Davy's Louisiana Gardening Blog

The Lovely Christmas Cassia

2011-11-10T08:55:00.001-06:00

How would you like a tropicalesque bush with lush green leaves and showy yellow flowers that makes an amazing statement in a yard in the fall? If you do, then I present to you the Christmas Cassia.

The flowers are so profuse that they cover the large shrub. They will fall forming a carpet of fallen petals under the plant too. Butterflies and bees come in by the droves to visit the blooms in the fall just before that first killing frost.

The plant gets 10' or so tall and can be just as wide. It likes full sun and reasonably moist soil. I have mine planted against the south side of my house to keep it going as long as possible before being killed to the ground by frost. (In the above picture, the large leaves are from a brugmansia plant and the smaller leaves are from the cassia.) It will come back each year in zone 8 where I live. Further south it can stay evergreen year-round. This plant is very fast growing and should be trimmed back to keep it from sprawling and flopping.

The plant is a host for the sulphur family of butterflies - those bright yellow ones you see all over. This makes it even more attractive to me since I'm so fond of butterflies. It is not a great plant for northern areas because it needs a fairly long growing season to reach the point of making flowers. However, when it does reach flowering time, it does so with gusto! Highly recommended for the Gulf Coast region.

The Sweet Fragrances of Autumn

2011-11-05T15:22:00.002-05:00

Fragrances fill my life with pleasure. Nothing brings back old memories and nostalgia to me like a smell from my childhood. Fall is one of the best times of the year for fragrance. Houses are filled with the aroma of pumpkin, apple, and the spices that go with them. Yards are filled with the perfume of flowers of many types.

One of my favorite Autumn flowers is the Butterfly Ginger (hedychium.) This sister of the canna just isn't grown in enough places. It thrives all over the South and is so easy that it should be in every yard. The gardenia-like fragrance permeates a yard like nothing else. They bloom from late summer all the way till frost. Then they come back again next year and spread even more. Such an easy pass-along plant that you can give plenty away by the second year.

However, my absolute favorite fragrance of the fall comes from the delectable Sweet Olive (osmanthus fragrans.) This one is dear to my heart because it was a staple in my grandmother's yard and in my mother's yard. My memory is stoked every time I get a whiff of the distinctive aroma of this shrub. The shrub itself is a nice evergreen plant that gets the size of a small tree. The flowers are barely noticeable. But from mid-fall through spring the fragrance wafts through the cool air of any yard where the shrub is planted. I think a hedge of this plant would be a delight. Give your own children and grandchildren another aroma to bring them good memories in the future.

Nothing Like a White Rose

2011-10-13T14:58:00.000-05:00

I have three "white" rose plants and I love them all. White roses stand out so beautifully- the blooms are highly visible from a distance - and they look great even under moonlight. There is something delicate and enticing about them that is different from other colors of roses to me. They are quite difficult to photograph with my cheap digital camera because they capture too much light and are overly bright under normal lighting conditions.

Ducher

This first picture is a wonderful China rose called Ducher. It is one of the famous Earthkind roses, which means it is one of the most maintenance free of them all. Ducher has a slight yellow tinge to it at first bloom. It has a slight but noticeable and lemony fragrance. The bush form is full and lush getting to about 5' x 5' around. I never spray mine and it gets practically no disease in my Louisiana climate. If there is a complaint against this rose it is that the blooms crisp in the heat of summer and are much smaller. In spring and fall this plant really shines.

Madame Alfred Carriere

This next rose is actually a very light pink in color, but it quickly fades to almost pure white after being open for a few hours. It is Madame Alfred Carriere, a rose sometimes classified as a noisette and sometimes as a tea. It is a vigorous climber with a sweet, wafting fragrance that is impossible to miss. The rose is a bushy climber that gets both long and full. First bloom in spring is spectacular with the vine being covered with blooms. The fragrance will fill a yard at that time. It blooms more sporadically throughout the summer and then puts on a fairly large flush again in Autumn. I get maybe 30% leaf loss on this plant in the summer without spraying at all. I can't imagine not having this rose, but it definitely needs lots of space. One last thing I appreciate about this rose is the small number of thorns it has.

Prosperity

Prosperity is the whitest of the white. It's nearly pure white right from the start. It blooms in large clusters on a sprawling plant that doesn't know if it wants to be a climber or a shrub. It is in the hybrid musk family of roses and has the distinct and lovely fragrance of that clan. Mine stays beautiful without spray and blooms 9 months out of the year for me. I've seen this rose especially recommended for a wedding rose because of its beauty and fragrance. The blooms are smaller and get easily crisped around the edges in the hot part of summer, so it looks its best in spring and fall. One of the things I like best about this rose is that it has ready-made bouquets. You can cut off one of the clusters of bloom, put them straight into a vase, and set them anywhere in the house for a beautiful look and a natural air-freshener.

These are three of the very best white roses for Louisiana. To this list I might only add the popular polyantha, Marie Pavie. Marie Pavie is a smaller shrub with fragrant blooms on a plant with few thorns. I don't currently have one of these, but it's on my wish list!

Plants and Elephants

2011-10-07T12:14:00.001-05:00

There is a square "courtyard" type area in our yard where we annually put a swimming pool up for our three children. Last year, I got the bright idea to make this area into a tropical square. It's perfect for this because it's in a sunny place on the south side of our house and quite sheltered from north winds. It has become my place to experiment with various tropicals. No tropical area is complete without some elephant ears (colocasias and alocasias.) I picked up two beautiful colocasias this year as my first victims.

I love the dark-colored, purplish colocasias. Purple Ruffles fits that bill and it quickly found a spot in the tropical square. It is a medium-sized colocasia that should thrive in Louisiana.

This is what is looks like now. The leaves are burnt around the edges because of the drought conditions we had this year. Tropicals typically don't fare well in drought! Still, it's growing and I anticipate great things next year.

One of the colocasias that I really love is Thailand Giant. It makes such a loud statement in the yard! This is one that requires plenty of water and fertilizer to look best. This year was not ideal, but my plant still looks fine with all the supplemental water I've given it. If it survives the winter well, I really want to baby it next year and get those giant leaves this plant is known to get.

My plant has leaves only about 3' long which is quite below the possible 6' size of this plant. These plants grow well in zones 8 and higher. It's best to put them in large pots if you live further north. They will die back to the ground every winter only to come back strong in mid-spring. They prefer part shade and moist, rich soil.

A Touch of Goldsturm

2011-07-24T15:32:00.000-05:00

Goldsturm rudbeckias are among the easiest of all perennials to grow and they make a statement like none other when in full bloom. These are commonly called "Black-eyed Susans" though this is a hybrid cultivar that makes much better plants and larger flowers than the wild variety. The flowers start in July and continue for at least several weeks atop a bushy plant that has a pleasant shape.

The plant is so bulletproof that everyone should grow them. They look good even when not in bloom, mix well with many other plants, and add great color to a mixed bed or border. Butterflies are attracted to them as well. They will slowly spread and can be divided every three years or so. You can also plant the seeds, though they won't be exactly like the mother plant. They prefer full, hot sun but will tolerate some shade. They will grow in any but soggy soil and are virtually pest free. The stems are also long enough to make this a nice cut flower for indoor bouquets too. Such a winner of a plant deserves all the accolades it gets. Highly recommended for everyone!

"Send Now Prosperity"

2011-07-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

The title of this blog entry is from Psalms 118:25 in the Bible, for those who are curious. Prosperity is the name of this clustering, white rose. It is one of the hybrid musk roses developed in the early 1900's by Joseph Pemberton.

This is the only whole bush shot I have at the moment. It shows just how prolific the blooms are on this plant when it is in full flush. The plant, like most hybrid musks, is either an arching bush or a short climber that blooms in flushes throughout the season.

You can see just how huge the bloom clusters often are. The fragrance can be wafting and noticeable when Prosperity is at full flush. I really noticed the fragrance when first coming across this rose at the Gardens of the American Rose Society in Shreveport a couple of years ago. That is what convinced me to get this rose.

Because of the pure white beauty of this rose, it is highly recommended as a wedding rose. Cut a whole cluster for a wonderful bouquet.

The leaves are dark green, somewhat small, and pretty resistant to disease. I don't spray and this rose has remained largely blackspot-free for me.

Sometimes the blooms open up more. They also have a pink tinge if the weather is cloudy or cooler.

The canes of this rose are fairly lax and don't get super long. I think that makes this one of the best candidates for a pillar rose. Many other climbers either get too long for a pillar or they have too stiff of canes. Like other hybrid musks, this one reportedly takes more shade than most roses, so it would be a great candidate for an area that gets partial shade.

I really love white roses and this is one of the best for my area. My only complaint against this rose is just how hard it is to deadhead so many blooms!

The Wonderful Shasta Daisy

2011-07-01T12:41:00.000-05:00

Nothing says "cottage garden" like Shasta daisies. They are beloved the world around and are the favorite flower of many people. The one I grow is the cultivar "Becky." It is the best variety for the South and is renowned for taking more heat and humidity than most other daisies. It is also great about not getting too tall and floppy.

The plant grows into a bushy clump that gets about 2' tall and about the same wide. They like well-drained, sunny spots. The blooms start in May at my house and continue for a couple of months. They will bloom longer if deadheaded regularly. Don't let them go long without water during the growing season. On the other hand, in the winter they will die if left soggy.

My plant is growing in a corner by my fence. It will be ready to divide and spread around this fall. You can divide them every three years or so when the clumps get large. The blooms grow on long stems making for great bouquets, so be sure to pick plenty of them. Butterflies and bees also appreciate all types of daisies.

Purple Coneflower - Magnus

2011-06-29T08:43:00.001-05:00

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a native US plant that grows as easily as any weed in most of the continental US. The variety I grow is the most popular of the cultivars and it is called Magnus. There are many new varieties and hybrids that get mixed reviews, but Magnus is consistently praised wherever it is grown.

The plant gets about 3' tall and most of the blooms are held up above the foliage. The blooms are profuse and striking as you can see in the above picture. The blooms begin in early summer and stay around for a month or so. The leaves are medium green and sandpapery in feel. The clump can get around 3' in diameter after a couple of years. I have this plant growing in one of my backyard butterfly gardens along with butterfly bush, verbena, and salvia leucantha (Mexican bush sage.)

The blooms are about 3" around and daisylike. I smell a distinct and pleasant fragrance on my blooms. Butterflies and bees frequently visit these blooms. Birds also love the seeds if you forego deadheading the blooms.

This plant is a reliable and long-lived perennial everywhere it grows. You can divide the plant every two or three years to get more of them. Also, they will re-seed in the vicinity if given the right conditions. Coneflowers need nearly full sun and good drainage to thrive best. They tolerate drought well and will grow in almost any soil type. The flowers are long-lasting in a vase and have long stems that are perfect for cutting. This really is one of the best perennials to grow for a cottage garden or butterfly garden.

Zinnias - Zahara and Lilliput

2011-06-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

Zinnias are famous for being among the easiest annuals to grow. The seeds are cheap and they readily come up if planted in warm or even hot weather. They are very drought tolerant, come in all colors, come in all sizes, and attract tons of butterflies. The blooms are long lasting for bouquets and vases. The only problem is that some of the older varieties can get mildew in the humid summers of the Southeast. Newer varieties are nearly immune to mildew and stay healthy and nice all the way till frost. Above is Zahara Double Fire, one of the new varieties.

The Zahara series is a shorter variety that doesn't get tall and floppy like many of the older zinnias. I'm trying these out for the first time this year. Thus far, I love them. They are bushy and short with none of the floppiness of many other zinnias. Plus, they easily germinated from seeds. The double type makes the normal pom-pom flowers that typify most zinnias. I'm thinking of using these instead of the Profusions because they have shown themselves more easy to grow from seed. I've had to purchase plants for Profusions, which gets costly.

This is another variety of zinnia called Lilliput. I mistakenly thought because of the name that these would be a shorter variety. They get tall and become floppy, which is my one gripe against them. However, they bloom prolifically and readily reseed themselves all over the place. I didn't plant any of them this year and they are just coming up voluntarily all over one of my butterfly beds. They are so happy and healthy that I don't have the heart to chop them all down. Plus, the butterflies adore them.

As you can see, this variety comes in many colors. I have a fondness for the peachy-orange ones. They look nice in bouquets and brighten up the flowerbed beautifully. The flowers aren't huge and full like the Bennary's Giant series, but there are far more of them. I haven't noticed any disease on this variety at all.

