Trading Lists: Items available from georgewms
View georgewms's member page« Previous Page 1 ... 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ... 13 Next »
| Plant Name | Cultivar | Type | Thumbnail |
| Kniphofia Species Kniphofia uvaria - 4/2008 Walmart 6 roots $5.00 - front - 4/2008 planted 4/30/2008 new growth by 12/2008 no blooms this year 3/2009 new growth by 5/2009 blooms appeared by - All 6 plants bloomed 2009 - Pfitzer's Red Hot Poker or Torch Lily My great-grandmother had red-hot-pokers (Kniphofia uvaria) at the head of a long dirt lane beside a boulder. The area was outside the reach of her garden-watering chores, but the neglected poker plant flourished dramatically, producing more & more pokers every year, which some of the grandkids were apt to pull loose & use for spears, inspiring minimal chastisements. It was dormant but evergreen through winter, & demanded very little pruning back. When I took a very young interest in gardening, Gram Elvie dug up part of her big poker plant & I trundled home to the other end of the lane to plant it in an area that was my own garden. So I have been growing these since I was about the age of seven or eight, & even though it can be untidy with many bent blades in its oversized turf mound, I have an inescapable sentimentality toward red-hot-pokers. The basic "matchhead" variety my grandmother had is still the most commonly seen, though there are many named cultivars in other colors, & dwarfed varieties, so that the wild form is being a little displaced from nursery stocks. Fortunately it is such a long-lived plant it is easy to get a start from old traditional varieties. The one we have growing on the street corner seems to be fairly close to the wild form. It is Pfitzer's Red Hot Poker, of the old-fashioned red & orange & yellow matchhead type, named for Wilhelm Pfitzer, a European plant breeder of the late 1800s & early 1900s. Granny Artemis came running in the house one July afternoon exclaiming, "Guess what visited me by the torch lily out back!" "What?" "A hummingbird!" The torches are very full of necter & pollen & even more attractive to hummingbirds than are their beloved honeysuckles. Torch Lilies were first brought to England from South Africa in the 1770s, but were not common to English gardening until the middle of the Nineteenth Century. They were for a long time mistaken as only suitable for hothouses, being a tropical African species after all. But in 1848 specimens were placed outdoors at Kew Gardens, & it would have been hard to find a more public place to prove themselves temperate-hardy too. By the 1860s they were growing in gardens throughout the British Isles, & were known in Scotland as Baillie Nicol Jarvie's Poker after an incident in Sir Walter Scott's Rob Roy. Their scientific name was originally Tritoma but that was changed to honor Johann Hieronymus Kniphof (1704-1763), who published a famous illustrated herbal. A portrait of Professor Kniphof is shown on this page. We grew this specimen from two starts so small they would've fit in two-inch pots. In only two years it was a four or five foot tall stand of saber-shaped leaves, with stalks reaching to six feet tall, topped with bright orange & yellow & red flowerheads all through June & July, with occasional rebloom until first frost in autumn. As cut flowers, they last easily two weeks in a bouquet. It wants bright sun. It gets so large it can be dug up & divided every other year if one wishes. During the hottest days of summer it does need a bit of watering now & then to remain attractive, but needs perfect drainage to not be troubled by winter rains. The only other care it needs is yearly "under-pruning" as the old saber-leaves dry out & are mashed down by new growth, so that eventually the under-edges of the clump can be unsightly. If the clump becomes overall too floppy, it can be sheered very short, & will pop back tidily. - | Plants, Roots, Tubers and Bulbs | (PlantFiles) |
|
| Lagerstroemia Species Lagerstroemia indica - #1 June 2002 Mayo's Fuschia color has not been pruned now about 20 ft high #2 July 2007 gift from Greg W. 2 pink have been pruned 5 to 7 ft - #1 4/30/2008 new growth by 5/2009 new growth by - #2 4/30/2008 new growth by 5/2009 new growth by - Description The deciduous crape myrtle is among the longest blooming trees in existence with flowering periods lasting from 60-120 days. Crapes come in heights as short as 18 in. and as tall as 40 ft. Leaves are alternate and smooth, but leaf size depends on variety. Flowers are borne in summer in big showy clusters and come in white and many shades of pink, purple, lavender and red. The fruits that follow are brown or black. When mature they dry and split releasing disk shaped seeds. Depending on variety, crapes grow as large shrubs or as trees that may be either upright or spreading. Large varieties are very fast growing and can put on several feet in a single growing season. Many types have interesting bark that exfoliates in thin flakes exposing lovely cinnamon or gray inner bark. Crapes tend to produce many suckers that should be removed as they appear if you want to maintain them as trees with distinct trunks. They are enthusiastic reseeders so you may find yourself pulling up baby crapes throughout the summer. Blue green pampas grass provides an attractive background for this 'Natchez' crape myrtle's annual strip show. Lichen covered gray bark alluringly peels away to reveal tantalizing glimpses of cinnamon colored virgin bark. Many of our most popular crapes myrtle varieties available for sale these days are hybrids obtained by crossing Lagerstroemia indica with L. fauriei or L. speciosa. The U.S. National Arboretum created a series of these hybrids known as the Indian Tribe group. These are noted for mildew resistance and improved hardiness and are named for native American tribes. 'Cherokee' is a shrubby variety with a loose open form and red flowers. 'Tuskegee' has a spreading form with dark pink flowers. 'Miami' blooms later in the season and also has dark pink flowers. 'Seminole, another later bloomer, has blossoms of medium pink. 'Tuscarora' is a rampant grower with orangy pink blooms, 'Potomac' is pink and 'Tonto' is very dark pink - and so on through an extensive palette. Choose plants in summer while they are blooming so you can pick just the shade of color that you are looking for. The common name of this plant is crape myrtle not crepe myrtle. It is called this because the flowers have crinkly petals that resemble the material called crepe (which according to Webster is a "light crinkled fabric woven of any of various fibers") but many references tell us that you're supposed to spell it crape when it's in front of myrtle. Confused? I think somebody was full of crape when they came up with this name! At any rate, it's a common name and since there's no authority that manages common names for plants you can spell (or call it) whatever you like! Location Originally from Asia, crape myrtle has been naturalized throughout the United States as far north as Massachusetts, where it grows as an herbaceous perennial. First introduced to England and the United States in the eighteenth century, crape myrtle is now widely cultivated throughout the world. This is the variety "Natchez", a white flowered hybrid that is a cross between L. indica and L. fauriei. This talented crape will quickly grow into a 20 ft (6 m) tree, has colorful fall foliage, is mildew and drought resistant and grows in almost any kind of soil (except continually wet). What a winner! Culture Crape myrtle likes moist soil, where it will grow exceedingly fast, but it tolerates dry conditions once established. It has been standard practice to cut trees back to large branches or even the trunk in winter. This distorts the appearance of the tree tremendously. Such massacre results in thin, arching stems and completely destroys the architectural beauty of the free growing crape myrtle. Pruning is recommended only to remove overly dense branches and crossing limbs. Cutting off old flower heads in summer can promote a second and third round of flowering, though. Over fertilizing creates abundant foliage at the expense of blooms. Crape myrtles are a magnet for aphids, upon whose excrement sooty mold grows. This can give the leaves a gray, sooty coating that is not harmful, but is unsightly. Control aphids with a soapy water solution. (Crapes are actually used around commercial nurseries to attract aphids away from other plants!) Light: Good sun. Moisture: Moist, well drained soil. Hardiness: USDA Zones 7-9. In general, trees are extremely vigorous and hardy. Newer varieties are extending the range - check with your local garden center for crapes that survive in colder zones. Propagation: By cuttings from medium wood in early fall or hard wood in winter. Also by seed. Easy to root. This violet variety is 'Catawba' which is a shorter shrubbier selection. Download a large version (800x600) of this image. Usage Crape myrtles have been planted along highways in the southern United States for generations. They are becoming more widely used in urban areas, especially as new varieties have been developed for smaller size and disease resistance. A single crape is a magnificent specimen in the middle of a lawn. Multiple crapes, especially of the same color but different heights, can be quite effective. A cluster of crapes planted close together can provide a flowering canopy in summer and a study in texture during winter months. This crape myrtle tree is the victim of pruning abuse. Do not do this because it looks stupid and causes the crape to cry. If you want a three foot high bush, plant a bush like Indian hawthorn, azalea, or some other plant that WANTS to be a low growing shrub. Don't be a control freak and try to hack plants into something they are not. Features The crape myrtle is an outstanding ornamental that rewards with a long blooming season of showy flowers and a winter season of dramatic architectural beauty highlighted by distinctive exfoliating bark. Colorful dwarf "myrtlettes" are bushy plants that will grow 3 to 4 feet. They are quickly gaining popularity as a great way to add nonstop color to small spaces and container gardens. Myrtlettes are an especially good choice for hot sunny balconies. Purchase plants or grow from seed (if started indoors in late winter they'll be blooming by midsummer). The 'Petit' group of cultivars is also available in a number of colors but grows slightly larger to 8 feet in height. So when you are looking for easy summertime color, whether in tree, shrub or groundcover form, consider the versatile, brilliant, easy and inexpensive crape myrtles. - | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
