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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

Shade Garden

29 Apr

Don’t get discouraged by shade; Mother Nature knows no boundaries.  While the shade might give you some limitations, beautiful shade gardens can and do exist. Many perennials, annuals and bulbs grow quite well in shade. Think ferns and bleeding heart — I love white bleeding heart.  And there are gorgeous large blue hostas such as Elegans, Hadspen Blue, and Krossa Regal that look like elephant ears. I also love the Sum & Substance hosta.

Here are more ideas to help you get started or continue gardening in the shade.  These plants will thrive and grow well in the shade:

Perennials for shade

  • Bleeding heart – white, pinkIMG_1596
  • Lily-of-the-Valley
  • Astilbe -  white, red, pink
  • Ferns – try some showier varieties like Phyllitis Scolopendrium, zone 6-9
  • Hellebores – black and deep purple, white, greens and pinks – unique and bold
  • Heuchera (coral bells) – lime green, purples, variegated, peach, reds, browns
  • Hosta – large blue varieties – Hadspen Blue, Elegans, Krossa Regal; large Sum & Substance – there are so many varieties of hostas, smaller ones for a neat and tidy border or large ones as focal point
  • Lamium
  • Ligularia
  • Lilies – casa blanca, White Flower Farm strawberries and cream - these definitely prefer more sun, but I have grown them in some shade (put these in the sunniest part of your shade)
  • Primroses
  • Jack-in-the-pulpit
  • Viola
  • Columbine
  • Bamboo
  • Japanese forest grass - love this; creates such a clever focal point, and can be divided
  • Siberian Iris

Bulbs for shade

  • Crocus
  • Cyclamen
  • Snowdrops
  • Grape hyacinth
  • Daffodil

Annuals for shade

  • Coleus
  • Begonia
  • Caladium
  • Ipomoea (sweet-potato vine)
  • Impatiens
  • Persian shield
  • Tender bulbs
  • Colocasia (elephant ears) – my favorite – check out my previous post on elephant ears for some great photos of elephant ears; these can make a large bold, beautiful statement!

Some varieties of Hydrangea’s also do very well in shade like the Anna Bell Hydrangea

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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