Rock Soapwort: Featured Plant of The Day

 Saponaria ocymoides 

Rock Soapwort

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    2A to 7A
Height    8" to 12" / 20cm to 30cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Prostrate and spreading or horizontal
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Spring through Fall

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

Leaf Color    Green

Culture Notes
This is basically an evergreen plant with reddish stems that forms a dense mat.  It's a good choice for planting in the front of a border or as an edging plant.  Cut back after blooming to keep its shape and encourage new growth.  Although primary blooming occurs in the spring, sporadic flowering occurs until the fall months.  Root division can be done in the spring.  Seeds can be gathered in the summer.  In the spring, remove dead foliage only and shear lightly.

Foersters Blue Long-Leaf Speedwell: Featured Plant of The Day

Veronica longifolia 'Foersters Blue'
    Long-Leaf Speedwell

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 8A
Height    12" to 24" / 30cm to 60cm
Spread    18" to 24" / 45cm to 60cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Blue
Bloom Time    Summer

The flowers are suitable for cut flowers.

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
Division of the clump can be done in the spring and stem cuttings can be taken in the summer.  Seeds can be sown after collecting them in the late spring.  Deadheading spent flowers may encourage a longer blooming period.  This hardy and easy to grow plant prefers the sun and a well-drained soil that does not dry out.  The flowers are long-blooming and arranged on long erect spikes.  The plant may need staking for support.

Lilac Cranesbill: Featured Plant of The Day

Geranium himalayense 'Alpinum'

syn. Geranium grandiflorum
    Lilac Cranesbill,  Geranium

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 8A
Height    10" to 12" / 25cm to 30cm
Spread    12" to 15" / 30cm to 40cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Spreading or horizontal
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Blue
Bloom Time    Summer

The flowers are suitable for cut flowers.

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
'Alpinum' is an easily grown, durable perennial.  It can be divided in the spring, stem cuttings can be taken in the summer, and seeds will ripen and can be collected in late summer.  Plant with:  Oenothera, Saponaria, Iris, Carex and Gypsophila sp.

'Regina' Heuchera Featured Plant of The Day

Heuchera 'Regina'
    Alumroot,  Coral Bells

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 8A
Height    24" to 36" / 60cm to 90cm
Spread    6" to 12" / 15cm to 30cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Evergreen

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Spring and Summer

The flowers are suitable for cut flowers.

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

Leaf Color    Purple and silvery
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
These herbaceous, evergreen, perennial herbs are increasing in popularity due to the fact that newer varieties of Heucheras offer taller and larger flowers, ruffled foliage and increased hardiness to heat, humidity and cold.  Heucheras are already valued for their lovely, varied foliage and striking, bell-shaped  flowers in various colors.  Their stalks spike up from the center of the plant and vary in height.    When planting, make sure crowns are just above the soil level.  Keep plants moist, but well-drained, and mulch before the onset of cold weather.   Its highly unlikely that Heucheras will survive in clay.   In the South, Heucheras do best if planted in partial shade; if grown in cooler climates, the plant flowers longer if spent blossoms are removed.  Many Heucheras will attract both hummingbirds and bees.

'Regina'  was the 1st prize winner of the Royal Society for Horticulture Perennial Plant Exposition.   This was due, in great part, to its very attractive silvery, burgundy-bronze foliage.

'Dorothy Crane' Rose of Sharon Featured Plant of The Day

Hibiscus syriacus 'Dorothy Crane'

Rose of Sharon, Althaea, Shrub Althea

Type Shrub, woody plant

Hardy range 5B to 9A

Height 10' to 15' / 3.00m to 4.60m

Spread 6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m

Growth rate Slow

Form Upright or erect

Exposure Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Persistence Deciduous

Bloom Color White

Bloom Time Summer

The flowers are very showy.

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought, occasional wetness and some salt.
This plant will grow in dry to occasionally wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color Green
Fall Color No change in fall color

Culture Notes
Easily grown shrubs usually planted in the perennial garden because of the abundance of colorful flowers. Too much or too little water or over fertilization will cause buds to drop from this plant. This plant is capable of self-sowing to the point of being a nuisance if the soil beneath is good.
Plants often have poor root systems which cause the plant to fall over as it grows taller. This often originates in the nursery when plants are held in containers too long. This can be avoided by choosing plants that are small for their container and slicing any roots that circle the outside of the container. Some growers also use alternate container designs specially designed to reduce the amount of circling roots.
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.

Please feel free to comment on any post at any time all feedback is welcome and we’d love to hear it.

'Pink Giant' Hibiscus Featured Plant of The Day

Hibiscus syriacus 'Pink Giant'
    Rose of Sharon,  Althaea,  Shrub Althea

Type    Shrub, woody plant
Hardy range    5B to 9A
Height    10' to 15' / 3.00m to 4.60m
Spread    6' to 10' / 1.80m to 3.00m
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded and upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Summer

The flowers are very showy.

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought, occasional wetness and some salt.
This plant will grow in dry to occasionally wet soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color    Green
Fall Color    No change in fall color

Culture Notes
Easily grown shrubs usually planted in the perennial garden because of the abundance of colorful flowers. Too much or too little water or over fertilization will cause buds to drop from this plant. This plant is capable of self-sowing to the point of being a nuisance if the soil beneath is good.

Plants often have poor root systems which cause the plant to fall over as it grows taller. This often originates in the nursery when plants are held in containers too long. This can be avoided by choosing plants that are small for their container and slicing any roots that circle the outside of the container. Some growers also use alternate container designs specially designed to reduce the amount of circling roots.

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.