|
| Lantana Lantana camara - 8/2007 Home Depot $5.00 - already blooming died over winter did not come back was sold as an annual - 6/2008 Home Depot $5.00 - back deck - planted 6/23/08 already blooming - Lantana 'Dallas Red' has a great show of flowers that last from spring till frost, the flowers are golden yellow, orange and red and will all deepen to red with age. Dallas Red Lantana has a compact growth habit and is great for attracting butterflies into the garden. Lantana is drought tolerant, salt tolerant, deer tolerant, is very adaptable and had outstanding heat tolerance - Lantana camara 'Dallas Red' Zones 7 to 11; tender perennial in zones 7 and 8, Full Sun. Mature size can reach 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide ; sub shrub-like growth habit. Dense clusters of golden yellow / orange to red / orange florets, depending on the season. Numerous, 1 to 1 1/2 inch flower blossoms cover dark green ovate leaves from spring until the frost. Prune in early spring as new growth begins to emerge. Use as a groundcover, in mass plantings and banks, in containers and baskets, or even as a hedge. A very versatile plant, plus it is a butterfly and hummingbird magnet. Deer and rabbit resistant. Plant in the spring and water as needed during the first growing season, thereafter it is considered heat and drought tolerant. - | 'Dallas Red' | Plants |  (georgewms) |
| Lavandula Lavandula - 4/2009 Home Depot $5.00 - back corner - 4/2009 planted 4/2009 already blooming - Lavandula plant named ‘Blueberry Ruffles’ United States Patent PP18305 Abstract:A new cultivar of Lavandula plant named ‘BLUEBERRY RUFFLES’ that is characterized by dense plant habit, early and repeat flowering, large fragrant purple flower spikes with violet-purple medium length sterile bracts. In combination, these traits set ‘BLUEBERRY RUFFLES’ apart from all other existing varieties of Lavandula known to the inventor. - Blueberry Ruffles’ (Plant Haven). A newcomer to the lavender market, bred by Plant Growers Australia and licensed in North America by Plant Haven, this medium-vigor variety showed really well in our trial. It was not the first to bloom, but when it did, it came on full steam. The plant had superior uniformity in growth and a tremendous flower count. What set it apart from other varieties was a unique pink tinge on top of the light-violet bracts. This variety, with its compact, controlled habit, is ideal for 4- and 6-inch production. - | 'Blueberry Ruffles' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Lavandula Lavandula stoechas - 4/2009 Home Depot $5.00 - back garden - 4/2009 planted 4/2009 already blooming - French Lavender Anouk Lavandula stoechas Description A compact, highly aromatic, heat- and humidity-tolerant French Lavender with large purple blooms. Category: Perennials Hardiness zones: 7 to 11 Habit: Compact Height: 10 in Bloom season: Spring, Summer Bloom color: Purple Foliage color: Gray, Medium Green Growth Requirements Full Sun Moist, well-drained Normal, loamy Resistance Heat Tolerant Additional Characteristics Bloom First Year Butterfly Lovers Easy Care Plants Fragrance Herbs Hummingbird Lovers Rose Companions Uses Border Containers Everlastings Foliage Interest Ground Cover Ornamental Potpourri - | 'Anouk' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Lavandula Lavandula stoechas - 4/2008 Home Depot $9.00 - 4/2009 Lowe's 1 plant for $5.00 - back fence - 4/2008 planted 4/2008 already blooming 4/2009 can't locate this plant anywhere possibly new growth back fence 4/2009 new plant already blooming - 'Otto Quast' Spanish Lavender Hardy only in zones 8-9, & tender in zone 7, here on Puget Sound (zone 8) 'Otto Quast' requires a full-sun location, in ultra-well-draining soil, without too much organic matter because it thrives best in poorer soils. A brand new planting may need some carefully timed moderate waterings for a while, not so much as to keep it damp; but once established, our natural rain patterns sustain it, making it ideal for places in the garden beyond easy reach of hoses. 'Otto Quast' has darker than average flowers. The woolybear-like part of the flower is a very deep indigo or purple-black. The sterile bracts that form a bow-tie atop the bloom are an almost transluscent rich purple with a touch of pink to them & tracings of veins. The regular Spanish lavender lacks so striking a bi-color bloom, being purple for both the small petals & large bracts. 'Otto Quast' tends also to remain a bit shorter, eighteen inches to two feet to tip of flowers, & has a purer light green foliage rather than bluish green. It blooms splendidly mid or late April right on through the whole of summer & lingering into autumn. Occasional deadheading is not necessary, but may help insure blooms last the maximum number of months. When the flowers have definitely quit, the whole shrublet can be trimmed back a little so that it remains compact, but do not sheer too much, as it will provide an evergreen presence clear through winter. The April (2004) photo above shows a small cutting-start of 'Otto Quast,' which is planted alongside an equally small start of White Lavender for the sake of a startling contrast. It was small when the first photo was taken, but one year later it was be an impressive subshrub, the second & third photos being from April 2005. If not restrained by the annual sheering, it can begin to be floppy rather than upright, though this is not necessarily a negative, as it looks quite natural reaching outward on all sides to an expanse of three feet for a single clump. But if sheered it does remain a tighter more upright clump. The lifespan of any Spanish Lavender can be relatively short. If it begins to look woody & lifeless at the cente after four or five years, it is all but useless to try to divide it, & if sheered too deeply into the woody portion, it usually fails to grow back. But it is easily rooted fom cuttings & pot-grown for a while, so that when the parent is well beyond its prime, it can be replaced. This cultivar will not grow true from seed; I have seen some alleged 'Otto Quest' lavenders grown from seed, & they did not have the remarkable bicolor effect. It's named for nurseryman Otto Quast (1924-1996) who created many new cultivars of sundry sorts of plants at his nursery in Port Reyes Station, California. He was born in Hamburg, Germany, & until an injury put an end to his work as a shipyard carpenter, he was only a hobby gardener. In his forced early retirement, he became a professional plantsman from the 1960s until his death, so that to a surprising extent, an injury became a blessing. - | 'Otto Quast' | Plants |  (georgewms) |
| Lavandula Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata - 4/2009 Home Depot $5.00 - back garden - 4/2009 planted 4/2009 already blooming - Lavandula stoechas Passionne ('Lavsts 08') PP15,208 Passionne A small compact lavender that grows to 16-20 inches tall and wide with dark flower spike topped by burgundy-purple bracts. This plant was selected for its distinct and unique low compact bushy growth habit and lush green foliage, dark violet spike color and the burgundy-purple colored sterile bracts (bunny ears). It was granted US Patent PP15,208 under the name 'Lavsts 08' on October 5, 2004 and is being market in the US as Lavandula stoechas Passionne. - | 'Passionne' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Lavandula Lavandula x intermedia - Nov. 2007 Mayo's $8.00 - back corner - planted 11/07 new growth 3/08 - Grosso Lavender Aptly named, this is a big, beautiful lavander -- the largest available. It bears spikes of large, dark violet flowers beginning in mid-summer and will rebloom if deadheaded. Aromatic grey-green foliage. This variety is a heavy oil producer and therefore very useful for potpourii, lavender sachets or oil. (28-30") - | 'Grosso' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Lavandula Lavandula x intermedia - 4/2007 Mayo's $3.00 - planted 4/07 new growth 3/08 - 9321 Provence Lavender Lavandula intermedia Lavender, Provence Tender perennial. Overwinters in Zones 8-10; should be potted and brought indoors in colder climates.The lavender fields of Provence, France are famous around the world. But you don't have to travel very far to enjoy Provence lavender. This stocky, fragrant plant will grow equally well in your garden if you give it a sunny position and excellent drainage. It has gray green foliage and spikes of blue-violet blooms in mid summer. - | 'Provence' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Leucanthemum Leucanthemum x superbum - #1 7/26/2008 Bearden Garden Center $5.00 #2 10/2008 Home Depot 2 plants for $10.00 - #1 back fence - #2 front - #1 7/27/2008 planted 12/2008 blooms appeared this year 3/2009 new growth by #2 10/2008 planted 10/2008 already blooming 3/2009 new growth - Shasta daisies are Easy to Grow Shasta daisies are one of the all-time