Fun textured bouquets:
Notes from Shady Grove Gardens, including wedding information and photos as well as nursery specials, gardening tips and news. We are specialty cut flower growers in Ashe and Watauga Counties NC. We are floral designer & supply wedding flowers throughout the High Country, Boone, Blowing Rock, Valle Crucis, and Linville NC.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
New Plants at Shady Grove Gardens and Nursery
Salvia 'Caradonna'
I have found this Salvia to be extraordinarily tough and hardy. It's survived in my perennial field for at least 10 years with little or no care. We cut hard on it every spring for early blue purple flowers. Now available in pots for fall planting and again in the spring.
Information below is from the Missouri Botanical Garden
Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'
Common Name: sage
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Lamiaceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Garden Location: Enterprise Rent-A-Car Flower Borders, Kemper Low Maintenance Garden
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Spread: 1 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: June to September
Bloom Description: Blue-violet
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Leaves: Fragrant
Wildlife: Attracts Butterflies
Tolerates: Dry Soil, Drought, Air Pollution, Deer
Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates drought. Prefers moist, gravelly or sandy soils with good drainage. Plants may repeat bloom throughout the summer, but need regular moisture to encourage this. Remove spent flower spikes to help extend the bloom period. Plants may become somewhat floppy and open up as the summer progresses, particularly in humid climates. If plants flop or otherwise depreciate in summer to the point where they look unsightly, consider cutting them back to the basal foliage. In any event, cut plants back after flowering has concluded.
Noteworthy Characteristics
‘Caradonna’ is an erect, clump-forming perennial salvia that is noted for its dark purple stems and blue-violet flowers. It typically forms a foliage mound to 12” tall. Medium green leaves are aromatic when crushed. In summer, dense terminal spikes of violet-blue flowers rise above the foliage to 24” tall. Flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Some susceptibility to powdery mildew, leaf spot and rust. White fly and scale are occasional insect pests.
Garden Uses
Perennial borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens or wild gardens. Interesting accent.
Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’
Perennial Sage | USDA Zone: 3-9 |
Plant number: 1.468.400
Further details for
Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’
| Optimal Growing Conditions | Appearance and Characteristics |
| Sun Exposure Full Sun Normal or Sandy or Clay Neutral or Alkaline or Acid Average or Dry or Moist Easy | Flower Colour Purple Early Summer Mid Summer Grey Green Accent: Good Texture/Form Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds Border Containers Cut Flower Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Rabbit Resistant Massed Large 50-75 cm 20-29 inches 45-60 cm 18-23 inches |
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Late Summer Flowering Shrubs and an Aster
These are in bloom at the perennial plant nursery. All are available as of 7/29/13
(Text below is from the Missouri Botanical Garden's website)
Clethra alnifolia 'Caleb' VANILLA SPICE Common Name: sweet pepperbush
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Clethraceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Garden Location: The Fragrance Garden, Bank of America Family Vegetable Garden
Height: 3 to 6 feet
Spread: 3 to 6 feet
Bloom Time: July to August
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Description: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Showy Flowers, Fragrant Flowers
Leaves: Good Fall Color
Tolerates: Clay Soil, Wet Soil, Dense Shade
Uses: Erosion Control, Rain Garden
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers part shade and consistently moist, acidic, sandy soils. Soils should not be allowed to dry out. Tolerates clay soils. Tolerates full shade. Promptly remove root suckers unless naturalized look is desired. Propagate by cuttings. Prune if needed in late winter.
Noteworthy Characteristics
‘Caleb’ is a summersweet cultivar that is commonly sold in commerce under the trade name of VANILLA SPICE. It is a densely-branched, rounded, suckering, deciduous shrub that typically grows to 3-6’ tall and is noted for its compact size, large flower panicles and large individual flowers. Sweetly-fragrant, white flowers bloom in large cylindrical, bottlebrush-like, terminal panicles (each to 10-12" long) for approximately 4-6 weeks in summer. Each individual flower is about double the size of the flowers on other summersweet varieties. Serrate, obovate, dark green leaves (to 4” long) turn a variable but generally attractive yellow/golden brown in fall. Flowers give way to dark brown seed capsules that may persist well into winter. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees. Summersweets are somewhat unique among late summer-flowering shrubs because of their ability to bloom in shady locations. U. S. Plant Patent Applied For (PPAF).
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Garden Uses
Mass or group in lawns, foundations or shrub borders. Good flowering shrub for shade or woodland gardens. Effective as a hedge. Also appropriate for moist soils along stream banks or pond/water garden peripheries. Also may be naturalized in cottage gardens, wild gardens or naturalized areas. Plant near a patio to enjoy the fragrant late summer bloom. Compact size makes this an ideal flowering shrub for smaller gardens.
Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird'
Common Name: sweet pepperbush
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Clethraceae
Zone: 3 to 9
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Spread: 3 to 5 feet
Bloom Time: July to August
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Description: Creamy white
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Showy Flowers, Fragrant Flowers
Leaves: Good Fall Color
Fruit: Showy Fruit
Wildlife: Attracts Butterflies
Tolerates: Clay Soil, Wet Soil, Dense Shade
Uses: Erosion Control, Hedge, Rain Garden, Will Naturalize
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Adaptive to a wide range of soil, moisture and light conditions. Prefers part shade and consistently moist to wet, acidic soils. Tolerates full shade, however. Spreads slowly by rhizomes.
Noteworthy Characteristics
This summersweet cultivar is a compact, slowly spreading, deciduous shrub which typically grows only 3-4' tall and features fluffy, bottle brush-like, terminal, 3-6" spikes (racemes) of extremely fragrant white flowers which bloom on current season's growth for 4-6 weeks in mid to late summer and serrated, glossy, dark green leaves which turn a striking yellow in autumn. Flower spikes give way to spikes of dark brown seed capsules which persist into winter and provide continuing interest. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees. Somewhat unique among the summer-flowering shrubs because of its ability to produce good bloom in shady locations. This cultivar retains a more compact, mounding shape and is more floriferous than the species (Clethra alnifolia).
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Garden Uses
This compact summersweet cultivar is an excellent, trouble-free shrub which masses well in conspicuous areas in lawns or shrub borders where its attractive foliage, fragrant summer bloom, good fall color and tidy winter appearance can be showcased. Compact, rounded habit makes it ideal for small gardens or around foundations. Also a good shrub for wet areas, such as low spots, stream banks or pond/water garden edges.
Viburnum dentatum 'Christom' BLUE MUFFIN
Common Name: arrowwood viburnum
Type: Deciduous shrub
Family: Adoxaceae
Zone: 3 to 8
Garden Location: Lang Family Bird Garden, George Washington Carver Garden, Lois Whiteside Franklin Flower Trial Garden, Lucy and Stanley Lopata Prairie Garden
Height: 3 to 5 feet
Spread: 3 to 4 feet
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Description: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Leaves: Good Fall Color
Fruit: Showy Fruit
Wildlife: Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies
Tolerates: Clay Soil, Black Walnuts
Uses: Hedge
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers moist loams, but tolerates wide range of soils. Established plants have some drought tolerance. Prune as needed immediately after flowering.
Noteworthy Characteristics
BLUE MUFFIN is a compact, rounded, deciduous, arrowwood viburnum shrub that typically matures to 3-5’ tall and as wide. White flowers in flat-topped cymes appear in mid to late spring. Flowers give way to pea-sized blue berries that mature in late summer. Berries are attractive to birds. Ovate dark green leaves (to 3.5” long) turn attractive shades of orange to burgundy-purple in fall. Original cultivar name of this plant is ‘Christom’, but it is being marketed under the name of BLUE MUFFIN.
Plant of Merit
This compact arrowwood viburnum typically grows to 3-5 feet tall. It is noted for its flat-topped cymes of white flowers in spring, pea-sized blue berries that mature in late summer, ovate dark green leaves and orange to burgundy-purple fall color. It is an easy-to-grow selection for use as a landscape specimen, hedge, or grouped in shrub borders or foundations. Tolerates a wide range of soils, but prefers moist loams in full sun to part shade.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Susan's note: These are heavily eaten by birds.
Garden Uses
A compact version of the species that is native to Eastern North America. Specimen or groups. Shrub borders, foundations or hedges.
Aster 'Alert'
(text from Perennial Resource .com)Common Name: Aster-New York Common Name (Alternative): Michaelmas Daisy |
Densely packed clusters of deep purplish-red flowers provide outstanding color in the garden from late summer into fall. They make a terrific accent to fall blooming grasses and the changing colors of the trees. 'Alert' has an especially compact habit and the flowers are great for cutting.
The novi-belgii species is valued for its compact growth habit, rich flower color, and floriferous tendancies. It is native to North America.
CHARACTERISTICS:
Susan's note: these really do bloom Late JUly to Frost. I have honey bees all over these. They are hotter pink than these photos.
Height:
12-15 Inches
12-15 Inches
Spread:
15-18 Inches
15-18 Inches
Flower Color:
Purple-red shades
Purple-red shades
Foliage Color:
Green shades
Green shades
Hardiness Zone:
3,4,5,6,7,8
3,4,5,6,7,8
Sun or Shade?:
Full sun (> 6 hrs. direct sun)
Full sun (> 6 hrs. direct sun)
Wet or dry?:
Average water needs
Average water needs
Want to see wings?:
Attracts butterflies
Attracts butterflies
How fast should it grow?:
Medium
Medium
ATTRIBUTES: |
Border plants
Container
Cut flower or foliage
Mass Planting
Container
Cut flower or foliage
Mass Planting
HOMEOWNER GROWING & MAINTENANCE TIPS: |
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