Zinnias should be a staple of the summer landscape. They love hot, sunny locations and seem to never stop blooming. They are so easy to grow that everyone should have some of them. I especially love them because of all the butterflies they attract. The many colors available make it easy to match them in any color scheme. They thrive in drought conditions, make good potted plants, and need almost no care. Need I say more?

Have a Cigar - Mexican Cigar Plant

2011-06-26T21:01:00.000-05:00

I usually have at least one blog entry per year singing the praises of this unique plant, the Mexican cigar plant or cuphea ignea. Looking at the blooms, it should be obvious why it has this name. The little blooms closely resemble small cigars or cigarettes. If that's what the blooms are, then hummingbirds are notorious nicotine addicts, because they love the blooms on this plant.

The blooms usually begin for me in early May and continue right up till the first frost of Autumn. These plants thrive on heat and humidity, being native to Mexico and Central America. The blooms are profuse for nearly the whole time.

The plant itself has a pleasing and full form if kept pinched back. Occasionally through the year if mine starts to look lanky, I'll prune the tips back to encourage a more full look. The leaves are a pleasing dark green that contrasts well with the bright orange flowers. The shrub only gets to about 4' high for me and maybe 2.5' wide.

The plant dies to the ground in my zone 8b yard, but it has reliably come back for several years with no special protection. It comes up from the roots once the ground warms up in the spring. It prefers a sunny spot and semi-tropical conditions. I wouldn't use it for a dry spot, though it does take minor droughts well. As mentioned above, this is certainly one of the best hummingbird plants you can put in the ground, so it's truly worthy for that reason alone. It's such a no-fuss workhorse that I really recommend it for the South. It would probably be only an annual in zones any further north than zone 7b.

Turk's Cap

2011-06-25T13:04:00.000-05:00

It's quite easy to see why this plant is called Turk's Cap when you take a close look at the blooms. They closely resemble old-fashioned turbans. The most common color is this deep red one and it's the one I like most because of its attraction to hummingbirds.

The plant has a pleasing shrub shape with large sycamore-like leaves. The blooms are not overpowering on the plant, but there are plenty enough of them. This plant is a close kin to the hibiscus clan and resembles them. One difference from the hibiscuses is that Turk's Cap thrives in more shade. This one is growing in the shade of a large Arizona Ash tree on the edge of my yard. It is very healthy and happy. These plants do not enjoy dry conditions and mine has an emitter from my irrigation system that supplies it with plenty of water. They can survive in dryer conditions if forced to.

Turk's Caps die to the ground after a freeze, but mine readily came back after last winter which was harsher than normal. The Latin name for these is malvaviscus drummondii, in case anyone wants to look up more information on them. The plants get to around 5' tall and nearly as wide. They are wonderful for providing color to shady areas. The blooms usually start in early June and will continue through the summer, into fall, and up to freeze time. They are one of the absolute favorite plants of ruby-throated hummingbirds and are a must have for those wanting to attract these hummers. Highly recommended for anyone in zones 7b and higher. This is definitely an under-utilized plant in my area, which is a shame.

Lord Baltimore Hardy Hibiscus

2011-06-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

Meet Lord Baltimore, one of the most spectacular blooms to be found on any plant. The flowers are deep red, the size of a dinner-plate, and highly visible from a long distance away. Blooms start for me in early June and keep on through the heat of summer. Bumblebees really appreciate the nectar. Unfortunately, other types of bugs like the leaves.

The color is one which my camera has a hard time capturing well, but it is as red as red can be. Lord Baltimore is one of the hardy hibiscus family, sometimes called Giant Rose Mallow or Swamp Mallow. Like all of its family, it prefers full sun and plenty of moisture. These plants do not take drought well. They are great to plant in or near a boggy area.

The leaves of Lord Baltimore resemble marijuana leaves. The plant is not as full, rounded, and bushy as my other hardy hibiscus, Luna Swirl. Because of this, I like growing it in a mixed bed with lantanas. The bushy lantanas help fill in the area around this plant. Also, this particular cultivar doesn't make as many blooms for me as some others. It makes up for this with how wonderful each bloom is. It dies to the ground each winter when freezes hit and only comes back once the weather really warms up in spring. The plants respond well to plenty of fertilizer and organic materials.

My "Other" Roses

2011-06-23T12:54:00.002-05:00

Nope, these are not miniature roses, neither are they some of the new "Carpet" roses I've seen advertised. They are moss roses, or portulacas.

Portulacas are a low growing (4" - 6") annual that flowers for months on end with little care. They come in both single and double flower forms. The doubles that I have remind me of carnations. My variety is known as the Sundial portulacas. The flowers close up at night and on cloudy days. The leaves are fleshy like most succulents, which explains why they do well in dry heat.

These great annuals are quite easily grown from seeds. Just dust the ground with them, water in, and watch grow. Many times they will re-seed themselves voluntarily in sundry neat places. In fact, the ones pictured in this post are all volunteers. The ones above are growing near the base of a mock orange I planted this year. I have no idea how the seeds got here.

Portulacas need full sun and good draining soil. They are perfect for an area that the hose won't reach. They also make wonderful "spillers" for containers. I recommend them to neglectful gardeners who are prone to forget watering their containers for a few days. The plants will spread to about 12" in diameter. They are great for rock gardens and sandy areas. Did I mention that they are an heirloom flower that your grandmother probably grew? Let us never forget these old time favorites.

Daylilies - The Best of the Rest

2011-06-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

I'm putting in this post the rest of my daylilies that have bloomed thus far. Above is one I just planted this year and it made only one bloom. I expect much more from it next year once it has grown more. It's called Little Deek and is a deep, golden yellow variety. I didn't have any yellows and wanted to get Buttered Popcorn. However, the place where I went to get it didn't have Buttered Popcorn and suggested this variety as a reasonable alternative. We'll see.

This is another unknown daylily that I have. I used to think it was Strawberry Candy, but when I compared it to the real thing it was obvious that it's another variety. It's a darker shade than my Strawberry Candy. Still, this is one of my best performing daylilies and it always puts on a great show.

This last is a pink daylily that I don't know the name of either. The pink fades quickly in the sun and is hard to capture well with my cheap camera. This is a nice daylily, but isn't as vigorous as some of my others. I may move it to a more favorable location this fall.

My Favorite Daylily

2011-06-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

Joan Senior is probably my favorite daylily - and that's saying a lot since I love many of them. It starts blooming mid-season (late May here) and keeps blooming deep into summer and early fall.

The plant puts out scapes of flowers that are quite tall - to 3' high. There are plenty of blooms too. This particular plant has not received much water during our drought conditions, so it looks somewhat spindly.

The blooms are a delectable cream color with a lime-green throat. This color goes well with almost any other color making this a perfect daylily for the mixed perennial bed.

This is an evergreen daylily, which is another thing in its favor for the Deep South. The flowers can get up to 6" across.

Another nice thing about these blooms is that they have a mild, but sweet fragrance. This daylily has been around since the 70's and has always been one of the most popular. As with all daylilies, plant this one in full sun or part shade in nearly any type of soil. It needs virtually no care at all to thrive. Daylilies are truly wonderful plants for those who have a "black" thumb. They will grow anywhere from zone 4 and southward. Be aware that rabbits and deer both munch on daylilies on occasion.

Wine and... Daylilies?

2011-06-13T17:43:00.000-05:00

These are some daylilies given to me by a friend for which I have no ID. I just call them my wine-colored daylilies. They have a deep, velvety, red-wine color that is hard to describe.

They bloom a little later than some of my other daylilies. However, they are all the more beautiful when they do come out.

Dark-flowered daylilies are best planted where they only get morning sunlight. Otherwise, the bright sunlight will bleach out their striking color. I have these in an almost perfect spot. Another thing about dark flowers is that they will get waterspots easily.

These dark colors are so fun because many people who aren't into them don't even think they're daylilies. They look so different from the ubiquitous yellows and oranges seen everywhere. Give some of the "darks" a try in your garden. They will reward you with striking color and fun comments.

Give It A Swirl

2011-06-09T11:08:00.000-05:00

This bodacious bloom comes from my Luna Swirl hardy hibiscus. The blooms are at least 6" across and have a deep maroon center surrounded by a swirl of lighter pink petals. This is one of the gaudiest of flowers you can put in a landscape.

The bush starts off late in the spring - it is one of the last plants to come out after warm weather returns. Sometimes you almost give up hope that it will return.

Starting around the end of May (in Louisiana) the blooms begin. The initial show is the best, but it will continue to bloom until frost.

This plant loves brightest of sun, but it also prefers plenty of moisture. I have a drip emitter under this plant and I make sure it gets plenty of water. As you can see, the bush has a pleasing form with large, tropicalesque leaves. Luna Swirl doesn't get as tall as some other varieties. This is a reliably hardy plant as far north as Canada and I highly recommend it for Northern gardeners.

Fruit Loop Fragrance

2011-06-03T12:49:00.000-05:00

The tropicalesque leaves in the above picture come from a peculiar plant from Southeast Asia - clerodendrun bungei. This plant is also known as Kashmir Bouquet, Mexican hydrangea, and rose glory bower. The stems and veins are an interesting purple contrast to the deep green leaves on this plant.

The flower buds form a cluster of purple atop the plant that reminds me of berries. They usually start these buds sometime in mid-May.

The buds open up to form this large bloom head of lavender flowers that resembles hydrangeas and smells (I am told) like the old Kashmir Bouquet soap. I personally think they smell just like Fruit Loops cereal - a very pleasant fragrance to me. Most readers of this blog know that I love fragrant plants, so I have a soft spot for this much-maligned plant.

Maligned, you ask? That's because of the invasive nature of this innocent-looking exotic. Once planted, it will send out underground runners in all directions causing more of the plants to come up everywhere, sometimes more than 10 feet away from the original plant. I knew this from the beginning and planted my original in a far corner of my yard where I actually want it to take over. If you are unprepared for this habit, then plant this one in a container or not at all. It enjoys filtered shade around bigger trees and is quite tolerant of drought - this year in Louisiana is proof of that! The plants can get up to 6' tall, though mine have yet to get taller than about 4'.

A Bouquet of Leaves

2011-06-01T13:51:00.000-05:00

I'm growing increasingly fond of caladiums. They don't need to flower to look good, they come in many shades of color, and they grow wonderfully in deep shade where little else does. This year I bought several bags of the bulbs just to try out again and see which ones I like.

This huge leaf of White Queen is a standout in the bed. This variety will definitely stay on my list of favorites.

Caladiums love moist, rich soil such as can be found in the understory of jungles. They need the ground warm to grow. That means don't plant them before April in Louisiana! Stores in our area start selling the bulbs much earlier than that and the temptation is to put them in the ground too early. Usually, this just makes them rot before they get a chance to grow. You must plant them in pots if the soil is still cool.

I've read in some places that you will get more leaves and a bushier stand if you break off the first leaves that come out. I did not do that this year, but will try it in the future.

Caladiums are great companions to hydrangeas because they both like the same conditions. They also do well around azaleas. These tender plants cannot take a freeze. They will die to the ground with the first frost. If you dig the bulbs up, you can store them through the winter and replant them the next year. Sometimes they survive the winter in my part of the country, but not dependably. They make fine shade annuals or container plants anywhere in the country once hot weather comes in.

Have Some Strawberry Candy

2011-05-31T12:36:00.000-05:00

The name of this daylily is almost as delightful as the flower - Stawberry Candy. The flowers are lush, plenteous, and easy on the eyes (pun intended.)

This is a semi-evergreen daylily that grows vigorously, spreads quickly, and sometimes reblooms. Mine haven't consistently rebloomed, but they do bloom for quite a long time in May and June. In my mild winter climate the plant usually stays green all winter.

The blooms are a lighter pink in full Louisiana sun with a rose eye and a golden-green throat. The outer edges of the petals are frilly. The flower form is nearly always perfect on this daylily unless the slugs get hold of them early. This cultivar has won many daylily awards and is consistently one of the most popular varieties. It is not as ubiquitous as Stella D'Oro or Happy Returns, despite this popularity. I cannot imagine a May in my yard without daylilies blooming. They will bloom like crazy with utterly no care at all. Plant you some!

Rose Bloom Clusters

2011-05-27T08:10:00.000-05:00

I love the perfect, large, single blooms put out by many hybrid tea types of roses. They stand out so well alone in a vase. However, nothing in the plant world moves me more than a cluster of fragrant blooms on a rose bush. They are natural bouquets to delight the heart of any passerby.

Many of my roses bloom in clusters. Above is just one of many. This is Compassion who is out-doing herself this year. This cluster is so fragrant that it begs to have a nose buried in it.

