Horticulture Report: Helichrysum petiolare

Plant Name:  Helichrysum petiolarelicorice-plant1.jpg
Common name:  Licorice plant
Plant type: Annual
(Tender Perennial Zones 9-11)

Height: 6-9 inches
Spread: 1-3 ft
Bloom: White, but Insignificant
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Soil Requirements:  Average
Water Needs: Dry to medium
Attributes:   Dense trailing silvery leaves, Tolerates poor soil & drought
Notes: Good drainage is a must!
Uses:  Annual, Hanging Baskets, Containers, Rock walls, Annual ground-cover
Native to: Southern Africa
USDA Hardiness Zone: 9-11

Horticulture Report: Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’

Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’
Common Name: montbretia
Type: Perennial Bulb
Height: 2-4 feet
Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: June to August
Bloom Description: Scarlet red
Sun: Full sun -Part shade
Water: Medium amount, but regular watering
Maintenance: Medium
Attributes: Showy Flowers, Attracts Butterflies & Hummingbirds, Deer Resistant,
Use: Cut Garden, Mass plantings, Pool-side planting, Borders, Containers, Contemporary Garden, Cottage Garden, Hummingbird Gardens.
USDA Zone: 5-9

Horticulture Report: Cotoneaster salicifolius

Plant Name:  Cotoneaster salicifolius


Common name:  Willow-leaf cotoneaster
Plant type: Broadleaf  Evergreen shrub
Height:  6-8 ft
Width:   6-10 ft
Bloom Time:  May
Flower Color:  Small White
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Soil Requirements: Well-drained Sandy Loam
Water Needs: Average, tolerates drought       
Attributes:  Non-edible Showy Red Berries in Winter, Arching Habit with open branches, Bird-friendly. 
Uses:  Border, Specimen, Background plant, Bank Cover, Group/Mass Plantings, Hedge, Year-round Interest.
Note: In hot areas part sun is best.
Native to: Western China & Northern India  
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-8

Low-growing varieties:

Cotoneaster salicifolius ‘Repens’:  Low-growing form. Can use as a groundcover. Covered in red pomes fruits in the fall.  Semi-evergreen in severe winter areas. ‘Green Carpet’ is very similar in habit.

Cotoneaster salicifolius ‘Scarlet Leader’ – Prostrate form creates a mat-like low ground cover only 2-3′ tall but spreads 8- 10′. Foliage is glossy & disease-free. Leaves can have purple hue in winter.  Produces abundant scarlet berries in the winter.

Flowers for Hummingbirds

Bradbury Beeblam

Bee Balm

  Bee Balm (Monarda bradburiana: Perennial USDA Zone 5-8, Blooms May, Full Sun -Part Shade.

Zinnas: Annual USDA Zone 2-11 , Blooms June –Frost, Full Sun

046a

Zinna

Hostas: Perennial  USDA Zone 3-8,  Blooms May, Part Shade to Full Shade.

Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans): Perennial USDA Zone 8-11, Blooms August –October, Full Sun. Deer resistant!

20170729_122835_753.jpg

Hibiscus

  Hibiscus, aka:‘Hardy Hibiscus’: Perennial  USDA Zone 5-9, Blooms July – Sept., Full Sun.

252.JPG

Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’

Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’–aka: Montbretia: Perennial USDA Zone 5-9, Blooms June –August, Full Sun-Part Shade. Deer resistant!

Salvia Amistad, aka: ‘Friendship Sage’: Perennial USDA Zone 8-10, Blooms July – Frost, Full Sun.  Deer resistant!

Hot Lips Salvia (Salvia microphylla): Perennial USDA Zone 8-10, Blooms June – Frost, Full Sun.  Deer resistant!

20171026_151939.jpg

Hot Lips Salvia

Scarlet Sage (Salvia splendens): Perennial USDA Zone 10-11, otherwise an annual, Blooms June –Frost, Full Sun – Part Shade

Alstroemeria: Perennial  USDA Zone 8-10, Blooms June – Sept.,  Full Sun with afternoon shade.

Duchess of Edinburgh Clematis

A large-flowered variety; 4″-6″ white double rosettes with a pale green tint. Blooms May-June.  Height – 8-12 ft. Deadhead after first wave of blooms to promote new blooms. Often re-blooms in late summer. Plant clematis in full sun or part shade. Requires moist well-drained soil, and a trellis or arbor for support. Clematis’ needs their roots shaded, so plants other plants at its feet or cover the soil with small stones.  USDA Zones 4-8.

 

20180520_082820

 

Fragrant Annuals

Annual plants fill-in the “flower gap” in your perennial garden and there are a many beautiful annuals your can choose, but below are some of the most fragrant!

Stocks (Matthiola incana)stocks_matthiola_incana_-photo-by-protoplasmakid.jpg
Height:  1-3 ft
Bloom Time: May-July
Flower Colors Available in:  Blue, White, Pink, Yellow, Red
Exposure: Full Sun-Part Shade
Attributes: Dense Showy clusters of cove-scented flowers, Deer Tolerant
Uses: Border gardens, Containers, Moon Garden (white flowers), Cut Garden, Bouquets

Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus)sweet-pea-e1526493728960.jpg
Height:  3-8 ft
Bloom Time: May – July  (In cool weather areas, blooms until fall)
Flower Colors Available in:  All colors ( Except Yellow)
Exposure:  Full Sun (but, not in high heat areas)
Attributes:  Fragrant Colorful Climber
Uses:  Border Gardens, Cottage Garden
Note: Needs to grow on a support structure such as a trellis, a fence, stakes with strings or a bamboo pyramid.  Plants do poorly in high heat & humid areas! Sweet pea fruits are inedible and poisonous to humans.

Sweet alyssumSweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritime)
Height: 3-6 inches
Bloom Time: April – June
Flower Colors Available in:  White, Purple, Pink, Lavender, Violet
Exposure: Full sun – partial shade
Attributes:  Ground plant, Delicate Flowers, Fragrant, Re-seeds
Uses: Flowerbed Edges, Containers, Hanging Baskets, Window Boxes

Nicotiana (Nicotiana alata)nicotiana-alata-e1526493875640.jpg
Height: 3-5 ft.
Flower Colors Available in:  Red, White, Purple, Pink, Yellow, Pale Green
Exposure: Full sun – partial shade
Attributes:   Tubular flowers star-shaped fragrant flowers
Uses: Attracts Birds & Butterflies, Fragrant, Moon Garden (White flowers)

Four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)4 oclock_Mirabilis jalapa
Height: 2-3 ft.
Bloom Time: June- Frost
Flower Colors Available in:  Red, Pink, Rose, Magenta, White, Sometimes Striped
Exposure: Full Sun
Attributes:  Trumpet-shaped flowers, Blooms in late afternoon, Attracts Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds.  Note: All parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested!