Baby Blue Eyes, Featured Plant of The Day

Nemophila menziesii     syn. Nemophila insignis
    Baby Blue Eyes

Type    Annual
Height    6" to 10" / 15cm to 25cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Spreading or horizontal
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Blue
Bloom Time    Spring

Environment
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Plant in an area sheltered from the winds sow the seeds in situ.

'French Lace' Old Fashioned Weigela, Featured Plant of The Day

Weigela florida 'Brigela (French Lace™)'

Old Fashioned Weigela,  Rose Weigela

Type    Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    4B to 8A
Height    24" to 4' / 60cm to 1.20m
Spread    24" to 4' / 60cm to 1.20m
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded, upright or erect and vase shaped
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Red
Bloom Time    Spring

The flowers are very showy.

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought.
This plant will grow in dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color    Green, variegated and yellow
Fall Color    No change in fall color
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Weigela grows best in a sunny location and moist soil.  Shaded plants are straggly.  Weigela also dislikes crowding.  The growth rate is moderate and the shrub transplants well, reaching a mature height and spread of only 2 to 4 feet.  Some annual dieback and winter injury make annual pruning necessary. It is best to perform any needed pruning immediately after they have flowered. Canadian cultivars (the so called Dance cultivars) are the most cold hardy. Plants suffer in the deep south eastern part of the US. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.

Planting and establishing shrubs

The most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep.  Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery.  In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off.  The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider.  In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole.  Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.

Weed suppression during establishment is essential.  Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth.  Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk.  If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer.   This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry.  Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water.  Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.

Flowering Moss 'Cracker Jack', Featured Plant of The Day

Phlox subulata 'Cracker Jack'
    Flowering Moss,  Creeping Phlox,  Moss Phlox,  Mountain Phlox,  Ground Pink,  Moss Pink

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    2A to 9A
Height    4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm
Spread    20" to 24" / 50cm to 60cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Prostrate, spreading or horizontal and variable spread
Exposure    Full sun
Persistence    Deciduous and evergreen

Bloom Color    Red
Bloom Time    Spring

The flowers are fragrant, showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment
This plant tolerates a little salt.
This plant will grow in dry to moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is an acidic to slightly alkaline (less than 6.8 to 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color    Green

Culture Notes
Plant in a sunny spot with well-drained soil.  Prune after flowering for a healthier plant.  Often used as a ground cover, an edging plant, or for planting in cracks in walls.  Good plant to use with your spring blooming bulbs.

Showy Lady's Slipper, Featured Plant of The Day

Cypripedium reginae

Showy Lady's Slipper

Type Perennial

Hardy range 5A to 8B

Height 18" to 30" / 45cm to 75cm

Growth rate Slow

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Full shade to partial sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color Pink and white

Bloom Time Spring and Summer

Environment This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is an acidic (less than 6.8) soil.

Leaf Color Green

Culture Notes Needs cold winters to thrive.

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'Bagatelle' Japanese Barberry, Featured Plant of The Day

Berberis thunbergii 'Bagatelle'
    Japanese Barberry

Type    Shrub, groundcover, woody plant
Hardy range    4A to 7B
Height    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Spread    12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded and spreading or horizontal
Exposure    Full shade to full sun
Persistence    Semi-evergreen

Bloom Color    Yellow
Bloom Time    Spring

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought and a little salt.
This plant will grow in dry soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to alkaline (less than 6.8 to more than 7.7) soil.

Leaf Color    Purple
Fall Color    Orange, red and yellow
This plant has attractive foliage and attractive fall colors.

Culture Notes
Japanese Barberry is thorny, so it's useful for barrier plantings.  The plant tolerates most light exposures and soils, but purple-leafed cultivars turn green in shade.  This shrub grows slowly but transplants easily.   Japanese Barberry can be sheared and used as a hedge plant.

The main ornamental features are persistent red fruits and fall color in shades of red, orange and yellow. This cultivar is a form of the variety atropurpurea and is more compact than many other cultivars. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.

Planting and establishing shrubs

The most common cause of young plant failure is planting too deep.  Plant the root ball no deeper than it was in the nursery.  In most instances, the root flare zone (point where the top-most root in the root ball originates from the trunk) should be located just above the landscape soil surface. Sometimes plants come from the nursery with soil over the root flare. If there is soil over this area, scrape it off.  The planting hole should be at least twice the width of the root ball, preferably wider.  In all but exceptional circumstances where the soil is very poor, there is no need to incorporate anything into the backfill soil except the loosened soil that came out of the planting hole.  Never place ANY soil over the root ball. If a row or grouping of plants is to be installed, excavating or loosening the soil in the entire bed and incorporating organic matter enhances root growth and establishment rate.

Weed suppression during establishment is essential.  Apply a 3-inch thick layer of mulch around the plant to help control weed growth.  Keep it at least 10 inches from the trunk.  If you apply it over the root ball, apply only a one or two inch layer.   This allows rainwater and air to easily enter the root ball and keeps the trunk dry.  Placing mulch against the trunk or applying too thick a layer above the root ball can kill the plant by oxygen starvation, death of bark, stem and root diseases, prevention of hardening off for winter, vole and other rodent damage to the trunk, keeping soil too wet, or repelling water.  Regular irrigation through the first growing season after planting encourages rapid root growth, which is essential for quick plant establishment.