Belinda's Dream is yet another rose that blooms in cluster profusion. The blooms are also huge and fragrant.

Earthsong also often has nice clusters of bloom that are a much deeper pink than this photo looks on the computer.

Mrs. B. R. Cant makes clusters of these cabbage-like globes of color. My newer camera just doesn't capture the color of these very well. These flowers are such a deep rose color tinged with silvery pink that they really stand out.

Super Dorothy makes tight, grape-like clusters of small and frilly flowers. You almost feel like you can cut a cluster off and eat it.

Dublin Bay also makes velvety-red bunches of blooms that are extremely long-lasting on the plant. This plant is putting on a stellar show this late spring.

Cramoisi Superieur also puts out sweet little groups of bloom with a hint of cloves in the fragrance. I love this little rose because Paw-paw had them planted all around his yard. As a kid, I remember picking blooms off and smelling them and then giving them to Maw-maw. Fragrances are such nostalgic things for me and bring back many wonderful memories.

More Tidal Waves

2011-05-26T13:08:00.000-05:00

Back in March, I made a blog post about my Tidal Wave Silver petunias - see A Tidal Wave of Silver. There I posted about this one petunia plant that I am trialing this year. As you can see from these pictures, this is one experiment gone good! The flowers are covering every inch of plant available and they are beautiful in a silver and purple sort of way.

The plant is at least 5' x 5' in size, and that's without any fertilizing. It has nearly taken over my little area. It's also highly visible from a long distance away.

Next fall I fully intend to plant a number of these. They are still looking great now in late May too. I'll eventually pull them up, but not until they start to fade and look bad. I cannot say enough good about these Tidal Wave petunias. I think they are a wonderful cottage plant and the unusual color of these is quite refreshing and welcome.

This One's for the Birds

2011-05-25T14:40:00.000-05:00

Sunflowers are among the easiest annuals of all to grow. Wait till the danger of frost is past, put the seeds in the ground and cover with 1/4" of soil, water, and leave alone.

The variety I planted the last two years is called Autumn Sunset. This year, I didn't plant any sunflowers at all. I just allowed natural seeds dropped from the plants last year to grow. They easily re-seed if you let the flower heads mature and drop the seeds.

I prefer to let the flower heads dry on the stalk anyway because the local birds really appreciate it. They will happily visit the dry heads for a snack. Meanwhile, they will spread the seeds around for me.

Autumn Sunset is not meant to be used for people to eat. There are much better varieties for that. This is supposed to be an ornamental type. As such, it makes multiple, small flowers per plant as opposed to one big one. The flowers can have many different shades of orange and yellow in them and are very attractive. They make a fine back-of-the-border flower in a butterfly/bird attracting garden. The only pest I have seen on mine have been Leaf-footed stink bugs, but they didn't seem to damage the sunflowers.

May State of the Roses Post

2011-05-22T20:42:00.000-05:00

Before anyone should think that all my roses look fabulous, be it known that I'm only showing pictures in this post of my better looking plants or those that I have good pictures of. My Double Delight looks so bad that I haven't shown any pictures of it this year. Some of my other roses, such as Mrs. B.R. Cant, Westerland, Madame Alfred Carriere, Gertrude Jekyll, Compassion, Prosperity, Buff Beauty, and Crepuscule, are all in-between flushes. With that disclaimer in place, on to the show! The following pictures were all taken within the last day or two.

This is Abraham Darby looking better at this time of year than ever in his life. Usually, by late May blackspot has this bush looking very poor. I think it's because we've had an exceptionally dry May that this hasn't happened this year. Plus, I'm trying to keep this plant pruned back very far so it is continually putting on new, spotless leaves and growth.

Belinda's Dream is performing up to her usually stellar standard. The blooms are as huge as normal and they have been continual this year.

Dublin Bay is putting out a second flush of bloom right now that will be amazing in about a week or so. It's really doing well for me this year too. I've trained the branches quite horizontally along the chain-link fence and he's putting out far more blooms than last year at this same time.

Ducher is also blooming like crazy right now. Of course, this bush always blooms well for me through the heat. Because it hasn't been as hot as usual, the blooms haven't started crisping yet and are larger than normal for this time of year. As usual, no disease to speak of.

Yet another stellar performance month out of Earthsong. The blooms have kept a deeper color because of the cooler weather. Such a perfect plant! I don't think there is a spot on any leaf on this entire bush right now.

Golden Celebration is performing about like Abraham Darby this year and I think for the same reasons.

Julia Child is putting out her best flush of blooms of the whole year right now. She is such a sweet plant. The other plants around her tend to shade her out some in the late summer, but at this time she is getting the perfect amount of sun.

The Pot of Gold

2011-05-21T16:06:00.000-05:00

Golden Celebration is a David Austin rose of (naturally!) golden coloration and full form. The fragrance is sweet and good, though it's not quite as good as some other Austin roses such as Gertrude Jekyll or Abraham Darby. This is my son Isaac's favorite rose that I grow.

The bush can develop long canes, but I've been unsuccessful growing it as a climber. It just gets long, lanky, and ugly if I don't prune it back. I've determined that Abraham Darby and Golden Celebration are better as shrubs than as climbers in my yard. A side benefit of trimming the old foliage back is that it keeps at least some of the blackspot off this rose.

Speaking of blackspot, this rose is quite prone to it. This year it isn't spotted too much yet because we've had super dry weather over the last month. This rose is definitely a candidate for anti-fungal spray if you are the spraying type. I just let it duke it out with the evil blackspot and try to give it the best growing conditions possible. Plenty of water and mulch seem to give this rose enough strength to overcome the fungus and come back stronger than ever.

This is such a beautiful rose that I had to have one, but I don't recommend it to people in my area unless they are dedicated rose growers who are willing to baby it. If anyone out there can recommend any of the Austin's for a no-spray garden in the Southeast, then let me in on it.

My Top Louisiana Rose

2011-05-17T12:03:00.000-05:00

If you sat me down and forced me to pick just one rose to grow in my yard, Belinda's Dream would be the winner. It has a full, hybrid tea form of bloom, wonderful fragrance, bushy plant habit, and is almost disease free.

The blooms have tons of petals and a perfect form that is imminently worthy of a vase. The stems aren't especially long, but they are plenty adequate for cutting.

The flushes of bloom are huge and come about every month from April through November. The blooms also hold their size even in the sizzling heat of summer.

The foliage stays green and full through the whole growing season and offsets the blousy, pink blooms perfectly.

The bush form is full and lush. I recommend dead-heading the blooms back pretty far when they fade to keep the bush form even more compact. This plant can get pretty tall and wide if left completely unpruned.

Even in mid-May when blackspot and hot weather begins to take its toll on most roses, this plant is still looking fine. In short, Belinda's Dream inherits the best traits of several families of roses to make for the perfect mix. It has the size, bush form, and heat tolerance of the tea roses; the bloom form and fragrance of the hybrid teas; and the disease resistance of the china roses. I have read from other sources that this rose is also quite cold tolerant and would do well as far north as zone 5, so it's well worth a try in those regions too. It also has the perfect color and form for the traditional English cottage garden look.

The Larkspur Ascending

2011-05-16T14:40:00.000-05:00

(For those who don't get it, the title is a reference to a beautiful classical piece by Ralph Vaughn Williams called "The Lark Ascending.")

Larkspurs are an annual related to Delphiniums (which unfortunately don't grow in the Deep South.) They are planted from seed in October or November down here and will grow throughout the winter and bloom profusely from March through May. The flowers are highly prized by bumblebees and hummingbirds.

My variety is called "Rocket" larkspurs and they get quite tall. They are very reliable re-seeders and come back year after year without me having to replant. I sometimes scatter the seeds in new places if I want them in other areas.

They come in all shades of blue, purple, pink, lavender, and white. I really like the blue ones. They are essential for the cottage garden look and for the insects and birds that I love so much.

They are best planted at the back of a bed because of their height. I think they mix well with sweetpeas, dianthus, nigella, and petunias for a cool season bed.

Chicago Apache

2011-05-14T12:45:00.000-05:00

Daylilies are starting to go full force down here right now and one of my early and best performers is the wonderful Chicago Apache. It has deep red petals with a golden throat. The color stands out from a great distance and is quite eye-catching.

It is a profuse bloomer for me and makes for a thick clump wherever I plant it. Put it in a sunny or part shade area and it will thrive even on neglect. The flowers hold color better if they get some afternoon shade.

The color in this last photo is a different shade because of the low-light conditions that were present when it was taken. Just look how healthy this plant and the flowers are. I can't imagine not having daylilies all over. They provide nearly two months of delicious blooms for me - and even longer when some of them re-bloom. Scatter some clumps of daylilies liberally around in your flower beds for a great splash of color in late spring and early summer.

More Beautiful Foliage

2011-05-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

I made a large entry two days ago and with the Blogger trouble, it got wiped out. Anyway, here is some more plants that look good precisely because of their striking foliage. Aren't the leopard spotted leaves of this calla attractive? The flowers it makes are just an added bonus.

Here is a better picture of the glamorous Bengal Tiger canna leaf. You can clearly see the red outline around the perimeter of the leaf and the striking stripes. This plant makes a terrific statement in a tropicalesque bed.

I'm not overly fond of the ubiquitous elephant ear - at least the common ones you see everywhere down here. They will easily take over an area and start looking "ratty." However, there are some cultivars of colocasia that are fabulous. This one is called Black Ruffles. The leaves get to be a deep purple color as they age. Another great specimen for the tropical bed.

And if the above plants don't make a big enough statement, I present to you the Thailand Giant colocasia. This plant will make leaves over five feet long and over 3 feet wide! You must keep it well watered and fertilized for that type of performance though.

If you want something a little less bold and demanding, then nothing beats a good old-fashioned fern. This is one I recently planted in a shady area on the foundation of my house. Doesn't it look lush? Foliage plants add so much to flower beds if you need to have a more full look. Don't neglect to add some of these beauties to your gardens.

Sometimes All You Need Is Foliage

2011-05-11T11:12:00.000-05:00

I have a number of plants that are solely placed because of their beautiful and interesting foliage. Caladiums are among the brightest and best plants for shade precisely because of their delectable foliage. The caladium above is called White Queen. It makes a very bold statement in a shady area.

Here's another picture with more caladiums. Be sure to put these in a shady, moist area. They should be put out once the weather turns hot. In the very deep South, they often return after over-wintering in the ground, but elsewhere you must dig them up in the fall.

Another bold statement in a tropicalesque bed is this lush Bengal Tiger canna. In contrast to caladiums, these do best in bright sun. They will still do fine in part shade though. The leaves are grean with yellow stripes and each leaf has a red highlight all around the edge. These are bold and beautiful and will spread rapidly to make many more. Keep them well fertilized and watered. In my zone 8 area, these never need to be dug up and will come back every year.

Yet another plant that makes for striking foliage is the ornamental sweet potato. This particular one is a chartreuse-green variety called Sweet Caroline. You can also get these with burgundy foliage and it looks just as good. These will easily fill out an area under a tree in a dry, sunny, poor-soiled place. They have almost no pests and require no care once established. They will completely die once a frost hits and must be treated as an annual.

These plants are just some of the great ones for filling out an area between flowering perennials and shrubs. They give a garden that "full" look that is so desirable. Don't neglect the fillers!

It's a Rose! It's a Vine! It's Super Dort!

2011-04-27T11:14:00.001-05:00

Super Dorothy is classified as a rambler rose and fits well into that class of roses as a very long and lean climber. The canes are highly flexible and easy to train. It will effortlessly cover a large area. It is supposed to be one of the only repeat blooming ramblers available, but mine has never bloomed more than once per season in its four year life-span.

I'm not complaining all that much about it blooming only once per year. After all, when it DOES bloom, it's covered! The above picture shows it growing on my chainlink fence between Earthsong and Archduke Charles. Frankly, this rose would be happier in a place where it can sprawl out even more.

The blooms are small with a quilled look to them. The come in huge clusters that resemble grapes hanging. The effect can be quite stunning when at peak bloom. Unfortunately, there is no fragrance at all with this rose. I have never seen even a speck of disease on this plant even though I never spray it. This would be a fine rose to put on a pergola or climbing up a large wall face. The color is perfect for an English style cottage garden and would fit in that setting well.

How the Westerland Was Won

2011-04-19T13:59:00.000-05:00

Westerland is a climbing rose sometimes classified as a climbing floribunda. It has flowers that are sunset orange in color. The flowers contain 20-30 petals and they open up to show the stamens. I find that bees like this flower because of the easy access to the pollen.

