If you’re thinking of planting flowers at the gravesite of a loved one this season, there are a few things to consider first. I’ll walk you through the experience so you’ll be prepared, and give you a plant list to work from.
We’ve all heard the alarming statistics. We rely on pollinators for every third bite of food we eat. At least 75% of all the world’s flowering plants are pollinated by insects and animals. It can be overwhelming! Let’s bring that down that to a local level. What can YOU do in your own backyard to help pollinators feel welcome and wanted? Let’s focus on five things you can do right now, this season, to make an impact.
Just because your deck or patio is in the shade, it doesn’t have to be dark, uninviting space. Let’s take a look at five distinct styles you can decorate your space with this season. By the time we’re finished, you’ll know how to transform your shaded space into your favorite place to relax outdoors.
When creating a garden, it is important to not only design based on beauty and bloom time but also to include pollinator-friendly plants that will bring the butterflies and bees to your garden. There are a few plants that really stand out to me as my Top 5 must-have plants for a garden that is a pollinator’s dream come true.
Flowers add beauty to your garden, but why not bring a little more beauty to your garden with the addition of butterfly attracting perennials. Butterflies add a constant motion of color as they flutter around your landscape.
I often find myself looking for plants that will give me unique foliage color in multiple seasons. On a recent garden tour at Walters Gardens Inc. I found this handsome duo consisting of Dolce® Blackberry Ice Heuchera and an old time perennial favorite, Sedum ‘Angelina’.
Why plant drought-tolerant plants even if your region isn’t experiencing a drought? They’re easy-care perennials that keep growing, blooming, and performing even if you forget to water them (after they’re established), even if it doesn’t rain, and even when you leave for a week on vacation in the middle of summer. You don’t have to be in the middle of a drought to appreciate the utility of these plants.
But, before we recommend plants for you, we need to set a couple of things straight.
Can you grow a colorful, long-blooming garden without adding annuals? You certainly can! With a little bit of planning and organization, you can plant a garden that blooms and has flashy, splashy color all summer long without the labor of adding annuals.
Of course, we love our various annual flower offerings for the enormous explosions of color they provide. However, if your goal is more beauty with less work and you want to expand your garden without replanting it every year, perennials are your answer.
The dark evening sky, the mysterious happenings in the night, all of these things set you up for a touch of fear. Right? Well maybe not but it got your attention anyway. Today’s featured plant is ‘Midnight Marvel‘ Hibiscus. ‘Midnight Marvel’ is a new plant introduction for 2013. It is a cross between to other great Hardy hibiscus plants, those plants are ‘Summer Storm‘, known for its dark foliage and also ‘Cranberry Crush‘ known for its deep, rich, red flowers.
So if someone was to ask me ” What is the best thing about this plant?” This is what I would have to say. “There are several ‘best’ things!” What really stands out as the most intriguing feature of ‘Midnight Marvel‘ is the deep dark purple, almost black, foliage. Then when you pair the huge cranberry blooms with that dark foliage the contrast is Striking! Not only are you getting beautiful blooms color in your garden, you can also enjoy the dark foliage color. Planted in full, the foliage will be the darkest in color. Another thing to point out is, that this Hardy Hibiscus is what is known as “indeterminate”. Indeterminate is a feature you should look for when deciding on what hibiscus variety you are going to choose. Indeterminate means that this plant is going to send blooms all the way up the stem. Which means for you, MORE blooms to enjoy!