Category Archives: Plant Portraits

Container Ideas, Fall Interest, Perennials and Annuals

Abutilon ‘Dwarf Red’

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Are you looking for something different for a fall display in your containers? Check out Abutilon ‘Dwarf Red’...it celebrates autumn with multitudes of dark orange flowers, and can, if brought indoors and kept in a sun filled space, will continue to carry on the show.

We grow a number of Abutilon selections  in containers which we bring indoors once the cold sets in, but if we were asked which  form to grow,  Abutilon ‘Dwarf Red‘ tops the list. It stays bushy and compact  ( it has A. megapotamicum in its lineage) when grown in 4-6 hours of sun and blooms continuously  with the biggest show in late summer and fall.  We have been caught off guard when a frosty night  has brought temperatures below 32F, and  found that  ‘Dwarf Red’  came through unfazed.

Some things to know about Abutilon. It is  commonly known as Flowering Maple,  and is a semi-tropical shrub with lovely pendant bell-shaped flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds. The flower display can continue year round when grown in bright light and temperatures above 45F, but in our experience,  the flower display in autumn is most generous. Often listed as winter hardy in zones 9-10, we have been hearing that hardiness in zones 7b-8 is not unheard of when plants are grown in a protected spot with good drainage.

CARE: Abutilons like to be fed regularly for good flower output  We use a fish emulsion/seaweed blend (Neptune’s Harvest 2-6-4 blend) every 2 weeks. allow the soil to become somewhat dry between waterings.   Purchase online.

Other posts discussing fall containers:

Rethinking fall containers

Plectranthus ciliatus

End of the Season Container Reports

Perennials and Annuals

Vitex agnus-castus ‘Shoal Creek’

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Why plant Buddleia when you can grow Vitex?  Mid summer blue-lavender fragrant spires begin in July and carry on through August on bushy plants with attractive palmate foliage. Here in the northeast, our colder winters don’t allow plants to become as large (10-15′) as the data says, since they  do get some  winter die back.  Vitex blooms on new growth, so it can be cut back hard each spring to grow into a perfectly sized 5-6′ flowering shrub.  And yes,  it is a great addition to a pollinator garden as it is a favorite of butterflies and bees.

The fruits of Vitex agnus-castus resemble peppercorns and have medicinal properties. It has been used to treat women’s health issues such fertility and menstrual problems. In the middle ages it was used to reduce the male libido (heaven’s no!) hence its common name, Chaste Tree. Grow Vitex in full sun in well drained soil in zones (5, with protection) 6-9.

Perennials and Annuals, Summer Color

Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’

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I’ll give you 3 reasons why you should have ‘Jeana’, a Summer Panicle Phlox, in your garden.

1. Long-blooming tresses of many small lilac sized florets, on 4-5′ stems, adorn this plant from mid July-September.

2. The foliage is highly resistant to mildew.

3. Butterflies favored ‘Jeana’  over all other Phlox paniculata selections  in the trial gardens at the Mt. Cuba Center.

Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ is  hardy in zones 4-8 and enjoys full sun. For a pleasing midsummer vignette, combine with white coneflowers or the yellow daisies of tall Rudbeckia nitida ‘Autumn Sun’, as well as the blue spires of mid-sized Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ and  for the front of the border airy and pollinator friendly Calamintha nepeta ssp nepeta.

Fall Interest, Featured, Perennials and Annuals

A Versatile Fall Aster

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Heath Aster planted itself in the dappled shade of our oak tree.

I take no credit for planting the occasional surprise of native Symphyotrichum ericoides (heath aster) in our gardens…they just appear and often in just the right spot. Unobtrusive all summer, but a delightful accent when flowers form in mid-September, Heath Aster presents 1-2′ stems bearing hundreds of tiny white daisies with yellow centers, creating a frothy foam in both sunny and even somewhat shady areas.

Synphyotrichum ‘Bridal Veil’…a Chicago Botanic Garden Introduction. ( image courtesy of CBC)

There are selected forms out there….‘Snow Flurry’ stays quite low at  6-8″ with 2′ branches that hug the earth, making it a useful native ground cover for the edge of a border or in the rock garden. A new selection ‘Bridal Veil’, introduced by the Chicago Botanic Garden, is believed to be a naturally occurring cross of ericoides and “?”. It produces strong 2′ arching stems with copious amounts of blossoms and forms vigorous clumps.