The plant blooms in clusters of these lovely blooms that really stand out from a long distance away. In the spring, the blooms come in such profusion that the fragrance from them will waft on the breeze for quite a long ways. The fragrance is a wonderful, spicy-sweet one that is quite delicious.

The canes on this climber are quite stiff making it hard to train well along a fence. Mine is growing wildly and has a mind of its own. I would not recommend this as a pillar rose since it wants to grow more out than up. It is one of the most vigorous of all my roses and is seldom bothered much by the little bit of blackspot that it gets in the summer.

My camera is a cheap one that doesn't really capture the colors of Westerland well. I just wish that all could see how beautiful this plant is. Be sure to put it in a place where it has lots of room to sprawl. I imagine it could also be grown as a large shrub if you keep it pruned back some.

More Fun in the Sun

2011-04-18T21:38:00.000-05:00

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My Arizona Sun gaillardia is looking so good these days that I thought I'd just post some more pictures of it. I actually have two of these clumps, but this is the biggest one. It is covered with happy-looking blooms that the bees visit frequently. This one is spreading so well that I should be able to divide it this fall into at least 4 smaller plants.

This plant is especially wonderful because it has about the longest bloom season of any plant I grow. Last year, this one bloomed from April all the way till frost. This year it started even earlier with the first blooms coming in March. I pretty faithfully deadhead mine, which is one of the keys to keeping it blooming. I have these placed in an unirrigated bed where they survive only on the rain that comes naturally. Such a care-free plant deserves more mention than it gets.

Something To Sing About

2011-04-12T18:33:00.000-05:00

Earthsong is my next rose that is at peak bloom right now. In the April flush, Earthsong exhibits its deepest pink colors. This rose is in bloom continually from April till frost, but the colors are richest now.

The blooms are large, fully double, and fragrant. This rose really takes our Southern heat well and the blooms don't diminish in size as the temperatures get hotter.

The bush form is full with no "naked legs." I prune it back while deadheading the old blooms and this keeps it bushier.

Earthsong is another of the Griffith Buck roses that are gaining in popularity these days. It's classified as a shrub rose, though it looks like a grandiflora rose. The blooms are held up over the foliage in a pleasing fashion, though the stems aren't overly long. They don't last exceptionally long, but there are plenty of replacements as they blow away.

The stems are a neatly contrasting red against the purple-rimmed leaves, especially in early spring before the blooms start. This is one of my top five best performing roses and is highly recommended for Louisiana. It supposedly does really well in colder areas of the country too. My specimen has had almost no leaf loss due to blackspot, though it will get some spots late in the summer. As noted before, I do not spray my roses with fungicide, so blackspot resistance is something I really appreciate.

This Rose is Cooking!

2011-04-11T19:50:00.000-05:00

This delightful, butter yellow rose is named after the famous cook, Julia Child. I'm guessing it's because of the butter yellow color.

The bush stays somewhat small and rounded as most floribunda roses do. The deep green of the leaves sets off the yellow blooms perfectly.

Many floribundas have no fragrance, but this one is an exception. It has a unique licorice-like fragrance that is very interesting and pleasant.

This variety does fairly well without spray, but in late summer it gets blackspot and looks ragged. It would peform better with fungicidal spray.

The floribunda roses are all ever-bloomers, meaning they will almost continually be in bloom from spring till frost. The spring flush is the most spectacular. In the heat of summer, the yellow can be lighter and less rich. This is one of the most popular floribundas on the market right now because it's such a good performer.

The Chronicles of Crepuscule

2011-04-10T15:55:00.002-05:00

Last year for my birthday, I got a gallon plant of the climbing noisette rose Crepuscule. It is a lovely apricot rose that was first developed in 1904, so it is definitely an old rose. My research led me to believe that this noisette would love the hot, humid weather of Louisiana since the noisette family of roses originated in Charleston, South Carolina.

After only one year of growth it has not disappointed! In it's first full spring in my yard it is exploding with blossoms. I don't know if you could fit another bloom on this little climber.

The blooms are semi-double in form and have a pleasant, noticeable, and sweet fragrance. The leaves are a beautiful spring green and totally undiseased for me in the first year, even without any fungicide.

The plant is not very large yet, but I would definitely describe the growth in the first year as vigorous. It is already developing long, easily trained canes to clamber along the fence with. I also really enjoy how bushy the plant is from the ground up. Most climbers have "naked legs" that take away from the beauty of the plant. Another pleasant thing about this rose is that it is not very thorny at all. If this plant is characteristic of how all the noisettes perform in the South, then GET YOU SOME!

I will be posting lots of roses in the next few blog entries because they are at peak bloom right now for me. Hope you enjoy. Sorry that my camera doesn't do well with some colors.

One of the Best Smells in the World

2011-04-01T13:00:00.002-05:00

Every year I put out at least one blog post on one of my favorite shrubs of all time. It's the seldom praised Michelia figo, more commonly known as banana shrub or magnolia fuscata.

In the spring (and some in the fall too) it forms hairy, bulbous buds that soon turn this creamy white and burst forth to release the most amazing and wondrous fragrance imaginable. The fragrance is like Juicy Fruit gum, only better, and I have yet to ever meet a person who doesn't nearly swoon over it.

As you can see, the blooms aren't all that showy and don't really stand out. You would never guess by looking that they put out such a heavenly fragrance. My large shrub will fill nearly the whole yard with fragrance when the wind is not blowing. It makes a walk in the yard pure delight. You can take several blooms into your house and they will keep their odor and fill a room with it for several hours.

If the flowers aren't all that showy, the plant IS. It makes a full, voluptuous shrub with shiny green leaves that are evergreen. The plant can get over 12' tall down here in Louisiana and somewhat resembles a magnolia. It appreciates part shade - the leaves will be more yellow in full sun. Mine is thriving on the Northeast corner of my house next to this Formosa azalea. It prefers loamy, slightly acid soil with plenty enough moisture. This plant makes a wonderful part shade shrub to use as a background to more colorful plants. It could also be used as a slow growing hedge. It is unbelievable to me that this plant is not more widely known and grown.

My Favorite Weed

2011-03-31T13:19:00.000-05:00

Every spring, grass-like clumps of growth start showing up in my back yard. My wife is carefully instructed not to mow these down as they will eventually lead to these cute little blue flowers that look so cottagey and nice. These clumps are the wildflower tradescantia that is native to my area. It is also known as spiderwort.

I have never planted them and do not give them any care beyond not mowing them until they cease blooming and start to yellow. They thrive in the back yard and add cheer to my daily walks. They will eventually form a clump about 2' x 2' in size. There is no fragrance to speak of. Towards the end of spring, we mow them down and they disappear until the following spring. Their bloom time lasts for about a month in my yard and is usually around the same time as the irises and azaleas. The blooms on mine are medium blue and they close up when the sun gets hot around mid-day. They will do best in part shade with moist soil. They might be a good plant for a cottage style garden. As it is, I will just let mine keep growing where they please in my back yard.

A Tidal Wave of Silver

2011-03-27T16:47:00.000-05:00

This perfect bloom comes from my Tidal Wave Silver plant. It looks so good that I wish I had planted more of them. The blooms are lavender with a deep purple throat and the color really sticks out against the deep green of the foliage.

Not only that, but there are lots of these blooms covering the plant. This plant was on a trial run for me this year, hence there being only one of them in the ground. Next year there will be more of them!

Down here, petunias should be planted in October or November and allowed to over-winter in the ground. This particular cultivar is known to get larger and more "filling" than other types. It should be a wonderful addition to a Southern cool season cottage garden. If the bed this one is in looks over-run, it's because of all the clover and nigella growing in it. I don't want to pull up the clover for fear of uprooting my beautiful, self-seeding nigellas ("love-in-a-mist.") This will be one of my summer butterfly beds after the petunias and nigellas play out. It will be filled with zinnias, salvias, and tithonias starting in May.

A Paradise of Azaleas

2011-03-25T15:05:00.000-05:00

The azaleas are about to reach peak bloom in my area. Some aren't there yet, but will be in a few days.

This first bush is the oldest and most common azalea in these parts - the venerable Formosa azalea. It gets huge and is still breath-taking at peak.

This is a close-up of the Formosa blooms. The hot pink color really stands out on the bush and in the yard.

These are some smaller bushes that I have around the North foundation of my house. They are Red Ruffles and Pink Ruffles. They don't get nearly as huge as the Formosas but are covered in bloom and look better as a foundation plant.

Here is a better shot of the Pink Ruffles blooms

I would be negligent not to include at least one picture of the blooms on my new Encore Autumn Moonlight azalea. These will bloom several times per year instead of only in the spring. However, they are not as covered in bloom as the once-bloomers. The Encores like more sun than regular azaleas.

Here is a picture of my best Red Ruffles plant. It's not quite at full bloom yet, so I'll try to post some more pictures in a few days.

Everyone in the South should grow at least a few azaleas. Northerners would die to have them, so anyone who can grow them is downright remiss if they don't. Plant them in part sun, mulch them well - preferably with pine straw - don't let them get too dry while young, and watch them grow. They need acidic soil so it might be advisable to get yours tested. You can put additives into the soil to make it more acidic.

Let's Get a Little Sun

2011-03-23T12:44:00.000-05:00

Arizona Sun, that is.

This is my Arizona Sun gaillardia, a mounding and spreading perennial that faithfully has returned in my landscape for several years. This plant famously takes heat and drought and will bloom from spring till frost. Mine starts blooming in March and quits in December. Could you ask more of a plant?

The blooms are an almost garish color and need to be deadheaded to keep up best production. The sizzling color fits my mood best in the summer.

The plant is low and mounding. It can be divided every three years or so if you want more of them. I actually planted these from seeds, but they didn't flower the first year. It's easier to just buy some plants - if you can find them. This plant is not a common sight at your local garden centers. In the Southeast, I recommend you plant them in a hot, dry spot where you don't want to water or irrigate.

Honest Abe

2011-03-22T11:32:00.001-05:00

Abraham Darby is supposed to grow like a climber in Louisiana, but mine has never done this. The canes get relatively long, but they are stiff and just not long enough to train along the fence. So this year, I pruned mine way back somewhat like a hybrid tea. I'm hoping the plant will fill out and get more thick and bushy than in past years because of this. There is no blackspot yet, so Abe is looking good. By June blackspot will have decimated this plant and it won't look so good.

In spite of the blackspot problems, I cannot resist these luscious, full blooms. This is the reason I keep this rose - not to mention the strong, fruity fragrance that I love so well. The blooms are more pink now, but become apricot as hot weather comes in. Not recommended for easy care.

A Visit With the Madame

2011-03-21T17:10:00.000-05:00

Madame Alfred Carriere ("MAC") is a fine old white, climbing rose with a sweet fragrance that wafts on the breeze on a cool spring morning. The buds start off a light, soft pink.

They stay this light pink as they open, but soon fade to a lovely, pure white. This plant will be covered in blooms in a week or so.

It becomes quite a large climber in the South. Mine is planted in the shadow of a big live oak tree and so is not in the ideal location. Still, it's making the best of the situation and blooms beautifully. There is a large flush in the spring, followed by sporadic blooms throughout the summer, and another smaller flush in the fall. She loses about half her leaves to blackspot during the summer, but readily recovers and shrugs off the disease. If you plant this rose on a pergola or arbor, you might also want to plant some bush rose at its base to hide the bare legs. I recommend Marie Pavie as a nice complementary rose to go with this one. Another thing to like about MAC is how few thorns she has.

A Forgotten Favorite

2011-03-20T19:32:00.000-05:00

This is the venerable Summer Snowflake ("Gravetye Giant.") It's Latin name is Leucojum aestivum, so use that term if you're looking for information on the internet to make sure you have the right plant. This plant blooms at the same time of year as daffodils, has a slight fragrance, and forms large clumps over time that are very attractive. I think they look nice as a bordering plant. They also make a nice addition to a mixed bulb bed. Once upon a time, these were quite popular, especially in the Deep South. This was mostly because they thrive where many other bulbs won't grow. For one thing, they don't need as much chill as daffodils, tulips, and many other spring bulbs. For another, they take clay soil and boggy conditions like a champ. To me, they resemble Lily of the Valley. This neat old plant will naturalize well with basically no care at all. Plant the bulbs 3" deep anywhere that it will get at least part sun. They should be planted in Fall along with daffodils. For some good information on this plant, I recommend you make a side trip to Floridata and check it out. On a side note, this would be a perfect plant for a moon garden.

