Sustainable Plants For 2013

It was a summer to remember that summer of 2012, fried leaves, wilting flowers and the actual disappearance of foliage above ground level.

Astilbe along north side fried even with sufficient water.

How soon we forget and become so excited about all of the new plant introductions for the coming season.

I am trying to keep my focus on the plants that did well despite the intense heat and lack of rain.  Water is not always the answer in high temperatures, no matter how much water I gave my astilbies on the north side they could not take the heat.

One of the best Heucheras in the heat was Peach Flambe.

 

Heucherellas actually do even better in the heat - Sweet Tea.

 

Heucherella Stoplight

Hydrangeas are also not heat resistant, except for Limelight, and maybe some others, that suffered neither leaf or flower damage.  I guess I could include Hydrangea Unique in this category also, both large hydrangeas.  The smaller newer varieties suffered, i.e., Endless Summer, Starlight.

Hydrangea Little Lime

 

Hydrangea Let's Dance Starlight

Flowers wilted and leaves browned during the heat.

 

Hydrangea Limelight

 

Hydrangea Unique

 

 

 If you are willing to water there are many plants that will reward you with wonderful blooms even in 100 degree temperatures.

 

Clematis Hagley Hybrid

All of the clematis did well with sufficient water.

 

Orienpet Lavon Lilies

Lilies do not shy away from the heat and so easy to grow!

 

Phlox Bubblegum

Phlox will reward you all summer if you deadhead.

 

Daylily Mary Todd

 

Daylily Arnie's Choice

 

There are many other choices of heat resistant perennials but these are just some of the plants that worked for me. 

 

Grasses are great in the heat but if not watered will flop.  My Panicum Northwind in the alley garden began to bend over last summer from drought not heat.  It is among many drought resistant plants like sedums, nepeta, agastache and centranthus, so I put a drip system back there mainly for the grasses.

 

Alley Garden

Some extra pruning this spring will keep the growth more compact.

 

Coleus Redhead, Dichondra Silver Falls and Cordyline

Annuals that will take the heat

 

Agave, Purslane and Croton

 

Supertunia Bubblegum

One of the annuals of the year

 

I am not looking forward to a summer like last year, but based on this winter I'm ready if it comes!

 

 

That Other Season

I can hear the gardener's resolutions for the new year, redo this, move that, pick a theme, use more heat resistant plants, etc., etc.

Amaryllis Picotee began blooming the day after Christmas and because they were large bulbs will bloom for quite a while with more than one stalk.

The large bulbs really pay off in flower production.  The smaller Paperwhite Ziva bloomed very little and for a shorter period of time.

That's about it for my inside garden so it's time to get down to business and plan for a wonderful 2013 garden outside!

My garden is totally exposed this year with just a trace of snow so far.  Without snow a garden shows its bones and without bones and snow a garden can be very boring for almost half the year waiting for spring.

Miscanthus Little Kitten

 

Grasses that you can leave standing add greatly to the fall and winter garden along with Myrtle Blue Dart underneath.

 

Panicum Northwind

 

Pennisetum Hameln
A very short grass but pops back up as the snow melts

 

The above grasses even look good in the snow and will not flop until around March.

 

Miscanthus Udine

This is a beautiful four-season grass, however, a heavy snow will topple it.

 

Panicum Shenandoah

This is a smaller upright grass but will have trouble standing in a heavy snow.

 

Azalea Karen

I would plant more of these if I had the room!  The leaves are a rich burgundy all winter and do not curl in the cold like the Rhodies.

 

Heuchera Southern Comfort is sleeping in the cold but will perk up quickly when the temps are above freezing.

 

I am glad I left more flowerheads on Limelight Hydrangea this year, still had plenty for spraying and using dried indoors.

 

Liriope

A great groundcover especially when there is little snow, stays green until early spring

 

 

Will this be the winter without snow?  Probably not, but I am planning my garden to look more interesting even if it is bare down to the grass, groundcovers and mulch for that other season!

Duffy
He's getting bigger (almost ten pounds now) but that tongue is on everything!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Holidays!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paperwhites

It is time to plant Paperwhites for Holiday bloom.

Duffy has kept me from blogging, baking, cleaning, shopping, etc., but he is cute isn't he?

Paperwhite Ziva

The larger bulbs will bring more flowers.  This variety is more fragrant and floriferous than other varieties.

 

Smaller Ziva Bulbs will not have as many flowers.

 

I planted the smaller ones in a glass container with glass marbles.

 

I put put in some more marbles to top it off.

 

I love this container, bought it last year at West Elm.

Water was added to cover the bulbs two thirds up.

 

 

 

The large ziva bulbs were planted in soil.

 

These will definitely have more flowers than the smaller bulbs.

 

I had to buy a Poinsettia grown at our local nursery.

 

I gave in again this year and bought two cyclamen, smaller variety with variegated leaves.

 

The pup got out of his contained area and bit off one of the flower buds!

 

 

 

 

Let The Season Begin

My containers are put together, mostly because the weather has been so mild.  The Thanksgiving turkey has been eaten, lights are on the evergreens and let the Christmas music roll!

My favorite greens this year are Port Orford Cedar and Incense Cedar.  The dried hydrangea flowers are from my Limelight that I sprayed with a deep red enamel (will last all winter).

Pine cones are a great investment as they can be saved from year to year, sprayed and then resprayed when the gold or silver paint wears off.  Shatterproof ornaments are wonderful as they hold up very well through the ravages of winter.

I am enjoying this look with fall still in the background and the Holidays poking in with a splash.  Some Noble Fir was used in this arrangement to give it some upright structure.  All of the cones, fruits, grapevine balls are saved from year to year, with a little respray to spruce them up.  Again, those shatterproof ornaments add to the display.

I cut the greens on an angle, push into the soil, water well and spray with Wilt-Pruf.  The ribbon I bought at a decorating shop for half price, made the bows and streamers, sprayed with a product called Force Field which makes everything waterproof.  The is a spray that can also be used on indoor upholstery.

The containers in the back by the garage are similar but a little more casual.  I like the Huckleberry in the middle because it is a lighter green with tinges of red, looks a little like boxwood.  Again, I have used the Port Orford Cedar and the Incense Cedar, more rounded forms this year and not so much height.

I can't forget the shed with Huckleberry, some faux additives and a casual ribbon staked every so often with metal garden stakes so it doesn't blow away.

The faux garland with the red spray of flowers is plastic but from a distance it looks real.



I do a lot of baking for Christmas and have already started with some small breads, lots more come.  It helps to have an upright freezer that goes to zero (keeps baked goods without having that freezer taste).

Just to add to the excitement this time of year, we welcomed a new puppy into our home McDuff (Duffy).  He's a Westie just like Reggie, and I have to say Reggie is being very patient with his antics.

Duffy (8 Weeks)

 

The Amaryllis Picotee have sprouted but may not bloom for Christmas.