All forms of Heath Aster prefer well-drained soil and are quite drought tolerant once established. As I mentioned we’ve had plants pop up in even shady situations, but I think you get more flower power with full sun. Deer resistant and pollinator-friendly and hardy in zones 5-8…yay!

Fall Interest, Featured, Perennials and Annuals

Two Plants to add a little Fall Excitement

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All summer long Plectranthus ciliatus masquerades as a khaki-colored Coleus. Come early autumn, all of a sudden floral spikes extend and open up into chunky spires of lavender-blue flowers.  It does need to be protected from frost. but we’ve solved this problem by covering plants with a blanket on those pre-Indian Summer nights when the temperatures dip. Easy peasy to grow indoors for the winter, as it can get by with indoor lighting.

Folks always admire this succulent Senecio early in the season for its display of blue-gray tufts of foliage. However, when late summer rolls around flowering stalks emerge and open up to showy 1″ red-orange buttons. Use Senecio ‘Blazing Glory in a pot by itself or mix with other succulent goodies. Yes, it is a plant that needs protection from frosts., but it is super easy indoors on a sunny window sill.

 

Fall Interest, Plant Portraits, Trees and Shrubs, Winter Interest

Heptacodium miconoides

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Our theory is, if a plant looks fantastic in the September garden, it merits attention. And if it is attractive to pollinators, has winter interest, grows quickly to a reasonable size and is easy to keep happy, then you should absolutely consider finding a spot for it. As I was driving though our little town of Dartmouth the other day, I had to pull over when I saw a picture perfect candidate of such a plant, Heptacodium miconoides, gracing a small streetside garden.

Heptacodium miconoides, or “Seven Son Flower” is relatively new in cultivation here in the US, having come ashore from China in the 1980’s. It bears attractive green foliage, resembling peach leaves, and finally in late summer and early fall, it produces panicles of fragrant, jasmine scented white flowers, which last for a couple of weeks, after which showy rosy red bracts remain. The common name “Seven Son Flower” refers to the 7 branches of blossoms of each panicle. We acquired our first specimen as a plant dividend at the Arnold Arboretum’s Fall Plant Sale in 1989. To our delight, it grew quite quickly, putting on as much as 3′ in a season. We learned after a bit that Heptacodium wants to be a multi stemmed shrub, unless pruned to one or several strong leaders. Our preference was to show off the handsome exfoliating bark, so we removed all but the strongest 3 trunks. If you would prefer to have a single trunk, select a young plant and stake one stem for straight growth.

Heptacodium merits attention for its adaptability to a variety of soil conditions, including soils that remain dry for some time, although occasional supplemental watering wouldn’t hurt. It is tolerant of salt spray, making it useful near the seashore. Other big plusses: Heptacodium is deer resistant, and the butterflies and bees absolutely love the blossoms. Provide it with lots of sunshine. Pruned as a small tree it can be the focal point of a small garden, or planted en masse it would make a showy hedge. It’s perfectly hardy in zones 5-8.

 

Fall Interest, Perennials and Annuals, Summer Color

Vernonia x ‘Southern Cross’

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Do you have room in your garden for a late summer/early fall blooming perennial that attracts butterflies galore? This Ironweed has dreamy clouds of composite purple flower clusters on sturdy stems 3-4’ tall beginning in August and its handsome narrow foliage looks fresh all season long. Discovered by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials, ‘Southern Cross’ obviously has the species lettermannii in its heritage. This selection combines beautifully with ornamental grasses such as Sorghastrum, Schizachyrium and Eragrostis.

‘Southern Cross’ appears to like extra moisture the first season but becomes more drought tolerant once it is established. Plants are hardy in zones 4-8 and should be deer resistant.

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Perennials and Annuals, Plant Portraits

Glows in the Shade: Tricyrtis ‘Autumn Glow’

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We are always looking for summer blooming perennials for shade, and here’s one you should consider. Many of us notice plants when their blossoms present themselves , and indeed Tricyrtis ‘Autumn Glow’ does captivate with its purple-blue orchid like flowers. I say that this form of Toad Lily deserves attention for its large and bold golden edged foliage. Ovate leaves grow to 6″ long and 3” wide and plants enjoy a rich, somewhat moist but well drained soil. Plants spread by stolons and clump up quite quickly, growing to 2’ tall and up to 3’ wide in dappled shade. ‘Autumn Glow’  is reliably winter hardy in zones 5-8.