Tropical Hibiscus

2011-03-18T10:11:00.000-05:00

Tropical hibiscus should be treated as an annual unless you have a nice place to keep them when the temperatures get cold. They can't take a freeze at all and I've never had success over-wintering them outside. My wife, Jo, loves them though and always wants one. She particularly likes the orange ones. This week is her birthday, so when I saw this one at a nursery the other day, it had to come home with me. This variety was developed by Dupont Nursery right here in Louisiana, and it is called "Cajun Orange." It has a lovely "dreamsicle" orange color that doesn't show as well on the computer.

I planted it in this large pot which it will fill out quite well in a couple of months. Hibiscuses can get long and lanky, so I recommend you snip them back once they start getting too tall. They will bloom all the way till frost if you keep them well-watered and fertilized. They must have full sun to thrive.

Ducher Wins the Silver Again

2011-03-17T20:42:00.000-05:00

For the second year in a row, Ducher is the second to bloom. It bloomed only a couple days after Archduke Charles. I'm looking forward to this bush being covered in bloom in a couple of weeks. Like the other china roses, this one loves Louisiana and thrives with virtually no care at all. The form of the plant is rounded, full, and pleasing. It is seldom bothered by blackspot in my yard, even without spraying. Anyone wanting a white rose could not hope for a better plant than this one. It also has a lemony scent that is very fresh, though light.

Archduke Charles Wins Again

2011-03-16T11:53:00.000-05:00

Once again, the first rose to bloom in my yard is Archduke Charles. For three straight years, this lovely little China rose has been my first to bloom. It never lost its leaves all winter despite some of our coldest temperatures in recent memory. There are quite a few roses in the "China" family and they are all ideal for the hot, humid weather of the South. Most are very resistant to any disease - I don't spray mine at all any more - and they don't even need much pruning. They have a pleasing, full and rounded form and they bloom throughout the year with hardly a break. Archduke Charles has blooms that start off with light pink middles and darker outside petals, then over a couple of days the whole bloom deepens to a deep crimson. In hotter months the blooms start off a darker color. The fragrance is sweet and "peppery" to my nose.

My Favorite Harbinger of Spring

2011-03-05T08:04:00.000-06:00

Without a doubt, daffodils are my favorite early spring bulb. The cheerful yellows bring such joy in the early season when dull browns and grays permeate everywhere.

With the colder winters of the last couple years here in Louisiana, these daffodils have received more of the chill they need to really thrive in the Deep South. Usually this King Alfred type don't do as well, but these are thriving for me. I don't even know what exact type this is since it was given as a gift and I just plopped them in one of my garden beds.

This last little bloom comes from my back yard where last year I put in nearly 100 bulbs to naturalize. This is the old-fashioned "Campernelle" type of daffodil. They are known to perform better in the Deep South and are recommended for naturalized drifts. My dream is to make a whole area of my back yard into this huge drift of springtime daffodils and muscarii (grape hyacinths.) Hopefully these little, fragrant beauties will spread and thrive.

Kramer's Supreme

2011-03-04T06:37:00.000-06:00

After long absence, I'm back with fresh blooms from around the yard. The first entry of the year is this beautiful camellia, Kramer's Supreme.

At this time of year, the camellias are at peak beauty. I love their shiny, evergreen leaves and glorious blooms. They are slow growers and take some years to reach large shrub status. This Kramer's Supreme has been planted in my yard for three years and is still quite small, but it surely packs a dynamite punch for its size.

The blooms are a deep, rich red that really stands out at this time of year before we have much color. They are quite full in form and resemble roses before opening fully.

As the blooms open more, you can see the bright yellow stamens some. At times I can even smell a slight, sweet fragrance on this camellia.

If you want camellias, plant them in a part shade location with rich, acid soil. I commonly use leaves as mulch around mine and this adds the nutrients they desire. Pine needles are an ideal mulch for them as well. They don't take cold very well, so I wouldn't risk them in areas colder than zone 7b unless you really have a sheltered spot. If you are in their area, there's absolutely no excuse for you not having at least one of these lovely shrubs. What else looks so luscious at this time of year?

Spring, Summer, Fall - Belinda's Dream

2010-11-14T16:42:00.000-06:00

If there's ever a rose that gets rave reviews from me, it's this one. The blooms look just like hybrid tea blooms, but the plant is full, bushy, and disease free nearly year round. It blooms in flushes throughout the growing season. It will take a two or three week rest between flushes, then come back out again.

This first photo is at peak April bloom. The blooms are slightly deeper pink in cooler weather. The fragrance is sweet and noticeable.

This is the same plant in mid-July. Notice that it hasn't gotten much taller. This is because I keep it cut back as I deadhead the blooms. I find that this makes for a fuller-looking bush on this and other bush roses. I like doing this to my hybrid teas and shrub roses. I don't do this to Old Garden Roses such as hybrid musks, Chinas, and teas. You can also notice the lack of diseased leaves on this rose.

This is a month later at a time when the plant is resting between flushes. In mid-August the plant is still looking robust, green, and quite pleasing in form. My Belinda's Dream was planted in October 2008, for those of you who want to know its age.

In mid-September, the plant is going into yet another flush of blooms. Notice that the blooms are not diminished in size at all by the blazing heat of our Louisiana September. The pink might be a little lighter in color from the hot sun.

This last picture is late October just before the full flush of bloom. You'll notice one limb that has broken and fallen to the ground. This was because of the weight of so many buds on that particular limb. Still no loss of leaves and almost non-existent blackspot.

For anyone in my corner of the world that wants a stellar performer that needs little care, this is one of my top recommendations. It has fragrance, perfect blooms, health, and pleasing bush form. I've given it the same care as all the rest of my roses - plenty of water during drought times, a cup or two of alfalfa pellets in the spring, heavy pruning in late winter, light pruning in the growing season to keep it bushy, and hardwood mulch around its feet. It gets no fungicide or insecticide. I'm guessing that it would do fine without any of the stuff I give it. A definite "must have" rose for Louisiana.

Spring, Summer, Fall - Archduke Charles

2010-11-13T10:31:00.002-06:00

I know that I've just posted on Archduke Charles a few days ago, but since this is in alphabetical order, AC is next in line. This is one of three China roses that I have growing in my yard. As with all of them, there may be some leaf loss in mid-summer and mid-winter, but I have yet to see any blackspot on them. I think this is the plant's natural time to shed some leaves and make way for new ones.

This first picture is from peak bloom in April. This rose has been my first to bloom in each of the last two years. It has all the shades of pink at the same time on the same plant.

Next is the same plant in early August. Unfortunately, I don't have full plant pictures of any of my roses from early summer. Still, this shows the plant at the most stressful time of year in my climate. As you can see, there is some leaf loss, but none of the leaves are yellow or spotted. (The smaller-leaved climber behind this plant is a rambler known as Super Dorothy.) There are not many blooms at this time of year and the blooms that do come out are small and crisped from the heat.

By mid-September, blooms are coming back in profusion. I love the light peppery fragrance of these flowers! I've given this rose the same care as the Abraham Darby and it looks much better.

At the end of October, this is what AC looks like. I'd say this is about as good as first spring flush. It will continue to bloom like this till a hard frost comes. This rose comes pretty close to being an evergreen in Louisiana. I planted this specimen in October of 2008, so it is still a youngster. It's filling out nicely as it ages and I expect it to get around 5' x 4' at full size. It's a fairly bushy and full plant that has been recommended to me as a good candidate for a rose hedge.

This is a great rose for beginners. It requires almost no care to look great. I suspect that it's easy to take cuttings and get them to root for passing on to friends and family. To me, this rose has so much more character than the Knockout family of roses and does nearly as well. Highly recommended.

Spring, Summer, Fall - Abraham Darby

2010-11-10T20:10:00.000-06:00

I'm starting a small series that shows the performance of roses (and perhaps other plants) in the three growing seasons of Louisiana. It's my way of sharing how these roses perform through the year. I don't have enough pictures to show every month or I would do a month-by-month comparison. It's been quite enlightening to me seeing these comparison photos and realizing just how much difference there is in various cultivars.

The first subject will be my Abraham Darby rose, since it's the first alphabetically. The first photo is Abe at peak in mid-April. At this time of year there is no better looking rose in the world. The leaves are deep green with red stems that really stand out. Top them with huge, fragrant, apricot blooms and this rose is to die for. All memory of it's many problems disappear at this time of year when it's one of the greatest stars of my yard.

This barren few sticks with roses on them is the same plant in early August. Gone are all the lovely leaves. They all turned yellow and black and fell off. It's had plenty of water and mulch and still didn't thrive. Keep in mind that I haven't sprayed all year and this rose does not appreciate that.

This is the last shot taken at the end of September. Many of the leaves are growing back out without spots. It's regained much of its former health and it's looking much better. Into October and early November, this good trend has continued and Abe looks even better now than in this photo. It will look really healthy by the time the first frost comes around and sends it into dormancy.

This is a classic example of a rose that definitely needs fungicide if you want it to look good all year. I give it plenty of water, mulch, and alfalfa pellets for nutrients, but it still has no resistance to the dreaded blackspot. Starting next year I may start spraying this plant again because I don't want it looking half-dead for most of the year. Keep in mind that David Austin roses such as this one have a reputation for being divas and this is no exception. If you're willing to pamper them or else overlook loss of leaves for half the growing season, then this is a great rose. Otherwise, it's not a good choice. I do not recommend Abraham Darby to people who aren't willing to spend plenty of time spraying. On the other hand, if you put in the effort, this plant is one of the most beautiful and desirous on the planet.

Duking It Out With the Charles

2010-11-01T14:44:00.001-05:00

Right now Archduke Charles is looking his best since April. The blooms are profuse and in every shade of light pink to crimson.

The blooms are in clusters surrounded by perfect, blue-green leaves that are attractive by themselves.

The bloom shapes on this little China rose are utter perfection. The fragrance is spicy and peppery, to my nose.

The bush is filling out more and more as it ages and there is not a sign of disease on it. With the cooler weather, the blooms aren't crisping either. As with all of my roses this year, no spray has touched this plant. It has received a couple cups of alfalfa pellets and plenty of water from my irrigation system. I keep it mulched with hardwood chips. This is certainly a good candidate for a maintenance free rose in Louisiana as I'm sure it would look nice even without the mulch and extra water.

End of Season Awards

2010-10-29T10:21:00.000-05:00

It's almost November and the flowering season is nearing its end. That means it's time to give out some of the awards for best performance of the year. These awards go out to the flowering plants that performed best for the longest period of time. Longevity is the key here. These are not necessarily my favorite flowers, but they have merited favor by looking good for the duration.

In the perennial category, there is a two-way tie for the win. First up is Arizona Sun gaillardia. This plant brightened up the flower bed from mid-spring all the way till now and is still going. It has never been without blooms and is in a bed where I don't have irrigation. It's taken all nature can throw at it and kept on smiling.

The other winner is lantana. I'm not breaking it down into varieties because all three of my lantana varieties did equally well. They too have bloomed from mid-spring on and with little to no care at all. Above is Ham and Eggs.

The lantanas bloom like crazy and are never without the constant buzz of insect and hummingbird wings. Above is a mix of Miss Huff and (I think) Dallas Red.

In the annual category we have a surprise winner. I didn't even plant this vinca, but it hasn't taken this slight to heart and has performed through heat and drought without a blink. I've never watered it and it has happily bloomed away from it's crack in the concrete. It is constantly covered in bloom and has a very pleasant form. No other annual in my yard has looked this good for such a long time. Next year I will definitely plant a bunch of these.

In the shrub category, a couple of roses share the honor. None of my other shrubs bloom as often or as long as these roses. Above is Earthsong. It keeps large blooms even in the heat of summer, gets no disease, has a pleasant fragrance, and asks for little care. It has almost never been without at least a couple of blooms.

Belinda's Dream has a similar description. Huge blooms, nice fragrance, pleasing bush form, no disease, and carefree. It puts on a new flush of blooms at least once per month and the blooms are not diminished by heat. It has not been touched by blackspot, even without fungicide.

Honorable mention in the shrub category goes to my Royal Red buddleia ("butterfly bush.") It has also bloomed all year, spreading sweet fragrance to people and sweet nectar to butterflies and hummingbirds for the duration. I don't have a decent picture of it to post here.

In the tree category, the winner is my Chaste Vitex tree. Such lovely flowers, interesting foliage, a pleasing form, and sweet fragrance. I also love that it attracts the friendly flyers that I delight to see.