favourite garden perennials, and rightly so. This plant is easy enough to grow for a beginner yet important enough in garden design that experts include them in many perennial borders. Interestingly enough, the shasta daisy ‘Becky’ has been named Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association so we will all be seeing a lot of ‘Becky’. Growing Shasta Daisies To begin with, ‘Becky’ and her cousins are reliably hardy from zone 4 through 9. We can grow shasta daisies almost anywhere and as long as we give them full sunshine or very light morning shade, they will thrive. The plant will strut its stuff best in a good garden soil; this means a well-drained soil but one where moisture is present and organic matter is excellent. Mind you, it will survive in your basic garden soil too (who has that perfect garden soil the books all ask us to have?) but it doesn’t like clay soils. Shasta daisies will live for the summer in clay soils but will tend to die over the winter in heavier, wetter soils. ‘Becky’ blooms for an extended time and if you deadhead the blossoms, it will produce new ones that further extend the blooming time. Deadheading means to cut off the flower and stem as it starts to fade and die but before it has a chance to set seed. Deadheading is a basic gardening skill and most annuals and daisy family plants will bloom heavier and for longer periods if they are regularly deadheaded. Why Becky? Becky is a plant with a bit of a history because we know that Jim and Becky Stewart of Atlanta, Georgia got a plant from their neighbour Mary Ann Gatlin who in turn received it from Mary Ann’s mother, Ida Mae. Now Ida Mae had a florist business and sold ‘Becky’ as a florist cut flower (hint: Becky makes a great summer bouquet) and as a garden plant. Several other nurseries picked up the plant and it was also grown as ‘Ida Mae’ and ‘Ryan’s Daisy’ (named after nurseryman Ryan Gainey who also got it from Ida Mae) but it became ‘Becky’ to the plant world when Wayside Gardens adopted the name in their catalog and started making the plant available across North America. While you may be confused about the name of this shasta daisy, ‘Becky’ makes an excellent specimen plant with its forty-inch tall flower stems in the garden. When massed in large numbers it provides a spectacular show of brilliant white flowers (with a yellow centre) Shasta daisies and their mid-summer blooms make them a backbone plant for the perennial garden and other plants that will go well with it include: Scabiosa ‘Butterfly Blue’ or Veronica ‘Royal Candles’. I note that Scabiosa ‘Butterfly Blue’ blooms almost all summer right along with Becky so the combination will last a long time. Perovskia with its grey foliage and blue flowers is also a good combination next to ‘Becky’. You might try planting a brilliant red annual such as salvia in front of ‘Becky’ to go for a red-white combination that will be quite dynamic in the garden. Propagation Many of you would like to know how to get extra plants once you purchase your first hybrid ‘Becky’ and have grown it for a season. The good news is that this plant will root easily from a soft cutting or it can be divided easily in the spring or fall to give extra plants. I would divide it in the spring in my garden (I hope to plant at least one plant this summer as a trial) as then I could see what was alive or dead. You will see some dying out in the centre of old plants and all you have to do is dig up the entire plant, throw away the dead centre and replant the babies from around the edges. As long as they have a bit of root on them, they will be fine and you’ll have a garden full in two seasons. And for the lover of plant names, ‘Becky’ is actually a Leucanthemum in the Superbum group. Shasta daisies used to be members of the Chrysanthemum family but were moved over to the Leucanthemum in a general name switch a few years ago. What is interesting is that the Shasta was first bred by that interesting plantsman Luther Burbank in 1890. He named it “Shasta” because he apparently thought the petals were as white as the snow on top of Mount Shasta in California. Whatever the plants history or name, ‘Becky’ is a good perennial plant and beginner and garden expert alike will enjoy the flowers produced by this new award winning perennial. - | 'Becky' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Leucanthemum Leucanthemum x superbum - 5/27/2009 Home Depot $5.00 - front - 5/28/2009 planted 5/28/2009 already blooming - The Shasta Daisy 'Broadway Lights', 'Leucanthemum hybrid 'Broadway Lights' PPAF', is one of the newest daisies on the market today. The huge daisies open to a bright yellow and turn from shades of cream to pure white as they mature. With a plant height of 18-24" and a spread of 24-36", 'Broadway Lights' will bloom from late spring to early summer and should be planted in full sun to part shade. If deadheaded promptly, bloom time will occur again in late summer. Try this daisy in containers or to add impact in any perennial garden. The ease of growing this plant males it great for the beginner gardener. Protected by Plant Breeder's Rights - propagation prohibited. Plant Facts Mature Height 18 - 24 inches Mature Spread 24 - 36 inches Soil Type Widely Adaptable Moisture Widely Adaptable Mature Form Upright Growth Rate Fast Sun Exposure Full Sun - Partial Sun Flower Color White Foliage Color Green Zones 5-11 - | 'Broadway Lights' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Liatris Liatris spicata - 3/22/2008 Walmart 20 roots for $4.00 - front - 3/23/2008 planted 6/1/2008 new growth 6/25/2008 blooms appeared 3/2009 new growth - General Culture: Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers moist, fertile soils. Tolerant of poor soils, drought, summer heat and humidity. Intolerant of wet soils in winter. Noteworthy Characteristics: This blazing star cultivar is a small, compact, upright, clump-forming perennial which typically grows 2-2.5' tall. Features terminal spikes (6-15" long) of sessile, rounded, fluffy, deep purple flower heads (each to 3/4" across) appearing atop rigid, erect, leafy flower stalks. Multiple stalks arise from basal tufts of narrow leaves (to 10"). Flowers generally open top to bottom on the spikes. Blooms in summer. Liatris belongs to the aster family, with each flower head having only fluffy disk flowers (resembling "blazing stars") and no rays. Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Does not need staking. Uses: Excellent compact plant for perennial border fronts or cutting gardens. Common Name: blazing star Zone: 3 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Native Range: None Height: 1.5 to 2.5 feet Spread: 0.5 to 1 foot Bloom Time: July - August Bloom Color: Deep purple Sun: Full sun Water: Medium Maintenance: Low - | 'Kobold' | Plants, Roots, Tubers and Bulbs | (PlantFiles) |
| Ligustrum Species Ligustrum sinense prior to 1995 - VERY INVASIVE - | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
|
| Longiflorum-Asiatic (L.A.) Hybrid Lily Lilium - 4/3/2008 Walmart 2 bulbs $4.00 $2.00 each - side of house - 4/4/2008 planted 5/2008 new growth 6/13/2008 blooms appeared 3/2009 new growth 3 shoots came up this year 6/2/2009 blooms appeared - Classification: Longiforum-Asiatic Hybrid (USDA Zones 5-10, winter mulch recommended in the colder climates) Pinkish-red blooms are lightly fragrant, and as all hybrids between L. Longiflorum and Asiatic Hybrids, they love mild winter areas for the bulbs do not require as much chilling over winter to bloom well. LA Hybrids will also do very well in severe climate zones that thaw slowly in spring and go directly into "summer" without periods of late heavy frost alternating with saturating rainfall. 3 Feet. June. - | 'Fangio' | Plants, Roots, Tubers and Bulbs |  (georgewms) |
| Asiatic Lily Lilium - 5/2009 Home Depot 2 plants for $10.00 - side of house - 5/2009 planted 5/2009 already blooming - Lilium 'Mount Dragon' PP16360 Common Name Asiatic Lily General Description The heavy flowering Asiatic lily 'Mount Dragon’ has huge upward-facing deep orange flowers with red centers. This compact selection produces loose clusters of blooms from early to midsummer. It was bred in The Netherlands by Nicolaas A. M. Mak. Asiatic lilies are probably the most common and easily grown type of hybrid lily. They typically bear clusters of wide-flaring flowers atop strong stems. The upright stems are lined with glossy green, narrow, lance-shaped leaves. Once they have flowered they will not bloom again until the following year, so be sure to plant them with ornamentals that look great later in the season. Lilies prefer full to partial sun and neutral, well-drained, humus-rich soil. They are borne from scaled bulbs that are easily planted. The typical depth is six inches for Asiatics. They look best planted in small groups in perennial borders or cottage gardens and make excellent cut flowers. Remember to remove the anthers from cut flowers because the shedding pollen will stain fabric. - | 'Mount Dragon' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Asiatic Lily Lilium - 5/2009 Home Depot $5.00 - side of house - 5/2009 planted 5/2009 already blooming - Dwarf Habit plus Abundant Blooms Vigorous and long-lived, this is a reliable performer in garden or container. Plant Patent #16,246. If you love Lilies but don't have the space or the inclination for huge, towering plants, Mount Duckling® is the dwarf variety you have been looking for. Less than 2 feet tall, it is ideal for containers as well as the front of the sunny border, Lily garden, or other sun-soaked setting. The flowers are profuse, beautifully colored, and very long-lasting. Add to this its cold-hardiness and stem strength, and Mount Duckling® is the logical choice for a dwarf Asiatic. These blooms are dark pink with a smattering of deep red freckles near the base. Very profuse, they begin in early summer and continue through the hottest weeks of the year. Whether cut for the vase or left on the plant, they are quite long-lasting, thanks to improved stem strength and vigor. An improvement on the old favorite L. 'Cote d'Azur,' Mount Duckling® is as dependable as it is beautiful. Hybridized by Nicolaas Mak, this Asiatic Lily is hardy to -30 degrees F and very well-branched, for even more flowering stems. Give it full sun and deeply worked, well-enriched soil for years of unrivaled performance. Zones 4-9. - | 'Mount Duckling' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Oriental Lily Lilium - July 2004 Home Depot $6.00 - side of house - 7/10/20008 blooms appeared 5/2009 new growth ??? 7/72009 blooms appeared - Stargazer Oriental Lily A favorite Oriental lily for decades, 'Stargazer' boasts large, superbly fragrant crimson blossoms with white edges and dark pink speckles. Each bulb produces a strong 2' to 3' tall stem adorned with up-facing flowers that bloom in mid- to late summer, permeating the garden with their divine scent. This variety naturalizes well. Plant bulbs 6" to 8" apart in full sun to partial shade. Hardy in zones 4-9 - | 'Stargazer' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Liriope Liriope muscari - Sept 2007 Lowe's # L16656 $6.00 - Cultivar is 'New Blue' - back garden - planted 9/07 new growth 4/08 blooms appeared 7/12/08 - Lirope muscari 'Big Blue' Lily Turf Grass-like foliage set with tall spikes of lavender-blue, hyacinth-like blooms in late summer. Slow spreading. Can be used as a groundcover or garden accent. Even in a container. For sun to shade, in well-drained soil. (20") - Liriope spp. are a group of grass like plants consists of a clumping form of evergreen perennials native to Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, and China. They are planted as a groundcover or path edging and the plants do not creep. Leaves range from dark green or variegated to some varieties that have leaves that are so dark that they appear black. The flowers range from white to pale purple. Liriope muscari 'Big Blue' is a clumping, grass-like evergreen perennial with dark green leaves and will get up to 12-18 inches in height. 'Big Blue' has lilac buds and flower spikes in late summer followed by black berries. Excellent border plant and groundcover. Lily Turf is extremely versatile and will take full sun to full shade. Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-10 Plant Use: Groundcover Water Requirements: Low to Medium | 'Big Blue' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Liriope Liriope muscari - 10/2008 Greg Wilson 10 plants for $10.00 - side fence - back fence - 10/2008 planted 4/2009 new growth by - Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’ Variegated lilyturf is popular for its grasslike, cream- or yellow-margined leaves. It will grow in the dry shade created by tree roots and canopy, even when nothing else will. ‘Variegata’ will spread by rhizomes to form well-mannered clumps, and will produce small purple flowers followed by round, dark purple berries. But it is the foliage that creates the year-round display in warmer climates. 'Variegata' is a vibrant, grass-like plant with green foliage, striped with cream. Leaves are wider and more blunt at their tip than grasses. Clumps run from 1 to 1.5 feet tall and half again as wide. Spikes of small blue-violet flowers appear in late September. Noteworthy characteristics: Crisp, virtually indestructible leaves look attractive all season and often well into the winter. Care: Prefers light, acidic soil. Protect from strong winds. Grow in light, moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Propagation: In spring, sow seed in containers outdoors or divide plants. Problems: Anthracnose, leaf spot, root rot, and slugs - | 'Variegata' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Glandora Lithodora diffusa - 3/22/2008 Lowe's 6 plants $5.00 each $30.00 - planted 3/23/08 already blooming - 4 new plants for $20.00 Home Depot blooming 3/09 - new growth on old plants 3/09 - Grace Ward Lithodora, a prostrate groundcover Lithodora diffusa (formerly Lithospermum diffusum)) is a hardy evergreen creeping groundcover originating in southern Europe & requiring only a little attention. It can hug the ground very closely or mound upward to six inches or rarely as high as a foot. Though there are a handful of cultivars, only 'Grace Ward' is widely distributed. It spreads as a dark green mat that produces its first few bright azure blue flowers as early as March, but is really going to town blooming in May & June, continuing to bloom at intervals & less overtly up to Autumn's first frost. In our mild Puget Sound weather, it will even produce the occasional bloom, one or two bright blue spots at a time, in any month of the winter. It likes a little acidity in the soil, but isn't fussy. It likes lots of sun but will tolerate shade. It is very cold-hardy but prefers temperate weather & won't often thrive in American South or Southwest climates. It does not want much moistness & can even survive in droughty conditions under conifers, though blooms will be fewer without sun. It is ideal for rockery ledges, which is where we've planted ours. Each plant will quickly spread to two feet, & in the longer run could conceivably spread to six feet, though so easily pruned to size there's no risk of it becoming aggressive. When it stops blooming, for the most part in early autumn, that's the time to trim it every other year or so, to keep it from getting too spindly & to encourage regrowth at the center. Its one fault is that it does get scruffy especially near the center, putting out new growth only around the rim & not always freshening itself at the heart. Its faults are exacerbated by getting too much moisture. The gorgeousness of the blue flowers cannot always make up for the percentage of the plant that leafs poorly & turns black. I previously had to plant a small "plug" of a new start of lithodora near the center of this one to correct that very problem. It looked much better for quite a long time. The "plug" method obviously crowds the original plant & can't be done repeatedly, so when another part of the spreading lithodora got homely & dead-looking, I decided to remove most of it & hard-prune the rest. The wide area I previously permitted it to cover is now filledby 'Red Fox' Spiked Speedwell (Veronica spicata) with just a bit of lithodora permitted to wend its way about the rockery ledge, peeping out from under the speedwell & Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas). I've found the lithodora a much more satisfactory plant when used as a minor creeper around the bases of perennials. - | 'Grace Ward' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Lobelia Lobelia - 4/2009 Lowe's $5.00 - back garden - 4/2009 already blooming 7/2009 still blooming strong - ANNUAL - Lobelia Techno® Blue Unlike most trailing lobelias, this cultivar does not falter in hot temperatures. Techno® Blue is covered in intense, cobalt blue flowers. Its semitrailing, mounding habit is a great addition to containers and hanging baskets. Noteworthy characteristics: Intense blue flowers; heat tolerant. Care: Provide full sun to partial shade and fertile, moist soil. Problems: Usually trouble-free. Height 6in. to 12in. Spread 1ft. to 3ft. Light Full Sun to Part Shade Moisture Medium Moisture Maintenance Low Characteristics Showy Flowers Bloom Time Early Fall; Early Summer; Late Spring; Late Summer; Summer Flower Color Blue Flower Uses Beds and Borders, Container Seasonal Interest Spring Interest, Summer Interest Type Annuals - | 'Techno Blue' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Lobelia Lobelia cardinalis - 6/3/2009 Pope's 2 plants for $16.00 - back fence - 6/4/2009 planted 7/3/2009 blooms appeared - Lobelia fulgens 'Queen Victoria' Common Name: Cardinal Flower Mexican Lobelia The most popular cardinal flower available! 'Queen Victoria' differs from the species in its vigor, tremendous flower output, and leaf color. Brilliant red flower spikes stand tall above the reddish-bronze foliage from late summer thru fall. Lobelia is an excellent border plant for moist locations and is a hummingbird magnet. It also attracts butterflies and swallowtails - This a showy and dependable edging plant that may be categorized as a perennial. Compact and trailing growth habit with leafy, branching stems covered in one-sided racemes of 2-lipped, tubular, scarlet flowers (three quarters of an inch across), from summer to frost. Trailing varieties are excellent in large planters or smaller pots. Will live through the winter in mild areas. Be patient with sown seeds as it can take up to 2 months for them to become transplanting size. Prefers moist, rich soil and will continue to self-sow once established. Characteristics Cultivar: Queen Victoria Size: Height: 2 ft. to 3 ft. Width: 1 ft. to 1 ft. Plant Category: annuals and biennials, perennials, Plant Characteristics: low maintenance, Foliage Characteristics: medium leaves, Foliage Color: red to burgundy, Flower Characteristics: showy, single, unusual, Flower Color: Reds, Tolerances: slope, Requirements Bloomtime Range: Early Summer to Mid Fall Zone: 4 to 9 Light Range: Part Shade to Full Sun pH Range: 4.5 to 7.5 Soil Range: Sandy Loam to Clay Loam Water Range: Normal to Moist - | 'Queen Victoria' | Plants |  (georgewms) |
