From December 2011 MNW Newsletter

Horticulture Tips

    Merry Christmas to all! It’s early December, and many of our landscapes are still looking dreary.... no color, or worse, brown! Each of us, individually, can make a significant difference in the way our subdivision looks. This in turn will affect property values!

    Yes, it was a brutal summer…hot, dry, long…but the summer is over; a new season is here and we could all use a bit of color!

    It’s cool enough now to plant cyclamen; it is readily available in pink, red, and white. Cyclamen is a beautiful plant, resembling an African violet and can be planted in the ground. Even 3-5 plants, surrounded by white allysum, is a breathtaking sight. The red is celebratory, the white is refreshing; it all adds up to a spirit-lifting addition to your home. If you prefer, cyclamen can be planted in a container and placed by your front door, to welcome you home each day. Telstar white dianthus grows to @ 10-12” and can be placed in the center of your container; surround this with the red or pink cyclamen, and again the white allysum on the edges.

    Cyclamen is one of the more expensive annuals, so if you prefer, plant dianthus or pansies. There are many colors to choose from, but with Christmas right around the corner, the reds and whites will compliment the season and take you through March!

    Over the course of our winters, I find myself longing to see anything green. The perennials are sleeping, and the deciduous trees are without leaf. I’m bored to tears with Indian Hawthorn and Yaupon. Well, I have found a few “Jewels” for the garden. Have you ever heard of blue skullcap? I bought this plant about 5 years ago, and absolutely love it. It stays low, about 8-15”, and has the most beautiful small blue flowers. It does spread by the root, but is not invasive or difficult to control. The leaves are a beautiful shiny green, and it is an evergreen.

    For a low growing ground cover, you can’t beat Mexican Sedum. It is a beautiful light green color and spreads on the ground readily. It doesn’t have much of a root system, so is very easy to move around in the garden, as you wish. The most wonderful benefit of this sedum is that as it covers the ground, it prevents the sun from hitting the weed seeds in the soil, so you have less weeds! Mexican Sedum sports yellow blooms in the Spring. When the blooms fade, you can cut them back with a weedwacker (seriously!), and enjoy the sedum without the bloom; sedum can grow in sun or shade, but in very hot temps will need some water.

    Another favorite is Yarrow. There are several varieties, and this plant, though classified as a perennial, is evergreen in our area. The leaves of my yarrow are fernlike, and the color is the most beautiful green. I use this as an edge to my flower beds because it stays low, about 8”, except for the occasional blooms which spike up and may need staking. After the bloom fades, I cut that stem back and still have my lovely low green fernlike border. Currently, I’m dividing this plant to use in more flower beds. In the midst of a cold winter, on one of those days that make you yearn for Springtime, you can look out on your yarrow and enjoy the soft green promise of warmer days.

    One of my new favorites is “Blue Chip” Buddleia. This is an evergreen dwarf buddleia, or butterfly bush. It grows to about 2 feet tall, and 2-3’ wide, unlike our native buddleia, which can grow to a rangy 8’ tall. I haven’t yet been through a winter with my “Blue Chip”, but I’m assured that it is evergreen in our area. It is locally available in a 3 gal. size for about $25, or a 1 gal. size for about $10. It blooms reliably all through our warm season, and the butterflies love it, as the name implies. As a small evergreen shrub, it is perfect for in front of windows; it prefers sun, but will appreciate some shade in the middle of our brutal summers.

    For beautiful Fall color, loropetalum is an evergreen in our area. There are many varieties of loropetalum, large and small, so be certain to read the tag to get the right size for your garden.

    Have a wonderful Christmas season, full of family, friends, and flowers!

Until next month,
Happy Gardening,