Another Kind of Rose

2010-10-28T11:38:00.000-05:00

Hibiscus Mutabilis is one of the biggest, showiest shrubs to grow in the Southern landscape. Around here it is called "Confederate Rose," but it is also known as the "Cotton Rose." The flowers are huge, up to 8" across and they change in color as they age.

The flowers start off a light pink. I have the single-flowered specimen, but there are double-flowered forms that do just as well.

As the flowers age, they darken into a hot pink color.

Before falling off, they get almost crimson. At any time, the plant will have all the shades of pink, making for quite an interesting look.

The plant itself makes quite a statement in the yard. It is wonderful planted alone in a place where it can really show off. It makes a perfect round shape with huge, course leaves. Even when not in flower, it looks distinguished.

Plant in full or partial sun in about any soil. It takes drought like a champ. The leaves fall off in the winter and you can cut it down the ground if you want to at that time. It can get 15' tall in the Deep South in one growing season. It does well as far north as zone 7. This is a great pass-along plant because it is so easy to root. Just cut a small branch off, stick it in the ground, and water to get a new one. It requires practically no maintenance at all and blooms at a time of year when many other shrubs aren't. The flowers are a favorite of bumblebees.

Rioting Flowers

2010-10-27T09:42:00.000-05:00

Several of my flower beds have run amok. They are refusing to stay in bounds, re-seeding everywhere, clashing colors, and inviting every insect in the neighborhood to come over for nectar. They are completely out of line and in open rebellion against any rules.

Other than the Heavenly Blue morning glories, this bed is all volunteers. The zinnias, cosmos, and sunflowers did not ask permission to party here.

These sunflowers are seeking to intrude into the yard and have even invited BIRDS over.

The zinnias, meanwhile, are openly flirting with every winged butterfly that passes by. They will recklessly dance with ANY butterfly that chances by.

All these intruding volunteers have passed on their attitude to the morning glories who have now flaunted their wares to every passing bumblebee.

The place is in shambles!!

If that's not enough, another of my beds has started openly rebelling too. This once orderly bed is now a shadow of it's former self. The lantanas are sprawling everywhere in baudy profusion.

Even the Double Knockout and the plumbago are waiste deep in lantanas. Every traveling stranger of a hummingbird that passes through stops by for a nip of nectar at this nefarious-looking facility. It's all too far gone for me to to anything about. I'll just have to wait for a freeze to run this riff-raff off.

Being a Pansy

2010-10-20T09:42:00.000-05:00

I can't help it - pansies always find a way into my shopping basket at the local garden supply centers. They are such appealing and colorful plants for the cool season down here. They come in such a variety of vibrant colors, from deep reds to sunny yellows. Did I mention they work wonderfully in containers?

I have this large container that will house a large tropical next year. A batch of pansies will keep it looking interesting till mid-spring next year when tropicals can be planted. Pansies also look great in a bed with bulbs as they can be planted over the bulbs and provide color and vegetation till the bulbs send up shoots.

These are the pansies I had in a container last cool season. Hopefully the new ones will be this nice in a few months. Down here in Louisiana, these should be planted in October or November. They easily can take the freezes we get here and will look good till hot weather comes in April. Give them moist, loamy soil and full or part sun. If you plant them in the ground, be sure to plant a bunch of them together to make a better visual impact because they are small plants. Even in a container, it's best to stuff at least several plants in for a fuller look.

Spending Time With Clockvine

2010-10-13T14:29:00.000-05:00

Having written in the past about other members of the thunbergia family, it's time for me to report on the grandest of them all - Thunbergia Grandiflora, often called Bengal Clockvine or just clockvine. The normal color of the flowers is this purplish-blue, but there are white ones available.

They closely resemble Heavenly Blue morning glories, at least to me. The blooms don't really start till the days start to shorten in September.

This flower grows on a lush, tropical vine that is beautiful even without flowers. The vine is from India and is hardy to zone 8. It will die to the ground after a freeze, but reliably comes back for me each year. It's quite fast growing and will cover a fence pretty well in a growing season.

Here's a picture of the vine so you can see just how lush it it. It prefers a sunny area and loamy soil. Mine gets adequate moisture because I have it irrigated. It's a much bigger plant than its sisters in the thunbergia family - Black-eyed Susan vine, King's mantle, and scrambling sky-vine. It's yet another of those unusual plants that many people don't know about and you seldom see. I don't know why this is because clockvines are so easy and do so well in our hot, humid Southeast US. It makes a nice substitute for morning glories if you want a vine that comes back every year and isn't as invasive.

Riding the Tidal Wave

2010-10-08T12:31:00.001-05:00

I just recently planted some Tidal Wave Silver petunia plants. I really love the silver/purple blooms with deep purple throats. The Tidal Wave series gets larger than the normal petunia so they make nice additions to beds. I think they are really nice in a cottage garden setting.

Ideally, petunias should be planted in the Fall down here. They are able to get roots established well before hunkering down for the winter. Then they are ready to really burst forth in the spring when warm weather starts back up. The Wave series can take heat a little better than other types, so they tend to last longer into the warm spring before melting in the heat.

I'm adding this picture since I got a better camera and this shows the colors of Tidal Wave Silver better than the other photos.

A Few Fall Roses

2010-10-07T16:29:00.000-05:00

My blog would not be a reflection of me if I didn't include some pictures of my roses fairly often. It's been a while, so it's time to show off some of the recent blooms.

This is a Ducher bloom. The blooms are just starting to get better with the cooler fall weather. They're not crisping as much and are getting larger. The best is yet to come from this plant over the last part of the season. Still not a stitch of blackspot on this shrub. I love the slightly fragrant lemony-white blooms.

Here's the typical quartered bloom form of Abraham Darby. In the morning, the fragrance of this rose is nearly overpowering and fruity. The color is more orangey-apricot in the fall of the year.

Here is a nice bloom on Archduke Charles. This is when the bloom first comes out and it has lighter pink highlights.

This is the same bloom a couple of days later when it takes on a crimson-wine color. I've always said that the fragrance of this rose is "peppery."

Here are a couple of Buff Beauty blooms. I really love the flowers on this rose. I'm hoping this plant gets huge and florific as it matures. I've only had it in the ground for a year now, so it should really take off next year.

This is a deep red bud on Dublin Bay. My camera does not do justice to the colors on this rose. The blooms last for quite a few days on the plant before falling off. This has to be one of the longest lasting blooms of any rose.

Sweet Olive!

2010-10-06T21:48:00.001-05:00

This diminutive shrub is not much to look at. It does have a pleasant shape and is evergreen where I live, but there's nothing especially noteworthy about its looks. It can make a nice hedge, but is a slow grower. It will eventually get 15-20 feet tall.

The flowers are also hardly noteworthy. You don't even see them unless you get up close and personal. They're just not much to see.

What makes this plant so wonderfully worthy is that these small clusters of flowers will intoxicate you with their delectable fragrance. The smell will waft through an entire yard. People will burst through your door demanding to know where and what that sweet smell is coming from. This fragrance is one of my favorite in the entire world. My grandmother and my mom both had/have these in their yards and I remember the smell from earliest childhood. This plant is somewhat tender to cold weather and might not make it well north of about zone 7b. Otherwise, plant it in loamy soil in part shade or full sun. It blooms fall through spring for me. You've got to have this plant if you live where it can grow. Imagine what a whole hedge of these would smell like!

Orange Cosmos

2010-10-05T14:32:00.000-05:00

This beautiful, orange flower is the common, everyday, lowly Orange Cosmos. Nothing special about it except that it's beautiful, easy, care-free, attractive to butterflies, and re-seeds itself.

It blends well with zinnias and sunflowers in my west butterfly bed. All of these plants volunteer and come back on their own if you let them. Butterflies flock by the droves to this patch of flowers. I've seen swallowtails of all sorts, common buckeyes, sulphurs, monarchs, fritillaries, and many others stopping by for a drink.

The feathery, fern-like foliage is pleasant on the eyes. These plants can get pretty tall, so I like to shear them back before they bloom to make them more compact. None of the flowers in this bed need supplemental irrigation to thrive since all of them are quite happy in dry areas. I really encourage everyone to plant a bed like this to help attract butterflies and flower-loving people.

Heavenly Blues

2010-10-04T10:55:00.000-05:00

I don't have as many of these Heavenly Blue morning glories as normal this year. I've gradually replaced them with other vines over time. However, a few always seem to find their way into my dirt every spring because they are so easy and beautiful. The sky blue color is delightful.

For me, this type of morning glory usually takes longer than others to bloom. They usually don't start till September or even later. The good thing about this variety is that it is sterile and will not send up seedlings all over the following year. Most MG's are terrible about re-seeding everywhere.

These will grow anywhere in the continental US. Just plant them in a sunny spot once the ground warms up in spring. Keep them watered till they get established. Be sure to provide something for them to climb on and wait for the show.

Fit for a King

2010-10-03T15:59:00.000-05:00

These purple flowers with golden throats come from a tropical shrub I have growing in my yard called Thunbergia Erecta, or King's Mantle. I'm guessing the royal purple color is where the popular name came from. This is a lesser known member of a family of mostly vines, such as Black-eyed Susan vine, clock vine, and scrambling skyflower. The flowers closely resemble morning glories, but this plant is certainly no vine. This grows into a small shrub with shiny, attractive foliage and tons of these flowers in late summer and fall.

Here is a better picture of the shrub, though it is squashed between an alocasia and some lantanas. This plant came back for me this year despite the colder than normal winter we had. It's not reliably hardy in my zone 8b area, but usually makes it. I bought it on a whim at an LSU Arboretum sale last year and am so glad I did. It's a very different plant and many people have asked us what it is because it's not common. Put it in a sunny and sheltered spot where it will get good moisture and still be protected from freezing temperatures. Mine is thriving with no extra care.

Mexican Bush Sage

2010-10-01T09:58:00.001-05:00

Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia Leucantha) is a fall blooming salvia that grows into a nice shrub. It starts off in spring like in the above picture. The silvery foliage is nice even when not in bloom. The purple flowers around it in the picture are verbenas.

Here is a picture of the full plant as it now looks at the end of September / beginning of October. This is one of the best fall bloomers I have. The butterflies and especially the migrating hummingbirds really appreciate the nectar this plant puts out.

Here is a close-up of the velvety blooms. They are a nice purple and stick out the top of the plant, beckoning all flying friends to come in for a visit.

This plant is reliably perennial in my area of the country. It likes a sunny location that has good drainage. Like most salvias, it doesn't do well in boggy conditions. However, this particular type does well in the humidity of the Southeast and is a good choice for our area. A great plant to add to a non-irrigated bed because it takes drought like a champ. It dies to the ground each winter only to come back strong in the spring.

Going for the Gold

2010-09-20T12:25:00.001-05:00

This Golden Celebration bloom is truly delicious. The color, form, and fragrance of this bloom cannot be topped. It has some equals, but no betters. This is why I grow David Austin roses.

Here is another bloom framed inside a square of chainlink fence. In the heat of summer, they sometimes are more open like this. Take note of the blackspot on the leaves in the background.

The above picture shows why I have a love/hate relationship with David Austin roses. This scraggly bush has few leaves and looks unkempt even though I give it plenty of water and mulch through the year. I didn't spray fungicide and it shows. This is what the plant looks like in late summer down here.

But how can I resist when I look back at pictures like this, taken in April when blackspot was nonexistent and blooms were profuse. Sometimes you just have to "eat the meat and leave the bones" when it comes to roses! Maybe next year I'll break down and spray my Austins to keep them looking better.

Critters!

2010-09-15T14:35:00.001-05:00

One of the things that happens when you don't use pesticides and you have a yard full of trees, shrubs, and plants of all sorts is that you get plenty of "critters." Some of these critters creep out the faint of heart, but they all have a place in the God's grand scheme of things. Along with all the butterflies, dragonflies, birds, and bees, you get a few reptiles.

For instance, this rat snake showed up a few weeks ago and scared my wife. It's welcome to stay around the yard and eat all the mice it wants, as long as it stays out of the house. It's a scary creature, but basically harmless to humans.

These little green lizards are also common in my yard. I love them and want to see more of them. They feast on all the insects that are common because I don't spray insecticide. It's quite enjoyable to sit in a chair outside and watch the lizards skitter around.

Plenty of other critters occasionally show up. Having our own little wildlife refuge brings great educational opportunities to our homeschooling family and makes everyday life interesting around our home.

Flirting With Fritillaries

2010-09-10T11:53:00.001-05:00

The above are now to be found all over my passiflora vines. I was so happy to see them finally arrive. They are quite late this year, I don't know why. My guess is that the really cold winter we had set them back some. These spiny, ugly, and scary-looking caterpillars are totally harmless to people, but they "passionately" eat at maypop vines.