Lobelia erinus - 1 plant for $5.00 Lowe's 4/09 - back garden - already blooming - ANNUAL - | 'Techno Heat Purple' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Lobelia Hybrid Lobelia x speciosa - 7/8/2008 Lowe's $4.00 - back garden - 7/8/2008 planted 12/2008 no blooms this year 3/2009 new growth - Lobelia speciosa ‘Fan Blue’ This award-winning cultivar has beautifully colored flowers. They are dark blue in the throat and purple blue towards the edge. The upright flower spikes get to be 2-1/2 feet tall. The plant has fresh green leaves and stays compact. It begins blooming in July and continues for months into fall. Great cut flower! Hummingbird favorite! - | 'Fan Blue' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Lonicera Species Lonicera caprifolium - many plants were already well established when I moved here. - driveway - back corner - back fence - side fence - new growth 3/08 bloomed in 4/08 - new growth 3/09 new blooms 4/09 - Sweet Wild Honeysuckle, Or Woodbine; Italian Or Perfoliate Honeysuckle (Lonicera Caprifolium) Honeysuckle Family (L. Grata Of Gray) Flowers - White within, the tube pinkish, soon fading yellow, 1 to 1 1/2 in. long, very fragrant; borne in terminal whorls seated in the united pair of upper leaves. Calyx small, 5-toothed; corolla slender, tubular, 2-lipped; upper lip 4-lobed; lower lip narrow, curved downward; 5 stamens and 1 style far protruding. Stem: Climbing high, smooth. Leaves: Upper pairs united around the stem into an oval disk or shallow cup; lower leaves opposite, but not united; oval, entire. Fruit: Red berries, clustered. Preferred Habitat - Thickets, wayside hedges, rocky woodlands. Flowering Season - May - June. Distribution - New England and Michigan to the Southern States. "Escaped from cultivation and naturalized." How does it happen that this vine, a native of Europe, is now so common in the Eastern United States as to be called the American woodbine? Had Columbus been a botanist and wandered about our continent in search of flowers, he would have found very few that were familiar to him at home, except such as were common both to Europe and Asia also. Where the Aleutian Islands jut far out into the Pacific, and the strongest of ocean currents flows our way, must once have been a substantial highroad for beasts, birds, and vegetables, if not for men as well; but in the wide, briny Atlantic no European seed could live long enough to germinate after drifting across to our shores, if, indeed, it ever reached here. Once the American colonies came to be peopled with homesick Europeans, who sent home for everything portable they had loved there, enormous numbers of trees, shrubs, plants, and seeds were respectably carried across in ships; the seeds of others stole a passage, as they do this day, among the hay used in packing. This was the chance for expansion they had been waiting for for ages. While many cultivated species found it practically impossible to escape from the vigilance of gardeners here, others, with a better plan for disseminating seed, quickly ran wild. Now some of the commonest plants we have are of European origin. This honeysuckle, by bearing red berries to attract migrating birds in autumn, soon escaped the confines of gardens. Its undigested seeds, dropped in the woodland far from the parent vine, germinated quite as readily as in Europe, and pursued in peace their natural mode of existence, until here too we now have banks " Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine. The Hairy Honeysuckle, or Rough Woodbine (L. hirsuta), with a more northerly and westerly range, bears clusters of flowers that are yellow on the outside, and orange within the tube, the terminal clusters slightly elevated above a united pair of dull green leaves that are softly hairy underneath. The slender flower-tube is sticky outside to protect it from pilfering ants, and the hairs at the base of the stamens serve to hide the nectar from unbidden guests. Berries, bright orange. Flowering season, June -July. The deliciously fragrant Chinese or Japanese Honeysuckle (L. Japonica), as commonly grown on garden trellises and fences here as the morning-glory, has freely escaped from cultivation from New York southward to West Virginia and North Carolina. Everyone must be familiar with the pairs of slender, tubular, two-lipped, white or pinkish flowers, quickly turning yellow, which are borne in the leaf axils along the sprays. The smooth, dark green, opposite leaves, pale beneath, cling almost the entire year through. The stem, in winding, follows the course taken by the hands of a clock. Were the berries red instead of black, they would, doubtless, have attracted more birds to disperse their seeds, and the vine would have travelled as fast in its wild state as the Italian honeysuckle has done. It blooms from June to August, and-sparingly again in autumn. When daylight begins to fade, these long, slender-tubed buds expand to welcome their chosen benefactors, the sphinx moths, wooing them with fragrance so especially strong and sweet at this time that, long after dark, guests may be guided from afar by it alone, and entertaining them with copious draughts of deeply hidden nectar, which their long tongues alone may drain. Poised above the blossoms, they sip without pause of their whirring wings, and it is not strange that many people mistake them in the half light for humming-birds. Indeed, they are often called humming-bird moths. Darting away suddenly and swift as thought, they have also earned the name of hawk moths. Because the caterpillars have a curious trick of raising the fore part of their bodies and remaining motionless so long (like an Egyptian sphinx), the commoner name seems most appropriate. A sphinx moth at rest curls up its exceedingly long tongue like a watch-spring: in action only the humming-bird can penetrate to such depths; hence that honeysuckle which prefers to woo the tiny bird, whose decided preference is for red, is the trumpet or coral honeysuckle; whereas the other twiners developed deep, tubular flowers that are white or yellow, so that the moths may see them in the dark, when red blossoms are engulfed in the prevailing blackness. Moreover, the latter bloom at a season when the crepuscular and nocturnal moths are most abundant. Rough, rounded pollen grains, carried on the hairs and scales on the under side of the moth's body from his head to his abdomen, including antennae, tongue, legs, and wings, cannot but be rubbed off on the protruding sticky stigma of the next honeysuckle tube entered; hence cross-fertilization is regularly effected by moths alone. The next day such interlopers as bees, flies, butterflies, and even the outwitted humming-bird, may take whatever nectar or pollen remains. If the previous evening has been calm and fine, they will find little or none; but if the night has been wild and stormy, keeping the moths under cover, the tubes will brim with sweets. After fertilization the corolla turns yellow to let visitors know the mutual benefit association has gone out of business. - | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
|
| Silene Lychnis coronaria - 4/2008 Lowe's $6.00 - planted 4/08 blooms appeared 5/5/08 - General Culture: Easily grown in dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers consistent and even moisture, but will tolerate poor soils with dryness. Best silver foliage color usually occurs in drier soils. Soils must drain well in winter. Consider raised plantings in climates with little snow cover. GARDENERS’ WORLD is sterile, so self-seeding is not a problem. Although perennial, plants may be somewhat short-lived. Noteworthy Characteristics: GARDENERS’ WORLD is an upright, clump-forming rose campion that features rich red double blooms with contrasting silver foliage. It is considered to be a significant improvement over the species in large part because the flowers are larger, the flower color is redder and the plants are sterile. Plants generally grow to 2’ tall featuring attractive, woolly, silver stems and leaves. Basal leaves (to 5” long) are oval to lance-shaped. Smaller stem leaves are in pairs. Carnation-like, intense red, double flowers bloom in early summer. Gardeners’ World is the name of a BBC television show that featured the discovery, promotion and introduction of this specific plant into commerce. Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Uses: This perennial is grown as much for its foliage as for its intense flowers. Leaves and flowers provide excellent color and contrast to perennial borders and beds. Interesting effect as a mass planting. If flower stems are cut back after bloom, the foliage will serve as an interesting ground cover (in somewhat the same manner as stachys) for the remainder of the growing season. Common Name: rose campion Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Native Range: None Height: 1 to 2 feet Spread: 0.75 to 1 foot Bloom Time: May - July Bloom Color: Sun: Full sun Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low - | 'Gardener's World' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia virginiana var. australis - 3/2009 Mayo's 1 plant for $40.00 - back yard - 3/2009 planted 4/2009 new growth - 'Sweet Thing'TM Magnolia, Magnolia virginiana var. australis is a new cultivar that has been found. 'Sweet Thing'TM is a dwarf evergreen Sweetbay Magnolia. Those responsible for this new cultivar are George Dodson of Sleepy Hollow Nursery and Fernando Campbell Boyd III of Boyd Nursery. The original 'Sweet Thing'TM plant was discovered in a block of seedlings that were planted in 1990. It was obvious when the plant was just about 3 years old that it was very special. The original selected seedling at 14 years is approximately 8 ft or 240 cm tall. The diameter is approximately 6 1/2 ft or 200 cm. As you can see from the photograph the plant is very dense and full of foliage. The foliage is retained year round. The original plant has experienced temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant showed no damage and retained its foliage with good color. - | 'Sweet Thing' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Saucer Magnolia Magnolia x soulangiana - 5/1998 Mayo's $15.00 gallon pot - 11/2007 plant appx 10 to 12 ft 4/2008 blooms appeared 4/2008 new growth after blooming 3/2009 blooms appeared 4/2009 new growth after blooming 6/10/2009 blooms appeared 2nd time this year - The Magnolia Tulip Tree or Saucer Magnolia runs neck in neck with the Royal Star Magnolia as the most commonly seen magnolia in Northwest landscapes. The photos on this page are from two of three tulip magnolias within two blocks of our home. They aren't ours, but by right of being nearby, we get to enjoy them. There's a sad & guilt-ridden nostalgia associated by me with this species. When I was little, my great-grandma Elva planted a tulip magnolia & each year it bloomed there'd be a spring garden party in her front yard for everyone to gape at what was evidently the favorite of Gramma's many flowering shrubs & trees. One day I was hanging by my hands from the lowest branch. It was not a big mature specimen, so it did not have a great many branches, so could not easily lose one & still look pretty much the same. When it snapped right off at the trunk. I burst into breathlessly hysterical tears & ran inside to tell Gramma I killed her favorite tree. She immediately took me outside to look at it & reassured me it would be okay. I frankly would never plant this tree in a garden of my own, not so much because it is already over utilized in our area (which it is), but because decades later I still don't like to be reminded how I injured Grandma Elva's young tree. An heirloom dating to the 1820s, Magnolia x soulangiana originated as a hybrid of two Asian native magnolias, China's ivory-white Yulan Magnolia (M. denudata, formerly M. conspicula, M. yulan & M. heptapeta) pollinated by Japan's Lily Magnolia (M. quinquepeta, formerly M. liliiflora & M. purpurea). It was named after Etienne Soulange-Bodin (1774-1846), a Napoleonic soldier who survivved the defeat at Waterloo, & who afterward became director of The Royal Institute of Horticulture near Paris, where he raised his hybrid seedlings. He first saw his hybrids flower in 1827 & knew at once that he had something. They grow to 25 feet or so in height & almost always have more than one trunk. Some are giant shrubs with dozens of upright limbs, but it is common to see them with three or four much more substantial trunks, or a single trunk that splits into three after the first three or four feet. If not trained to develop a thick trunk, it will of its own accord be a rounded multistemmed shrub. They are extremely robust & flowerful for Northwest gardens, & flourish anywhere in zones 7 through 9. They will survive down to zone 4, though without such reliable flowering since the buds frequently freeze off. Winter's fuzzy pussywillow-like buds open into mildly fragrant blossoms in mid-March before these deciduous trees releaf. On a well-established tulip tree the branches can nearly vanish amidst the enormous white & purply-pink blossoms. Even small specimens bloom well. The flowers are said to resemble tulips, & on many cultivars they do, but for the cultivars 'Superba' & 'Alexandrina,' each "tulip" petal more resemble a donkey's ear, with a bend or a curl or otherwise a mite floppy, so not quite the perfect tulip-shape cups that open into flat saucers, as seen on forms with shorter rounder petals. - | 'Alexandrina' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Monarda Monarda - 4/4/2008 Mayo's 6 plants $30.00 - back garden - 4/6/2008 planted 6/10/2008 blooms appeared 3/2009 new growth 6/10/2009 blooms appeared - Perfect for small gardens and borders. This showy little bee balm produces masses of bright red flowers throughout the summer that attract bees and butterflies. The 16 inch plants have dark green, crinkled, mint-scented foliage that resists mildew. Plant in rich, moist, well-drained soil. - Zone: 3-8 Exposure: Sun/Light Shade Height: 18-24" Width: 18-24" Shape: Upright Blooms: July-Aug. Spacing: 18-24" Flower Color: Red Foliage: Green Dwarf cultivar with red tubular flowers in dense clusters above green leaves. The stems are square. This variety is more mildew resistant than previous varieties. - Favorites of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The fragrant mint-scented foliage and colorful whorled flowers of this member of the mint family are lovely additions to the flower border. Blooms prolifically through the summer months and fills in open spaces readily. Plant in rich, moist, well-drained soil. - Favorites of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The fragrant mint-scented foliage and colorful whorled flowers of this member of the mint family are lovely additions to the flower border. Blooms prolifically through the summer months and fills in open spaces readily. Plant in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Favorites of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The fragrant mint-scented foliage and colorful whorled flowers of this member of the mint family are lovely additions to the flower border. Blooms prolifically through the summer months and fills in open spaces readily. Plant in rich, moist, well-drained soil.Favorites of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The fragrant mint-scented foliage and colorful whorled flowers of this member of the mint family are lovely additions to the flower border. Blooms prolifically through the summer months and fills in open spaces readily. Plant in rich, moist, well-drained soil. - Wine-red blooms with fragrant dark green foliage. A bit more diminutive than many other Monardas and a very pleasing color too! Mildew resistant. - | 'Fireball' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Monarda Monarda - 6/25/2008 Home Depot $5.00 - back corner - 6/25/2008 planted 6/25/2008 already blooming 3/2009 new growth 6/10/2009 blooms appeared - Bergamot, Bee Balm Large raspberry pink, fragrant blooms Excellent upright, compact form. Mildew resistant. (20") Jewel of the mid-summer garden. Large heads of tubular flowers atop upright stems. Blooms for weeks and weeks mid-to-late summer. Always alive with bees and butterflies and frequently visited by hummingbirds. Bee Balm is wonderfully aromatic and its leaves and flowers can be used to make tea. Very easily grown in sun to partial shade in average, but moist soil. Consistent moisture and good air circulation are important to preventing mildew in these plants. - | 'Petite Delight' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Monarda Monarda - 6/30/2008 Lowe's $3.50 each - Pink - FS to PS - MS to EF - 12" to 18" - front - 6/30/2008 planted 6/30/2008 already blooming 3/2009 new growth 6/12/2009 blooms appeared - Though beebalm has become the most commonly used common name for the North American wildflower Monarda, it is also well known as Bergamot or Oswego tea. The cultivar Monarda x didyma 'Petite Wonder' was developed at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba, & introduced to American gardeners by Bailey Nursery of Minnesota on the cusp of the new millenium. I believe 'Petite wonder' arose like many beebalm cultivars from M. didyma pollinated by M. fistulosa, though I have not found a good chronicle of how it was bred. The bright pink 'Petite Wonder' & lavender-rose 'Petite Delight' were the first two true dwarf beebalms. 'Petite Wonder' is the smallest of the two, at ten to fifteen inches height, slowly spreading eighteen inches to two feet wide, divisible in spring or autumn. It has none of the invasive propensities of many other mint family herbs including wild bergamot. 'Petite Wonder' blooms from mid-summer until early autumn, with just about the pinkest of any flower within the genus. Most beebalms have a circular "crown" of rosettes that make the blossoms instantly recognizable as beebalm, but the bent florets are very subdued on 'Petite Wonder' so that its almost a pompom. The aromatic foliage of 'Petite Wonder' is a very dark green with maroon highlights, more densely leafed than full-sized monardas. Beebalms are liked by butterflies, hummingbirds, & honeybees. They prefer full sun or very little afternoon shade, in humusy soil, moist but well draining. Long established clumps can be somewhat drought resistant though they perform best if the don't experience droughtiness or sogginess either one. It is moderately resistant to that bane of beebalms, powdery mildew, although it does require an airy position with good air circulation to be sure it remains unafflicted. If it experiences droughtiness, overcrowding, or is situated near sprayed irrigation so that its leaves are constantly wetted, it's resistance to powdery mildew is not nearly as reliable. - | 'Petite Wonder' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Monarda Species Monarda didyma - Sept. 2007 gift from Greg Wilson unknown cultivar - back garden - 9/2007 planted 3/2008 new growth 6/14/2008 blooms appeared 3/2009 new growth 6/12/2009 blooms appeared - I too am having mildew problems w/ this beauty. In fairness though all Monarda's have trouble here. Full sun. Open spot. Good wind. It does fine. Two out of three of the above and it powders up quickly. - | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
|
