Last of the spring bling…. I’m loving the burgundy-burnished-copper-mahogany & green combination. This will be a repeat for next fall. Here in Georgia, we had just the right winter weather (finally) with enough cold temperatures to keep the flowers looking fresh, but not so chilly as to dispatch a soggy palette of wilted winter container color. We also had a very chilly March, so that prolonged our winter flower display this year….a joy to behold. And in a just a few short days, I’ll be ripping all these containers apart to make room for their summer counterparts! 

Last of the spring bling…. I’m loving the burgundy-burnished-copper-mahogany & green combination. This will be a repeat for next fall. Here in Georgia, we had just the right winter weather (finally) with enough cold temperatures to keep the flowers looking fresh, but not so chilly as to dispatch a soggy palette of wilted winter container color. We also had a very chilly March, so that prolonged our winter flower display this year….a joy to behold.

And in a just a few short days, I’ll be ripping all these containers apart to make room for their summer counterparts! 

Winter Garden Foliage

Frigid winter temperatures doesn’t mean no color in the garden. Mix and match evergreens, perennials, and conifers for a luxurious winter tapestry. Many foliage plants thrive under chilly conditions ~ even snow and ice storms. Choose different textures and leaf forms for container gardens and place them near the front entry or friendship door where they will be seen throughout the winter. Keep planters evenly watered to prevent them from cracking during the constant freezing and thawing that occurs in winter months. 

Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) Heart-shaped flowers droop from the arching stems in late spring on this shade-loving, woodland garden perennial. It is best used in combination with hostas, astilbe, and ferns, so that when the plant goes dormant after bloom, it has the cover of summer foliage to shield its die-back for the season. Deer and rabbits won’t eat the flowers or foliage, but hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers.  The plant “Dicentra spectabilis” was re-named Lamprocapnos spectabilis in 2006, after a molecular examination of its genetic make-up determined that a nomenclature adjustment was in order. However, many people, including tradesmen, still use the name Dicentra. 

Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)

Heart-shaped flowers droop from the arching stems in late spring on this shade-loving, woodland garden perennial. It is best used in combination with hostas, astilbe, and ferns, so that when the plant goes dormant after bloom, it has the cover of summer foliage to shield its die-back for the season. Deer and rabbits won’t eat the flowers or foliage, but hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers. 

The plant “Dicentra spectabilis” was re-named Lamprocapnos spectabilis in 2006, after a molecular examination of its genetic make-up determined that a nomenclature adjustment was in order. However, many people, including tradesmen, still use the name Dicentra. 

2013 Perennial Plant of the Year Perennial Plant of the Year™ has chosen one of my personal favorites this year: Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’ - more commonly known as Variegated Solomon’s Seal. It’s a drought tolerant perennial for shade, with the added attraction of fragrant flowers in spring. Because it is slow spreading, it works well as an understory ground cover in woodland gardens. Combine it with Hostas for a lovely, low-maintenance foliage garden. Read more….

2013 Perennial Plant of the Year

Perennial Plant of the Year™ has chosen one of my personal favorites this year: Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’ - more commonly known as Variegated Solomon’s Seal. It’s a drought tolerant perennial for shade, with the added attraction of fragrant flowers in spring. Because it is slow spreading, it works well as an understory ground cover in woodland gardens. Combine it with Hostas for a lovely, low-maintenance foliage garden. Read more….

The late summer garden can look pretty sad this time of year. Families are getting ready for school or taking that last minute vacation before fall, and it’s just too hot to invest a lot of time in the yard….while many people are already thinking high school and college football.

So why not make it easy on yourself and dedicate one section of the yard, just for late summer pleasure? These perennials and grasses are all in their prime August through September, so by planting them together, one area of the garden will sing right on through Autumn. 

My favorites for the Autumn garden: Chrysanthemum (not the grocery store variety), Asters, Muhly Grass, Cone Flowers, Shasta Daisies, Black-Eyed Susans and dwarf fountain grasses. It’s showtime!