It's amazing that those ugly cat's will eventually turn into the above beautiful and plentiful butterfly. This picture is from last year. I have yet to get a decent picture this year, though I've tried. Tithonias ("mexican sunflowers") are among their favorite nectar sources, along with buddleias ("butterfly bush") and zinnias. If you want plenty of these beauties, you really should have at least one passiflora vine planted somewhere in your yard to go along with nectar sources.

Wildflowers in the Yard

2010-09-09T15:13:00.001-05:00

This unknown (to me) wildflower is growing in my back yard. I saw them growing all year and wondered what type of bloom they would produce. When they finally started blooming, the above is what I saw. I don't know what they are, but would love some input from anyone who can identify it. Interestingly enough, every time I look at this flower there are honeybees on or around it. This is very intriguing to me since I seldom ever see honeybees anymore. This is in spite of the fact that my yard has flowers all over. They must travel a long way to get at this flower which must be one of their favorites. Is it some sort of aster?

Note on 9/19/10: I've since discovered that this plant is a Cichorium intybus, better known as the common chicory. Yes, this is the plant where you get the coffee additive found in "New Orleans" blends. The substance added to coffee comes from the large tap root. Seeing it as such a great honeybee attractor makes me tolerate it in places in my yard.

Turkish Delight

2010-09-08T10:26:00.001-05:00

The cute Turk's Cap is a member of the hibiscus family. It does equally well in full sun or part shade. The bright red, partially open blooms resemble a turban, hence the name. It is a favorite nectar source for hummingbirds and so should be planted in any yard that wants to attract them.

My bush is fairly new and small. It's planted in filtered sun and gets plenty of water, which it likes. This is a plant that does not take drought well. It can get to almost small tree size in tropical climates, but dies back to the ground every winter in my zone 8b area. It's hardy through zone 8, but should be protected in colder areas where the ground freezes. At the end of summer when many of my plants are looking ragged, this lovely shrub is thriving and looking its best.

Don't You Love Volunteers?

2010-09-07T12:38:00.000-05:00

Back in July, I noticed this little vinca volunteer growing in a joint in my concrete.

A month later, it looked like the above picture. It was thriving away with no care whatsoever.

Now it looks like the above picture. It's blooming beautifully, keeping good form, and still getting no care at all. Vinca's are great for volunteering. They are about the most drought resistant annual on the planet, so require no supplemental water at all. They have a very pleasing form and bloom continually till fall. I haven't seen any bug pests on them, but they can get fungal diseases, especially if planted too early. The LSU AgCenter advises to plant them no earlier than May (in the Deep South) for them to thrive best. This is perfect for those of us who have cool season annuals up till May and don't want to pull them out early.

Here is a close-up of a bloom. My only complaint against vincas is that they are not attractive to butterflies, bees, or hummingbirds. Nevertheless, if you want a splash of carefree color in a place where you don't have to water, this is the plant for you. They appreciate hot, full sun and good drainage. This is perfect for an edge along a concrete walk or driveway.

Southern Comfort

2010-09-06T11:35:00.001-05:00

Ducher Still Going Strong

2010-09-05T13:13:00.000-05:00

Ducher is a china rose that thrives in the heat of the South. The blooms start off this lemony-white color and then gradually turn pure white. They also have a light citrus smell that is very pleasant. When the weather is very hot, the blooms typically are smaller and crisp quickly in the sun. Now that the weather is starting to get cooler, they blooms aren't crisping as badly.

This is a picture of the bush a few weeks ago at the peak of summer. As you can see, it's quite healthy and bushy. There is no blackspot at all and the form is lush. This is a plant that truly loves my Louisiana climate. I don't spray at all and it still keeps on thriving. I think this would make a perfect landscape rose here.

Here is a picture of the plant at its peak in the spring. It looks similar in the Fall once the temperatures cool down. I consider this to be a white "Knockout." The pleasing shape and growth would make this a nice shrub even if it didn't bloom. The fragrant, white buds are just "lagniappe."

Getting a Little Passionate

2010-09-01T12:14:00.000-05:00

This has been my best year yet for passiflora ("passion flower") vines. The main reason for this is that we have yet to get Gulf Fritillary butterflies in any numbers. Usually, they are here in abundance by this time and have laid eggs all over the passiflora vines. The hungry caterpillars then "passionately" eat all the vines up. The lack of caterpillars means that my passiflora vines are growing like weeds with nothing to stop them.

In the above picture you can see how abundant and lush the growth is on one of my vines. Such a mixed blessing because the reason I planted them is to attract the Gulf Fritillaries.

It doesn't hurt either that we've had abundant rain for the last month or so, just when the passifloras are really taking off. Aren't the flowers striking? They have a light, sweet fragrance too.

This is a picture of another of my vines covering the chainlink fence in front of my house. This plant is easy to grow nearly anywhere in the continental US, at least the native vine is. Be careful to get one that is hardy for your area because there are several varieties of passiflora. Some types cannot take freezes without dying. In addition to attracting Gulf Fritillaries they also attract Zebra Longwing butterflies in areas where they are found. Plant your vine in either full sun or partial shade. They need adequate water, but really are carefree. I've seen no other pests besides greedy caterpillars.

Let's Go Tubing!

2010-08-22T09:53:00.001-05:00

Tubing on the river is a common summer activity around this part of the South in the hot part of summer. Around this same time, the tuberoses start blooming with their sweet-smelling spikes of bloom.

The blooms are set on long spikes of buds that open starting from the bottom buds. The fragrance is very gardenia-like and wafting. A stand of these can make a whole section of yard fragrant. The blooms can crisp quickly in the blazing sun, so I tend to pick off the crisped blooms each day and keep the fresh ones on the spikes so as to keep the blooms tidy. Cut off a whole spike to put in a vase for natural air freshener in your house.

I have way more bloom spikes this year, but they aren't as big and lush as last year. I think this is because my little bed of tuberoses has become crowded and needs to be divided. I can leave them in the ground year-round here and they will keep coming back. I suppose they need protection in winter in zones colder than zone 8. The variety I have is called "The Pearl." Mine keep sending blooms up until frost, as you can see from the date in the above picture which was taken last November. They like a sunny, dry spot. I suggest they would make a nice additiion to a bulb bed where you might want some blooms later in the year after other plants have finished.

Dreaming Along With Belinda

2010-08-13T12:54:00.001-05:00

This is Belinda's Dream today. Still performing wonderfully in our humid weather and hot temperatures.

Here's a picture of the delectable blooms as they first start to open up well. They have a sweet fragrance and a pleasing form.

This is a picture of the whole bush as it looked two days ago. You can't see the buds well because of my poor photography, but you can get an idea of how the bush looks. There are a few discolored leaves, but by and large this plant is unaffected by blackspot. It has basically no leaf loss from the disease. That fact makes this rose a huge winner for my area. Notice the full form of the bush. This is my ideal in a rose. Notice the lack of "naked legs" as well. This is how a shrub rose should look!

I'm finishing up with a picture of Belinda's Dream at peak performance in April. Wonderful!

A Day With Dublin Bay

2010-08-12T13:53:00.000-05:00

Dublin Bay is my only pure red rose. I have Double Knockout, but it's more of a crimson or maroon than a pure red. Dublin Bay is a stiff-limbed climber that doesn't really climb that well. I have mine espaliered on the chain link fence where it can sprawl more than climb.

It blooms in clusters of the deepest red blooms. The blooms are semi-open and double.

The blooms last for days on the vine and are equally long-lasting in a vase, though the stems aren't long enough to be ideal for cutting. One slight knock on this otherwise wonderful rose is a total lack of any fragrance.

This is how my bush looks right now in the depths of summer. It's not really a pretty plant at this time of year. Blackspot defoliates it around 40%, but not nearly as much as it does some of my other roses, such as the David Austin's and the hybrid teas. I'm willing to put up with this to have such nice blooms.

The above picture is Dublin Bay at peak bloom in mid-April. That's a whole bush shot showing just how florific this plant can be.

This is another picture at peak bloom in April. Shows how nice the blooms are.

Put On Your Royal Robes

2010-08-11T10:29:00.001-05:00

This delightful purple and gold flower is known as King's Mantle. (My camera does not capture the true purple coloration of the bloom.) It's scientific name is thunbergia erecta, and it's in the same family as Black-eyed Susan vine, clock vine, and scrambling skyflower.

The "erecta" in the name comes from the fact that this plant is a bush and not a vine, which is a contrast with all of its cousin thunbergias. The leaves are deep green and beautiful, as you can see in the photos. It will get almost tree sized in more tropical climates, such as southern Florida. It has no pests that I know of.

The plant is not reliably hardy even in my zone 8B area. However, mine surprisingly survived this last winter which was colder than normal. I recommend you plant this in a protected place in your yard. It prefers full sun and tropical conditions, so give it plenty of water. It really thrives in hot weather. It would make a unique and different potted plant for Northerners, since it's not often seen. And for all you LSU Tiger fans out there, there is no flower that more perfectly matches our team's colors than this one!

Spend Some Time With Grandpa

2010-08-09T09:33:00.000-05:00

Meet my Grandpa Ott morning glory. He is cussedly persistant about coming back every year and trying to take over certain areas of my fence. I generally let him have his way in some places because he's so healthy. His blooms are deep purple that my camera doesn't capture well.

The plant is vigorous and deep green. I don't give it any care. Volunteers are sure to come up year after year, so you have to keep them thinned. If you want a non-invasive morning glory, then I recommend Heavenly Blue - I've never had one of them come up volunteer.

Though I sometimes get angry with this cantankerous old cuss, I generally let him have his way so he can bloom away without interference. He blooms in the deep summer when few other's are, so that makes up for his misbehavior.

Cardinal Climber

2010-08-06T10:49:00.001-05:00

Often mistaken for Ipomoea quamoclit ("Cypress Vine"), this closely-related plant is a cross between Ipomoea coccinea ("Red Morning Glory") and I. quamoclit ("Cypress Vine") with slightly coarser leaves. The real Cardinal Climber has leaves that are more palmate than cypress vine and more ferny than morning glory. It's quite confusing, especially since many seed companies label them wrongly. The flowers are small, red, and tubular. They are absolute hummingbird magnets.

This above picture may actually add to the confusion about identifying the cardinal climber because I have it growing with a real morning glory. The large leaves you see are from the morning glory. The cardinal climber blooms much earlier than the Heavenly Blue morning glories. However, they play out and die before the MG's. They are quite easy to grow from seed and will readily climb any structure you put them on. The real Cardinal Climber is not invasive and the seeds have been sterile in my experience. I have planted them every year for a number of years now and have yet to get even one volunteer plant the following year. This is why I much prefer planting these to planting its parents - red morning glory and cypress vine. Give this easy and well-behaved plant a chance and you won't regret it. Just be sure you get the real thing or you will be stuck with an invasive, though beautiful, substitute.

"In the Day of Prosperity Be Joyful"

2010-08-05T16:19:00.000-05:00

The title of this blog entry is a direct quote from the Bible. It comes from Ecclesiastes 7:14. I thought it was quite appropriate for today's pictures. This is the rose Prosperity, which is a hybrid hybrid musk rose.

This rose blooms in clusters and has a unique fragrance that is wonderful. It is a gracefully lax shrub that can be grown as a small climber if trained well. I'm trying to train mine to grow on the chainlink fence.

It blooms in continual flushes from spring till winter. I've seen very little disease on this one and am told that it's pretty care-free. I love the creamy white color. I first saw this rose at the gardens of the American Rose Society in Shreveport and immediately knew I had to get it. The fragrance wafted to us long before we saw the rose while walking in the gardens.

The yellow leaf in this last photograph comes from the brugmansia that is growing next to this rose. This rose is supposed to take some shade well, as do all the hybrid musk roses. They are a wonderful family of roses that should be further explored by gardeners. Some others in the hybrid musk family include Buff Beauty, Lavender Lassie, and Felicia.

The Star of the Summer Show

2010-08-04T11:47:00.001-05:00

The unquestioned star of the late summer show in my yard is Butterfly Ginger (hedychium coronarium.) The snow-white bloom clusters on top of lush, strap-like foliage says "the tropics" like nothing else.

The plant looks something like a corn stalk. I like them growing close to some sort of support because they can get top heavy and flop over. They get around 5' tall. I think they would look great at the back of a tropical bed along with some cannas and banana trees.