| Monarda Monarda didyma - 4/2008 Pope's $9.00 - back garden - 4/2008 planted 7/18/2008 blooms appeared 3/2009 new growth 6/18/2009 blooms appeared - General Culture: Easily grown in average, medium to wet, moisture retentive soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers rich, humusy soils in full sun, but appreciates some afternoon shade in hot summer climates such as the St. Louis area. Soils must not be allowed to dry out. Remove spent flowers to improve plant appearance and possibly to prolong bloom. Divide clumps every 3-4 years to prevent overcrowding and to control mildly spreading tendencies (slowly spreads by rhizomes). Provide plants with good air circulation to help combat fungal leaf diseases. Noteworthy Characteristics: BLUE STOCKING is a beebalm variety that is noted for its unusual violet-blue flowers. It typically grows 2-3’ (less frequently to 4’) tall. Tubular, two-lipped, violet-blue flowers are borne in dense, globular, terminal heads atop stiff square stems clad with serrate, ovate to lanceolate, dark green leaves (3-6” long). Long summer bloom period (July-August in St. Louis). Flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, particularly when massed. Flowers, stems and leaves are aromatic. Some monardas are commonly called beebalm in reference to a prior use of the leaves as a balm for bee stings. Genus name honors 16th century Spanish botanist, Nicholas Monardes. Problems: Powdery mildew can be a serious problem with some of the monardas. However, this cultivar reportedly has good mildew resistance. Rust can be an occasional problem. Susceptibility to foliar diseases in general increases if plants are grown in dry soils or are allowed to dry out. Uses: Perennial borders, cottage gardens, herb gardens, moist sunny areas along streams or ponds. Also may be effective in containers Common Name: bee balm Zone: 4 to 8 Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial Height: 2 to 3 feet Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet Bloom Time: July - August Bloom Data Bloom Color: violet blue Sun: Full sun to part shade Water: Medium to wet Maintenance: Low - | 'Blue Stocking' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Monarda Monarda didyma - Dec 2007 The Flower Market 2 plants for $12.00 - back garden - 12/2007 planted 3/2008 new growth 6/8/2008 blooms appeared 3/2009 new growth 6/9/2009 blooms appeared - Bergamot, Bee Balm Produces masses of dark red blooms. Grows 3-4' tall. Jewel of the mid-summer garden. Large heads of tubular flowers atop upright stems. Blooms for weeks and weeks mid-to-late summer. Always alive with bees and butterflies and frequently visited by hummingbirds. Bee Balm is wonderfully aromatic and its leaves and flowers can be used to make tea. Very easily grown in sun to partial shade in average, but moist soil. Consistent moisture and good air circulation are important to preventing mildew in these plants. - The pure red 'Jacob Kline' beebalm is growing along the alley-side of the garage next to purple 'Marshall's Delight' beebalm. 'Jacob Kline's' is the taller of the two beebalms. It also has larger blossoms than does 'Marshall's Delight' & begins blooming two to four weeks earlier. It is regarded as the best of the red beebalms. Red is the favorite color of hummingbirds, who already like bee balms a great deal, & most apt to be drawn to this one. This variety is named for the chap who developed it for large brilliantly red especially long-lasting flowers &, in particular, for resistance to powdery mildew, which is the bane of bee balms. 'Jacob Kline' is said to be the most resistant of all the reds, but frankly no variety is apt indefinitely to avoid at least a mild affliction, if only in autumn when it is getting ready to die back anyway. If mildew does appears in autumn, this is fairly normal for fading foliage & no great worry. But to limit the number of spoors that overwinter, infected beebalms should be shorn to the ground & all infected leaves & stems discarded rather than composted. On the other hand, if powdery mildew occurs in summer, when the beebalms are shorn down & infected parts discarded, the clumps can be expected to grow back so swiftly there'll be one more good bloom-period for early autumn. While the leaves are returning & fluffing out, occasional sprays of milk diluted with five parts water will help keep mildew from returning. Dilute milk is not only an organic treatment for powdery mildew, it happens also to work far better than do fungicides, which unlike the milk treatment has the sorry habit of killing beneficial funguses too. 'Jacob Kline' has lost none of the species' aggression. Its strong desire to spread & spread has to be taken into consideration. We planted our beebalm patches between garage wall & alley, where it cannot go anywhere it isn't wanted. 'Marshall's Delight' has never spread all that much, but 'Jacob Kline' has become a very big gorgeous clump. This cultivar will self-seed & can do so willfully, but does not grow true to the parent. Propagation is therefore by division. Since the clump increases in size rather rapidly, there will be ample opportunity to divide it into multiple plants. Clumps will become unsightly in the middle of each clump the third or fourth year & should be dug up, divided, & replanted, giving the extra plants to all your buddies. For extensive patches that are too difficult to dig up entirely, just dig out & compost the homely bits; the plant will soon spread back into the cleared spots. This clumping perennial blooms June through August or later, until it experiences a good frost which will start it dying back for winter. Compact leaf growth & flower heads rise to a height of three feet or a bit more, & flower stems will rise to four or five feet. It prefers consistently moist well-draining soil. Drought-tolerant once established, such stresses do increase the possibility of powdery mildew at least come autumn, & shortens the lengthy bloom time. In a gardening newsgroup, a gardener posted her observation that bees were all over her perennials, including her monardas, except for 'Jacob Kline.' Other gardeners chimed in that they also had noticed bees skipping past 'Jacob Kline.' This started me watching mine more carefully, & I perceived no lack of bees & other pollinators in love with this cultivar. Nevertheless, the observation may be true, as some bees may have trouble reaching to the bottom of the unusually long thin tubes that make up the larger-than-average flowerheads of 'Jacob Kline,' making it more frustrating for any bee attempting to reach the nectar. Further, in controlled studies it has been discovered that bees take longer to find bright red flowers than it takes them tofind violet or blue flowers. Thus if bright red 'Jacob Kline' & purple 'Marshall's Delight' are grown side by side, the bees will more quickly reach 'Marshall's Delight.' Bee balm's alternate name "Oswego Tea" was bestowed upon it by pioneer botanist John Bartram (1699-1777) who observed Oswego Indians using it for tea. As a tea, the odor & flavor is a mix of citrus & mint, well worth harvesting from one's garden for this purpose. Bartram, a Quaker farmer, is shown in a contemporary portrait here at the left. He was the first important botanist born in North America, a native of Pennsylvania. He collected plants throughout the Colonies, & is now known as "The Father of American Botany." He was an inveterate traveller who penetrated into dangerous wildernesses gathering seeds & specimens for his botanical garden at Kingsessing on the Schuylkill River, which he founded in 1728. His home & a considerable portion of his gardens survive to the modern era as Philadelphia's Historic Bartram Gardens. Although Bartram never visited England, King George III appointed him Royal Botanist to the king. He sent seeds of wild M. didyma to England in 1744 & it bloomed the very next year. By 1760 it was being offered commercially. Select cultivars & hybrids were thereafter inevitable, so this North American native has been long gardened throughout Europe. - | 'Jacob Cline' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Monarda Monarda didyma - 5/15/2008 Bearden Garden Center $7.00 - back garden - planted 5/20 blooms appeared 6/2/08 - new growth 3/09 - Bergamot, Bee Balm A hybrid developed by Agriculture Canada. Gorgeous hot-pink flowers. Outstanding variety. Exceptionally resistant to mildew. Grows 3-4' tall. Jewel of the mid-summer garden. Large heads of tubular flowers atop upright stems. Blooms for weeks and weeks mid-to-late summer. Always alive with bees and butterflies and frequently visited by hummingbirds. Bee Balm is wonderfully aromatic and its leaves and flowers can be used to make tea. Very easily grown in sun to partial shade in average, but moist soil. Consistent moisture and good air circulation are important to preventing mildew in these plants. - | 'Marshall's Delight' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Bee Balm Monarda didyma - Dec 2007 The Flower Market 2 plants for $12.00 - back garden - 12/2007 planted 3/2008 new growth 6/8/2008 blooms appeared 3/2009 new growth 6/10/2009 blooms appeared - Bergamot, Bee Balm A very lovely newer introduction with clear wine-red flowers and raspberry-coloured buds. Good mildew resistance. Excellent compact form. (32-36") Jewel of the mid-summer garden. Large heads of tubular flowers atop upright stems. Blooms for weeks and weeks mid-to-late summer. Always alive with bees and butterflies and frequently visited by hummingbirds. Bee Balm is wonderfully aromatic and its leaves and flowers can be used to make tea. Very easily grown in sun to partial shade in average, but moist soil. Consistent moisture and good air circulation are important to preventing mildew in these plants. - | 'Raspberry Wine' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Bee Balm Monarda didyma - 5/15/2008 Bearden Garden Center 2 for $14.00 $7.00 each - back garden - planted 5/20/08 - new growth 3/09 - 'Snow White' bee-balm was introduced in 1955. The three best known standard whites are 'Snow Maiden,' 'Snow Queen,' & 'Snow White,' intentionally alluding to fairy tale figures, in part because the tight flowers do look like fairy queen crowns.The handsome, petite, crown-like flowers of 'Snow White' are only about half the size of the blooms on our red bee-balms 'Jacob Kline' & 'Raspberry Wine,' but they are even so very showy. The leaves are also