant that covers a lot of room in your garden. They can get extremely tall and full, which makes them a great tool for the garden in that they can fill an empty spot while you wait for your perennials and shrubs to mature.

3. Great varieties

I have grown several different varieties, but my favorite variety is Illustris, it is black with hints of green down the middle.  I also love the black magic. It is smaller in size then the Illustris but completely black which adds a real boldness to your garden.

4. Getting started

A nice way to plant a group of them in the ground is to buy one growing plant, more expensive, and then several bulbs, much cheaper. Then plant the bulbs around the plant – this way you have some instant gratification and color. This also helps you to remember where you planted the bulbs while you wait for them to come up, an you’ll be less likely to disturb that area.

I have purchased Elephant ears from a variety of stores (including, Walmart, Home Depot, Bruce Company, Johansons, Logees and  Costco) and had a lot of success. It speaks to the overall ease with which they can be cared for.

Right now Costco is offering 6 bulbs for $12. I also recommend Logees as a nice place to buy them as it will arrive as a potted plant – a black magic is $9.95 and the illustris is $10.95.

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