The flowers put out a fragrance that is intoxicating and will fill the whole yard on a summer evening. I have them stategically placed around my yard so as to really get good scent coverage. This is one of my favorite fragrances of all time - it's very similar to a gardenia smell.

These plants spread very readily from the roots and eventually will form a large grove of stalks. There will be plenty to share in just a few years. They do not take drought very well and will not survive winters north of about zone 7b unless really protected. Mine die to the ground each winter only to return better than ever in the spring. I have them growing in everything from shade to full sun. The ones in full sun need more water and don't look as happy as the ones that get at least some shade. Every Louisiana yard should have some of these.

The Dr. Jekyll Side of Gertrude

2010-08-02T08:03:00.000-05:00

Gertrude Jekyll is a David Austin rose that I've blogged about in the past. It has a very Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde personality. Lately, it's shown much more of its Dr. Jekyll side. It's known for not being very disease resistant, but mine has shown less disease than my other DA roses. It's also grown much more vigorously for me than my other DA's. I would say this rose is definitely a climber in the South. It easily reaches 12' tall on the rebar teepee I have it growing on. The blooms are deep pink and have the most powerful fragrance of any rose I've ever smelled. There is a huge flush of bloom in the spring, sporadic blooms in the summer, and another nice flush in the fall. The canes are fairly flexible making it a perfect pillar candidate. Watch out for the vicious thorns on this rose. I'll finish up with a picture of Gertie at her peak last spring.

Moonbeam Coreopsis

2010-08-01T14:23:00.001-05:00

"Moonbeam" is perhaps the most popular member of the threadleaf coreopsis family. It's a light, pastel yellow flower about 1" - 2" across. The flowers are prolific from April through the summer in Louisiana. The leaves are fern-like and the plant habit is short and mounding. It's a perfect border plant for a hot, dry area of your yard - maybe that area where your hose won't reach. It does best on neglect and poor soil. Not only this, but the plant will come back year after year and will slowly spread. It should be divided every three years or so. It's a favorite nectar source for butterflies and bees. This is my first year to try one and I'm sold on their value. There are other varieties, one of which is the deeper yellow "Zagreb," which are worthy of a try too. The color of "Moonbeam" mixes well with other perennials and makes a wonderful companion plant. I have mine planted in the "dry" butterfly garden surrounding a chaste vitex tree. It's in with gaillardias, crocosmias, Ragin' Cajun ruellias, and cosmos.

Native Honeysuckle

2010-07-31T08:16:00.000-05:00

This is a native honeysuckle, or lonicera sempervirens. I believe the variety name is Alabama Crimson, but since I threw away the label I'm not sure about that. I have it growing on our mailbox and it continues to put on quite a show. The reddish-orange flowers come out in profusion in April and then continue sporadically through the summer. Hummingbirds dearly love this flower. It does not have the fragrance of the rampant and invasive Japanese honeysuckle that you commonly see.

Here is a picture of my vine at peak bloom in April. Since this time it has completely taken over the mailbox and I have to trim it back so the poor postman can get to the box. It remains full and lush in its growth with no disease at all. It's really too bad that so few people down here grow this easy and beautiful vine. It's native to our country and thrives nearly anywhere. Mine is growing in full sun, but they grow equally well in partial shade. They will grow in the cold of zone 4 and the heat of zone 9.

Abraham Darby in the Heat

2010-07-30T08:13:00.001-05:00

Abraham Darby changes colors at different times of the year. Still, it always has a peachy undertone even in the summer when more pink is prevalent.

In this heat of summer, the blooms are full and fragrant. I attribute the size of the blooms to the fact that we've been getting lots of rain again over the last month or so. I think this is a rose that wants plenty of water, just as it's sister Golden Celebration does. I'm beginning to really believe this is a key to all the David Austin roses.

Nevertheless, my main gripe about these roses is blackspot. They are very prone to this disease and at least 50% of this plant is defoliated and yellow. You don't see it in these pictures because I don't photograph that part of the plant. It's a vigorous enough grower to overcome the loss of it's leaves and still thrive. I may start spraying fungicide on my David Austins next year just because I'm tired of them looking bad through the summer. They are not good candidates for a no-spray garden in my area, but the blooms make it impossible for me to resist planting them!

"Cant" Get Enough of This Rose

2010-07-29T08:40:00.001-05:00

Pink with a silvery sheen is how I would describe the color of the blooms on my Mrs. B. R. Cant rose. The form of the blooms is flat and full, and the fragrance is pure tea and not strong to my nose. The blooms are usually about 3" in diameter - not large, but not tiny like many roses can be in the heat of summer. They are a little smaller at this time of year than in the spring, but not too much.

By and large, the leaves are perfect green with almost no disease spots. There is some yellow coloration to some of the leaves, but it's hardly noticeable. The plant form is pretty full and getting more so as it gets older. I get the impression this is a rose bush that fills out with age. I'm looking forward to a huge 8' x 8' monster of a plant.

Here is a shot of the whole bush. Not bad at this worst time of year for the plants. Very little yellowing and lots of blooms. If this is how all tea roses perform in my climate, then I need to get more of them. Does anybody out there have more tea rose recommendations for me?

The Reason I Plant Bengal Tiger Cannas

2010-07-28T08:01:00.001-05:00

Folks, this is the reason I plant the Bengal Tiger canna. It's not for the velvety orange and striking flowers., it's for these striking leaves. What a statement they make! I just had to share this photo though it makes for two blog entries in one day.

A Bloom I Can't Wait To Smell

2010-07-28T07:52:00.002-05:00

Care to guess what this cone-like bud is? It's the lovely Butterfly Ginger (hedychium.) There is no late summer flower I love more than this one. It will fill the whole yard with a delicate, gardenia-like fragrance on a summer evening. I love it so much that I've spread these around the yard in strategic places to make sure I get good coverage. They are extremely easy to grow, with new shoots coming up from the roots by the dozens. They are related to cannas and will grow anywhere their cousins will. Give them plenty of water or they will look sad. One issue with them is that they get tall and top heavy causing floppiness unless you give them some support. Everyone in the South needs this plant. One whiff and you'll be hooked. By the way, they are very reliable to come back for me, even after this particularly cold winter. I'll post pictures of the flowers when they come out.

Have a Cigar

2010-07-27T07:13:00.001-05:00

This is a Mexican Cigar plant, or Cuphea ignea. If this is a cigar, then consider all hummingbirds to be nicotine addicts, because they LOVE this small, flowering shrub.

The flowers are 1" - 2" tubes that are reddish-orange in color. As you may know, red is also the favorite color of hummingbirds, so this makes the flowers doubly attractive to them.

The shrub is fairly dense with dark green leaves. The blooms usually start for me in May. The plant dies back to the ground after a freeze, so it makes a fresh start each spring. It's quite reliable to come back in my zone 8B yard.

The plant grows quickly and easily reaches 3' - 4' tall. It makes a fine foundation plant or back-of-the-border perennial. It does best in a sunny spot. I have yet to see any disease or insect damage on my plant.

I recommend cutting this plant back about once a month after it reaches a height of 3 feet. This keeps is bushier in appearance and less leggy at the bottom. No gardener wishing to attract hummingbirds should be without this plant. It grows quickly enough to use as an annual or potted plant in the North.

Belinda Still Dreaming Away

2010-07-26T07:19:00.001-05:00

This is Belinda's Dream, a medium pink, shrub rose that is purported to be nearly disease free. It is on the Earthkind list of roses, which means it is a top performer in our climate without needing all the spraying and watering that normally are required for roses. The blooms are shaped like normal hybrid tea roses and have a wonderful fragrance. The stems aren't especially long, but are adequate for cutting. Notice just how huge the bloom is even in the deepest part of summer here.

Here is another shot that shows the beautiful leaves and stems as well as the perfect blooms. I can't think of another rose in my experience that is less prone to blackspot than this one. The leaves stay clean all year. Also, this is a nearly continuously blooming shrub. It puts out flush after flush of bloom from April till December where I live. One way I help it bloom better is to prune each stem way back after the blooms fade. This helps the plant also maintain a full, bushy appearance instead of a tall, leggy look.

I prune this plant just like a hybrid tea. Cut it back to about 18" in February, keep the stems cut back after each flush of bloom, and give it a secondary pruning to about 30" in late summer (August) before the fall flush. In this shot you can see the full shape of the plant and the perfect, deep green of the leaves. There is no yellowing anywhere. You cannot ask for more from a rose in Louisiana. (Note that I don't spray at all.)

Once again, this is a rose that is not commonly seen at my local nurseries. Why!? I had to order mine from Chamblee's Rose Nursery. It sickens me to visit nurseries and see tons of hybrid tea, grandiflora, and floribunda roses that are guaranteed to fail unless constantly pampered. The only exception is the ubiquitous Knockout family, which is the only group of roses that common people can easily find and grow.

Earthsong In Summer

2010-07-25T15:28:00.004-05:00

Mid-summer is a good time for me to gauge which roses will truly thrive in my climate. It's the most brutal time of year for roses to endure in the Deep South. We have extreme temperatures, off-the-chart high humidity, sometimes flooding rains, and sometimes long droughts. The conditions are also perfect for that number one enemy of roses - blackspot. Since I don't spray, this is about the best time to get an evaluation of what roses will make the cut for me. One rose that is definitely passing with flying colors is the Griffith Buck rose, Earthsong.

The blooms are this deep pink color and they have a sweet fragrance, though it is not extremely strong. The flowers fade to a lighter pink in the sun, but they still retain attractive coloration. I've seen no insect damage at all to the plant.

Here is a whole bush shot of mine. It doesn't have a full, bushy shape and grows somewhat like a grandiflora. I've determined to start pruning mine like a grandiflora/hybrid tea from this point onward. The leaves are almost completely free of blackspot, though it sometimes gets a very small smattering of the disease. I keep a layer of mulch around it's base and water with a drip irrigator when needed. Once or twice a year I'll put a cup or two of alfalfa pellets around the base of the plant. This is about the only care I give for any of my roses. One of the things I really like about Earthsong is that the blooms don't seem to get smaller in the heat of summer like so many other roses do.

The Griffith Buck roses were bred to take cold, so I like to recommend them to my Northern friends. This is one of Buck's best ones. These are some tough bushes because they take our Southern heat just as well as the Northern freezes. A hardy family of roses and very worthy of consideration as easy to grow options in the landscape. It's so sad to me that these are not readily offered in most area nurseries. I recommend you look at Chamblee's web site to purchase this rose and many other Buck roses.

This last picture was taken back in May at the peak bloom of this rose. I'm including it so you can see what it looks like at its best. The smaller, lighter pink blooms are from an adjacent Super Dorothy rose. Earthsong nearly always blooms in these luscious clusters early in the year.

Black-Eyed Beauty

2010-07-22T16:28:00.000-05:00

Black-eyed Susans (rudbeckias) are one of the easiest and most prolific perennials that you can plant. They will thrive on neglect, poor soil, and drought conditions. They also do well in our humidity. Their commonality made me overlook them for some time, but I'm trying to make up for lost time this year.

This variety is the ubiquitous "Goldsturm." There is a reason for the popularity of this variety - it thrives everywhere. The flowers are so happy and cheerful - especially on a wet, summer afternoon.

This picture shows more of the plant, though a morning glory is trying to choke it out. I've only got two small plants this year, but I fully expect this to spread and prolifically fill its area. By the way, I think it looks great growing near the deep purple Grandpa Ott morning glories.

Crocosmia Explosion

2010-07-08T19:08:00.002-05:00

Crocosmias are hard for me to photograph. Their airy habit and bright colors make them easy on the eyes but hard on the camera lens. They are among the easiest of all the summer bulbs to grow in the Southeast and are extremely prolific. Within two years of planting one specimen, you will have more than enough to share with your friends.

Here are some growing near my small herb bed. They look nice alongside the achillea (yarrow,) bronze fennel, rue, parsley, and dill.

Here's a close-up of the blooms. I don't know what this variety is since it was given to me by a friend. Nearly all cultivars grow the same and they come in all the fire-colored shades - yellow, orange, and red.

Such bright colors don't mix with everything, but sure do brighten up where they are. This is quite a versatile plant that will grow and bloom anywhere from bright sun to half-shade. They don't do so well in boggy soil, but they tolerate drought superbly. I have some growing in a dry un-irrigated bed and they are doing just as fine as the ones that get plenty of water.

The tube-shaped blooms are near the top of the food list for ruby-throated hummingbirds. I've seen them busily buzzing around these blooms nearly every morning. This is a perfect pass-along plant that will reward you over and over again with little effort. What more can you ask for?