smaller than with our other bee-balms. Most cultivars or the northeastern American wildflower, though designated Monarda didyma, are actually hybrids with at least a bit of M. fistulosa in their breeding history, thus sometimes referred to as hybrid monardas. But this smaller pure white hybrid more likely has the white-flowering M. clinopodia mixed into it. Unfortunately the older standard hybrids are nearly always more susceptible to powdery mildew than is the wild species, but the flowers are so much showier for the gardened hybrids, & wild monardas can be annoyingly weedy or invasive. The hardiness of bee-balms should not be too much tested for 'Snow White' as stressing it will inevitably invite powdery mildew, to which this old cultivar is more than commonly susceptible. It should not be planted alongside other powdery-mildew prone plants like honeysuckles, asters, or phloxes nor even with less susceptible monardas or they may invite powdery mildew that'll spread to the resistant varieties. An airy location in rich humusy soil, moist but well draining, in full sun with only a little protection during the hottest time of the year, should keep it happy & floriferous. Periodic spraying with dilute milk (one part milk to four parts water) before powdery mildew appears will keep the mildew away, & do so far better than will fungicides or horticultural oils or sulphur or any other remedy. With good gardening practices the mildew ought not be evident sooner than autumn when the clumps are getting ready to die back for winter any, & when if need be the plant can be cut entirely back & mildewy leaves discarded rather than composted. Clumps become quite large over time & the centers of old clumps sometimes perform badly. Spring or autumn division will restore a clump's health & flowering strength. Blooms begin in June or at latest July & with deadheading will continue flowering to September or first frost. If never deadheaded or if it experiences too hot & dry a summer, it will stop flowering in August. The clump reaches about two feet tall or a bit taller. Under ideal conditions 'Snow White' can spread aggressively & may displace smaller perennials. It is not as invasive as many mints, but it is a mint-family herb & so leaning in that direction. The International Herb Society declared monardas the Herb of the Year for 1996. It belongs equally in the butterfly garden, the cutting garden, or the herb garden. Young small leaves are excellent in soups or chopped up & added to scrambled eggs along with garden-fresh basil & oregano or chives. Only the freshest youngest leaves are great chopped up as a cooking spice. But older leaves, either fresh or dried for later use, make a superior herbal tea. This traditional use has lent it the common names Oswego Tea or Bergamot Tea. After the tax rebellion highlighted by the well-famed Boston Tea Party rebelling against England's import taxes, native Oswego Tea became the standard New England tea for many years. Bee-balm tea can be made with the flowers mixed with the tea for a deeper flavor; the flowers have a sweeter scent & taste, making the brewed tea more complex & full-bodied. Bee-balm tea is wonderful mixed with fruit juices such as cranberry juice, raspberry juice, peach juice, or other favorites, with just a smidgen of apricot juice added, or a squeezed lemon or ultra-thin slices of orange, chilled & served over ice. - | 'Snow White' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Purple Bee Balm Monarda fistulosa x bartlettii - 6/18/2009 Pope's 2 plants for $16.00 - 60 x 24 - FS to LS - LS to EF Deadhead for reblooming - front - 6/20/2009 planted 6/20/2009 already blooming - Peter's Purple Bee Balm is a little known variety of monarda that is loaded with color. Bright purple blooms adorn this variety in summer. Needs full sun and is viewed as the most mildew resistant bee balm. Monarda (moh-nar'-da) Family: Lamiaceae · Common Name: Beebalm Quick spreading North American native has flowers that have an attractive shaggy or pom-pom appearance and bloom in a wide array of colors ranging from white, pink and lavender to red and purple. Fragrant leaves can also be used for tea. - This little-known bee balm created a "buzz" in the Dallas Arboretum trial garden, where Director of Research Jimmy Turner says,"It's the only Monarda that doesn't die from powdery mildew." M. 'Peter's Purple' occurred in the garden of Texas native plant guru Peter Loos, when a Mexican M. bartlettii and the American M. fistulosa 'Claire Grace' got frisky under a moonlit sky, and you know the story. The result is a robust heat-loving 4' tall clump, topped in June and July with rich lavender-purple flowers, backed by purple calyces. We have seen no signs of mildew in our trials and greatly reduced spreading compared to other monardas. - | 'Peter's Purple' | Plants |  (georgewms) |
| Myosotis Myosotis sylvatica - 3/2009 Pope's 2 plants for $10.00 - back garden - 3/2009 planted 42009 blooms appeared - Myosotis sylvatica 'Victoria Indigo Blue' VICTORIA SERIES Common Name Woodland Forget-Me-Not General Description Woodland forget-me-not is a biennial or short-lived perennial of European origin. The cultivar 'Victoria Indigo Blue' is distinguished by its abundant deep sky-blue flowers and compact habit. In spring plants form small clumps of small hairy gray-green leaves from which rise branched flower stems with curled flower spikes (helicoid cymes) dotted with tiny blue five-petaled flowers with white and yellow centers. These fairyland flowers have an airy, ephemeral appearance and can bloom from spring into summer. To keep the plants healthy and happy, give them midday shade and rich soil with average drainage. Cut them back or remove them after they enter their summer dormancy. Forget-me-nots replace themselves with self-sown seedlings, which may require thinning. Plant them in a woodland garden or mixed border or as bedding flowers for spring. They look wonderful planted among late-flowering spring bulbs and are not favored by deer. - | 'Victoria Indigo Blue' | Plants | (PlantFiles) |
| Trumpet Narcissus Narcissus 12 bulbs for $4.00 Home Depot 3/09 - back garden - planted 3/09 blooms appeared 3/09 - should multiply over time - The King Alfred Daffodil, as befits its name, is a member of the first division of the narcissus genus, the Trumpet Daffodils. Trumpet Daffodils are those where the trumpet (also called the corona or flower cup) is as long or longer than the perianth (petals). King Alfred Daffodils are among the largest of the trumpet daffodils, standing up to 22 inches high with blooms up to four inches wide. The King Alfred Daffodil was named after one of England's greatest medieval kings and just as their namesake was called the greatest of kings, King Alfred Daffodils often are referred to as the greatest daffodil of all time. First hybridized in England in the late 1890's, the King Alfred Daffodil has since been developed and "improved" so that the true cultivar has all but vanished. Prized for their deep golden blooms and twisted petals that end in a point, King Alfred Daffodils remain the world's favorite daffodil cultivar. However, if you are lucky enough to have some, treat them with care. Sadly, nurseries no longer sell the true King Alfred Daffodil commercially. Those who long for the deep rich golden color of King Alfred Daffodils may want to try the Dutch Master or a newer hybrid called Marieke (pronounced MAREEKA) which is the successor to the King Alfred Daffodil's throne. Although neither The Dutch Master nor Marieke has legitimate claims to the crown, both will tower regally in your spring garden. Still, you will find many similar daffodils bearing the name King Alfred Daffodil, for even as the original hybrid dwindled this hardy flower maintained its popularity and is still very much in demand. If you are fortunate enough to find a friend that has the King Alfred Daffodil and is willing to part with some bulbs, you'll find that the King Alfred Daffodil is a rapidly multiplying flower that will give you a lifetime of enjoyment with minimum care and a chance for you to pass on it regal tradition to another friend! The narcissus family is divided into 12 divisions of 25 species and over 13,000 hybrids. However, it isn't only diverse selection that makes growing daffodils an easy introduction to gardening. Daffodils are prolific multipliers. While many other types of bulbs dwindle in a few short years, with minimal care, a planting of daffodil bulbs lasts a lifetime! - | 'King Alfred' | Roots, Tubers and Bulbs | (PlantFiles) |
| Long-Cupped Narcissus Narcissus 12 bulbs for $5.00 Home Depot 3/09 - container - planted 3/09 - Narcissus 'Red Devon' More commonly known as: Daffodil Ratings and Awards This plant has been given an Award of Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society. This plant is a deciduous bulb. It is notable for its striking flower clusters and glossy foliage. Division 2. Clear yellow collar and crimson-red cup. Can suffer from rots and viruses. Feed after flowering and allow foliage to die naturally. It's shape is described as upright. It grows to a height of 0.4m and 0.16m in width. It has slender foliage. It produces flowers during spring that are cup-shaped and yellow and red in colour. This hardy plant grows into a large and dominant plant or grows to make a clump and proliferates without intervention. It requires a moist and well drained soil, preferring full sun, semi-shade, sun, and a position in a border, in a container or bedded in grass or in a raised bed or in woodland. It is susceptible to and should be protected from fly, slugs and snails and eelworms. - | 'Red Devon' | Roots, Tubers and Bulbs | (PlantFiles) |
(PlantFiles) |
« Previous Page 1 ... 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ... 13 Next »