Tricyrtis ‘Autumn Glow’ still showing off in early October

The flowers, born in sprays from late July into early October, are lovely as cut flowers and do attract butterflies. Pair Tricyrtis ‘Autumn Glow’ with ferns, such as Athyrium otophorum, or golden leaved Hosta for a nice shady vignette.

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Spring Color, Trees and Shrubs

Stachyurus chinensis ‘Celina’

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Shrubs and trees which flower on old wood, just before the leaves unfurl, have a special charm. Think Witchhazel, Native Dogwood, Redbud. One that we especially love and isn’t so well known is Stachyurus chinensis ‘Celina’. This shrub bears pendant racemes of creamy white/yellow flowers in early spring (April for us). We have ‘Celina’ planted in a sheltered spot  from winter winds, which can desiccate the flower buds. This area is shaded by a Japanese Maple and gets 4-6 hours of sun. Our 7 year old plant is about 4′ tall with arching branches from the base, reaching to about 6′ in width. We expect it will grow to 8′ x 10′ eventually. Fall color varies year to year, but we’ve seen it take on yellow and orange tones. hardy in zones 6-9.

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Container Ideas, Featured, Perennials and Annuals

Containers 2017…the before shots

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Here it is the end of June, and the most of our containers are planted. These are  low maintenance ensembles: the goal is to have them still looking  fine at September’s end, with minimal care during the summer. As you might expect, foliage plants, especially succulents, play a big role because of their reliable good looks.

6_27_17zenbowl72You’ve seen this pot before, but each year I vary the ingredients. This year the 36″ Zen Bowl has an interesting collection of Graptoveria, Aeonium, Euphorbia, Sedum and Senecio.

zdrumpotaeoniumwebThe green drum pot boasts a specimen Aeonium hybrid with x Sedeveria ‘Harry Butterfield’ and Senecio rowleyensis (String of Pearls).

zgaragepots500Again, the tall cylinder pot in front of the garage has a repeat performance  with a few of last year’s plants…Kalanchoe behartii, Aeonium ‘Cyclops’ , Echeveria ‘Swirl’, x Graptosedum ‘California Sunset‘, Senecio ‘Mini Blue’, a Rhipsalis and silver leaved Dichondra.

whitepotsjune2017For a sunny spot….some tender perennials with flower power. Digiplexis ‘Illumination Flame’ is not hardy for us in the ground, but it is a long summer bloomer in pots. Ruellia ‘Purple Showers’ adds some dark contrast with foliage plants Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’, Heuchera ‘Caramel’, and Hedera ‘Amber Waves’ adding long season interest. The smaller pot to the right has Heuchera ‘Cherry Cola’, Phormium ‘Sundowner‘, and Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’, with a matching Hedera.

zgrecian_urn500This 20″ wide Grecian urn is in quite a bit of shade, so I’ve used the variegated dwarf Papyrus Cyperus ‘Starburst’, with dark purple leaved Oxalis, Begonia ‘Art Hodes’, Sansevieria ‘Moonshine‘ and trailing over the sides, Callisia congesta variegata

zvesselferndicondra_shade500New pot, new spot. Green, silver and black color scheme. Dappled shade all day. Used Maidenhair Fern Adiantum pedatum, with Sansevieria ‘Moonshine’, Black Mondo Grass Ophiopogon planiscapes Nigrescens, Begonia grandis, which will get big and add height as the summer goes on, and I’m trying out Dichondra in the shade. We shall see…

papyrus2017_juneThe 14″ green planter has both a green and a variegated dwarf papyrus, with Ornamental Oregano Origanum rotundifolium ‘Kent Beauty’  and Callisia congesta variegata. The dusky plum leaved plant on the right is Tradescantia ‘Pale Puma’ .

ironurn2017_juneThe False Agave Beschoneria ‘Flamingo Glow’ is accented with ivies and oxalis…Hedera ‘Amber Waves’ and congestifolia, plus Oxalis ‘Iron Cross’ in the iron urns which get only 3 hours of afternoon sun.

headpot2017_juneA simple planting of hardy Sempervivum ‘Pacific Blue Ice’ with  teensy creeping Sedum sexangulare are just the right plants for the small planting cavity of this face pot.
brownterracottapot_june2017I can just tell this brown terra cotta bowl is going to be outrageous when fall arrives…the succulents used include Sticks on Fire Euphorbia tirucalli rosea, Senecio ‘Blazing Glory’, Crassula ‘Hummel’s Sunset’ Sedum ‘Firestorm’, and String of Pearls, Senecio rowleyensis. 

Check back for more images in the end of September report.