Tag Archives: hummingbird plant

Fall Interest, Perennials and Annuals, Trees and Shrubs

Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Gibraltar’

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Bush clover in blossom waves
without spilling
a drop of dew
—- Matsuo Basho

If you had to choose one plant to fill your late summer garden, you might consider the lovely Japanese Bush Clover, Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Gibraltar’. This selection was discovered by the accomplished plantsman, Bill Frederick, at Gibraltar, one of the duPont family estates in Wilmington, Delaware.  We have to admit ‘Gibraltar’ is a big show-off, quickly growing to 5-6′ tall and in just a few years occupying an 8-10 sq. ft. area quite easily. It loves a sunny spot and is hardy in zones 5-9.

 Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Gibraltar’ is in the legume family, and this means it does not require a rich soil, but prefers one that is a lean and well drained. To manage its size and form, you should cut the woody stalks hard to the ground in early spring. This may seem alarming at first, but Bush Clover blooms on new growth and  the full height will be attained by mid summer. A bevy of cascading branches adorned by an abundance of purple pink pea blossoms will add eye catching color from late August through September.

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Container Ideas, Fall Interest

Planting Containers for Late Summer into Autumn

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Late Summer Planter

As the end of August approaches, summer containers may be in need of renewal. Save the fall mums and pumpkins for October and November. There are dozens of cool season container plants, including small shrubs, perennials as well as “fall annuals” that will put on a show for the next 6-8 weeks, at least.

A few tips about late season plantings: If your original planting included strong foliage plants that are still looking fine, leave them and pull out the sad looking offenders. Add some fresh soil in the pockets. Select some new plant material to replenish the bare spots. If starting a new combination, consider this. Plant growth is slowing down, due to fewer hours of daylight, so plant more densely than you would in early summer. Give a feeding or 2 of Dynagro, or other liquid fertilizer.

Here’s an example of great late season ensemble. This combination has been a favorite for years, and works well in an 18-20″ pot. For height we?ve used Purple Fountain Grass Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’, and added a pair of Cuphea ‘David Verity’, a hummingbird magnet, with its tubular orange flowers and handsome foliage that takes on burgundy tones in cool temperatures. A robust Heuchera ‘Caramel’ adds weight, a dark leaved ornamental pepper adds fun, and ‘Dreamsicle’ Calibrachoa cascades over the pots for dramatic effect.

Fall Interest, Perennials and Annuals, Summer Color

Cuphea ‘David Verity’

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Cuphea David VerityWant a colorful plant that blooms nonstop, attracts hummingbirds and never needs deadheading?  Cuphea ‘David Verity’ , a selection of Cigar Plant, is a strong candidate. His charm can?t be captured in photographs, but that hasn?t stopped us from offering this cutting grown Cuphea for over a decade. Customers who have grown him once now can’t be without him.

Cuphea ‘David Verity’ grows to 18-24″ tall in a season, and likes an average to moist soil. He produces an endless supply of tubular orange flowers which keep the hummers busy. When temperatures get cool in late summer the foliage takes on a burgundy cast. The show carries on into the fall until a frost signals the season is over. We’ve combined ‘David’ in planters with Colocasia , Heuchera ‘Caramel’, and dark leaved Ipomoea ‘Carolina Purple’ but many more combinations are possible. ‘David Verity’ provides constant color in the mixed border?…try him with dark leaved Heuchera villosa ‘Mocha’ and a hot colored cone flower such as ‘Tomato Soup’.

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Fall Interest, Perennials and Annuals, Summer Color

Ruellia brittoniana ‘Purple Showers’

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Sometimes your garden needs something tall, something blue. The abundant display of summer perennials laden with yellow daisy-like flowers begs for plant selections which offer dark contrast.

A “temperennial” here in zone 6, Tall Mexican Petunia won’t winter over outdoors for us, but it certainly will in zones 8-10. Still, we always make room for it in our gardens and also use it in container combinations where the tall 3-4′ purple stalks are clothed with narrow dark green purple tinted foliage. The continuous display of violet blue funnel shaped flowers extend on short stems from the leaf axils, and attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Ruellia ‘Purple Showers’ does enjoy evenly moist soil, and will even grow well along a pond?s edge or in low standing water, a situation that can be challenging. This does not mean it won?t grow in average soil conditions, for it will, but it does not want to fry.  Southern nursery catalogs list Ruellia as an evergreen shrub. We suspect Ruellia may become territorial in warm climates, and should be planted where its vigor is an asset.

 

 

Trees and Shrubs, Winter Interest

Clethra barbinervis

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Japanese Clethra is waiting to be discovered.  It is a plant for all seasons, boasting fragrant mid summer blossoms, yellow-orange to red fall foliage, and exfoliating bark in winter. If left unpruned it will grow as a multistemmed shrub or small tree, but we prefer to see it trained to a single leader, with lower limbs removed, so that the showy bark can be better appreciated.

We were smitten when our young plant came into bloom in July. Trios of sweetly scented white, 4-6″, twisting racemes will drip from the branches into August. The ovate serrated foliage, in a shade of dark green, really sets off the white blossoms. Fall color is also striking, ranging form yellow orange to deep red. Although Clethra barbinervis is fast growing, it seems to reach an ultimate height of 15-20′. It prefers a well drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil with adequate moisture. Clethra barbinervis grows well in partial shade, although it will tolerate and bloom abundantly in full sun, if watering needs are met. It can be cultivated in zones 5-8.

Container Ideas

Red Combo for Part Shade

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Red Combo for Part ShadeThis easy care combination, which will be very happy in a spot that receives 4-6 hours of sun, includes Fuchsia ‘Gartenmeister’ complimented by multihued Calibrachoa ‘Tequila Sunrise’, Helichrysum ‘Limelight’ for light contrast, and Coleus ‘Dipt in Wine’ which picks up the colors of the other 3 candidates.

The Fuchsia and Calibrachoa (Million Bells) will lure hummingbirds and bloom endlessly. Should the Helichrysum (Licorice Plant) or Calibrachoa exceed their bounds with vigorous growth, just clip back. Plant this grouping in a good quality potting mix amended with compost or PlantTone, and Osmocote. In addition to fertilizer in the mix, we always recommend liquid feeding your containers every 1-2 weeks with a balanced plant food, such as Dyna Gro.

Perennials and Annuals

Fuchsia triphylla ‘Gartenmeister’

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What a workhorse! This plant always looks terrific. Beloved by hummingbirds for his endless supply of long tubular salmon-red flowers, this upright bushy Fuchsia has handsome velvety dark green tinted purple bronze foliage. ‘Fuchsia Gartenmeister’, also known as ‘Gartenmeister Bonstedt’, in honor of it’s hybridizer, can reach a height of 2-3′, but can be pinched back if a shorter stature is desired, and can grow to a width of 18-24″ in one season.

We recommend growing ‘Gartenmeister’ in morning sun/afternoon shade, although we have grown this plant in a very sunny spot, where the flower supply was even more generous. Use a  rich well drained soil and keep well watered. Fertilize container grown plants bi weekly. Plants are winter hardy in very warm climates (zone 10) but can be easily wintered over indoors, should you wish to keep plants for next year.

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Container Ideas, Featured

Container Combinations I

Pink/Wine/Silver Combo

A classic combination for a sunny spot. We’ve combined our favorite Pelargonium sidoides with a new heat tolerant pale pink Marguerite, Argyranthemum ‘Pink Reflection’, silvery Centaurea gymnocarpa ‘Colchester White’ and Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ and a compact selection of Gaura ‘Belize‘, with wine tinted foliage and wine/pink blossoms that dance on 18-24″ stems all summer.

Perennials and Annuals

Pelargonium sidoides

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Pelargonium sidoides

This has been one of our favorite species “Geraniums” since we first offered it in 1997. Pelargonium sidoides is native to South Africa, and herbalists may be aware of it’s medicinal qualities for colds and bronchitis. We grow P. sidoides because it is superbly ornamental.

P. sidoides has attractive aromatic silvery gray foliage, and wiry branches with wispy clusters of dark wine colored blossoms, which are continuously produced all season. It does best in full sun, and forms tidy mounds 6-10″ tall with a spread of about 12-15″ in a season. It seems to perform admirably in both cool and hot summers, and, although only winter hardy to 20 degrees F, will easily winter over on a sunny window sill.

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Shade Gardening, Spring Color, Trees and Shrubs

Rhododendron ‘New Century’

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‘New Century’ is another tidy compact Rhododendron, with pale citron yellow blossoms. It has a very full foliage appearance due to the fact it holds its evergreen leaves for 3 years, rather than just 2 like most other rhodies. It grows to a well behaved 4′ x 4′ size and is quite hardy for a yellow form, (to minus 15F).

Grow this selection in a spot protected from drying winter winds. Morning suns and afternoon shade is ideal, but plants can take more sun if well irrigated during drier conditions. Like all Rhododendrons, ‘New Century’ appreciates a humus rich soil that remains moist but well drained.