People in my neck of the woods generally plant trees and shrubs in the spring, but early fall is just as good, if not better. Late August and early September in Ohio are often dry (perhaps not this year!), so some attention should be paid to making sure a newly planted bush is kept moist. […]
shrubs
Underestimated Flowering Shrubs
Witch Hazel ushers in Spring On the whole, deciduous, flowering shrubs get short shrift in modern gardens. We know about lilacs and weigelas, perhaps, but are often discouraged from planting them given “lack of seasonal interest” as the rationalization for such advice. It is true that some of them shine only when in bloom. Flowering […]
Hard Decisions
My garden, like myself, is no longer young and freshly planted. We have been here awhile, and the signs of maturity are equal parts dignified and disconcerting. Once this property was almost a blank space with few trees and mown grass, now it holds almost thirty years worth of plantings, some grown quite large. Large […]
Endless Summer Hydrangea on Alkaline Soil
This is a beautiful hydrangea plant. The first year it was a light blue flower, but the alkaline conditions of my soil have caught up with its chemical makeup and now the blooms are a very pretty pink. I like the novelty of blue flowers, but it would take lots of Miracid or some other […]
Endless Summer Hydrangea, 2010 Season
This summer ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangea has seen the best of times and the worst of times. The early part of the season with its regular drenching rains created perfect blooming conditions, and the bush looked the best I have yet seen it. Then the scorching hot and dry patch drew out the moisture faster than […]
Winter Hazel, Bee Balm, and pesky Privet
This will be the last post of my stroll around my yard, and the many so-called“problem” plants in the old landscaping around the house. it seems that nuisanceand problem are words applied primarily to a plant with aggressively spreading habits.most people generally prefer gardens without this type of intruder. i have found,over and over, that […]
