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Hardy perennial hibiscus are showstoppers in your late-summer garden. Huge plate-size flowers in shades of pink, red or white burst forth from stout plants in late July/early August. Although the individual flowers only last a day, the succession of flowers can last for up to eight weeks. These amazing blooms have prompted many strangers to knock on my door to inquire about the bush with flowers the size of dinner plates. These Hibiscus flowers are amazing conversation pieces and many …
Growing Asparagus in Michigan If you love asparagus and want to grow some yourself, waste no time in getting started. Even with the best of care, an asparagus bed won’t hit its stride for several years. But once that happens, the bed will produce an abundant crop of spears spring after spring for at least the next 15 to 20 years. Fresh from the garden, asparagus is the very essence of spring. The sweet, slender spears can be steamed, sautéed, …
Plant Canary Wing Begonias for a stylish and exciting shady container. We are excited to introduce Canary Wing Begonias! Canary Wings offers a unique look on a plant that has become a staple in gardens around the world! Canary Wings has bright foliage that changes from yellow to bright chartreuse throughout the season on a plant that continues to perform all Summer long. A great option for shade/early morning sun baskets. A little bit of morning sun brightens the foliage. …
Helianthus x annuus 1000 ways to get happy! Who doesn’t love a sunny yellow sunflower? Well, how about one with extraordinary summer color with large, vibrant blooms. This heat tolerant, sterile annual produces over 1,000 flowers in a single season, throughout summer until first frost. Sunny yellow petals with a dash of rich red surround the large brown center of each sensational flower. Excellent in borders and containers. It’s super easy to grow and will bounce right back if you …
Salvia longispicata x farinacea Low Maintenance, Super Showy and Beautiful Blue Color ‘Big Blue’ shows off with breathtaking clear blue blooms towering above bright green foliage. A generous host to hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Annual. Vigorous, robust, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant; needs no deadheading. Struts its stuff in full sun yet tolerates dappled shade or partial sun. Simple, low maintenance and always a top performer! Perfect for their back-of-border plantings (It’s gonna get big!), sending out blue spires continuously from July to first frost …
Catharanthus roseus ‘Tattoo’ Series Tattoo is without a doubt, the most unique vinca on the market today! Vinca (annual) are well known for their durable flowering, knockout color and exceptional heat tolerance, both in the landscape as well as containers. Tattoo is a bold and head-turning twist on traditional vinca and a series, with high impact bold color, that plant-lovers have been looking for. Tattoo makes the art of plants come to life with every bloom—each petal looks like it’s …
We are often asked “What can I plant now while it is still cool and our spring weather is somewhat unpredictable?” Listed below are a few options that have proven to do well in Michigan with our fluctuating spring temperatures. These plants are tolerant of dips in evening temperatures and perform well in cooler weather. ANNUALS Ranunculus – An annual in our growing zone, are brilliantly colored flowers with multiple layers of crepe-paper like petals. The leaves of the plants …
Echinacea – also known as coneflower – is a terrific perennial for Michigan flower beds. Beautiful, butterfly attracting, deer resistant flowers bloom most of the summer in sunny locations. New colors and new varieties make this plant one of the best choices. Echinacea sounds more like a disease than a plant you would want in your garden. And if you read the Wikipedia description, it still seems like something to stay away from. Maybe that’s why people commonly refer to it …
Nepeta (Catmint) are some of our best garden perennials, as they are long lived, very easy-to-grow, animal resistant and they feature a profusion of color in various shades of blue. When Nepeta’s stems are broken, they release an aroma into the air that tends to attract cats, thus its common name, Catmint. Nepeta loves sun and tolerates dry conditions. Cut back to the ground at the end of winter. One of the best plants to edge or plant under a …
Penstemon is a western United States native that has colorful tubular flowers on tall spikes. This prairie plant thrives in hot, sunny conditions and is a stunning addition to wildflower plantings. Another common name is Beardtongue. The beauty and regal presence of Penstemon in bloom is unmatched by few other perennials. Growing Penstemon is straightforward, as they are extremely resilient and are excellent naturalizing plants when encouraged to re-seed themselves. Best of all, Penstemon’s nectar-rich flowers are indispensable to pollinators like …
