How to Plant and Grow Coreopsis
Coreopsis is a highly adaptable group of plants, easy to use in nearly all garden settings. It’s available in an array of colors and patterns, especially the tender perennial and annual coreopsis. With bright little blossoms, coreopsis makes great companion plants for ornamental grasses and other tough annuals and perennials. Coreopsis typically begins blooming in early summer, and the blossoms can last a while. Less-hardy varieties tend to be longer-blooming, especially when deadheaded regularly to encourage new blossoms. As their bloom season progresses, be sure to leave a few flowers on the plants so birds can dine on the tasty seeds. Coreopsis height varies by type, with dwarf varieties remaining under two feet tall. Some varieties, like verticillata, extend creeping rhizomes, creating dense stands of the plant. Coreopsis Overview GENUS NAME Coreopsis COMMON NAME Coreopsis PLANT TYPE Annual, Perennial LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 4 feet WIDTH 1 to 3 feet FLOWER COLOR Orange,…
How to Plant and Grow Coral Bells
Coral bells used to come in a few drab colors, with small and insignificant blooms. Now they come in a whole rainbow of colors, with some varieties grown specifically for their masses of flowers. And they’re extremely low maintenance. This perennial is hardy in Zones 3-9 and easily adaptable to either ground or container planting. New varieties of coral bells appear on the market nearly every year with improved colors, larger leaves, brighter flowers, and new patterns. Coralbells Overview GENUS NAME Heuchera COMMON NAME Coralbells PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Shade, Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 6 to 30 inches FLOWER COLOR Green, Pink, Red, White FOLIAGE COLOR Chartreuse/Gold, Gray/Silver, Purple/Burgundy SEASON FEATURES Colorful Fall Foliage, Fall Bloom, Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom, Winter Interest SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division PROBLEM SOLVERS Groundcover, Slope/Erosion…
Coneflower
Add this classic perennial to your garden to enjoy its colorful blooms and to draw wildlife. Coneflower Overview DESCRIPTION Both people and pollinators love this pretty North American native. With colorful blooms from summer to fall, purple coneflowers shine in a variety of settings. This plant has seen a resurgence in popularity, which has led to more varieties to choose from. There’s a coneflower for every garden, including bright single flowers and double blossoms. GENUS NAME Echinacea COMMON NAME Coneflower PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 1 to 3 feet WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FLOWER COLOR Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES Fall Bloom, Summer Bloom, Winter Interest SPECIAL FEATURES Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance ZONES 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Division, Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant Colorful Combinations The big blooms of…
How to Plant and Grow Columbine
These graceful perennials are grown for their ferny leaves and colorful spring blooms. PHOTO: MIKE JENSEN Columbines have truly unique-looking flowers. With their dangling bell-like shape and spurs at the back, nothing else quite them. Because perennial columbines bloom in almost every color, these easy-to-grow perennials are popular garden plants. They also seed themselves around the yard. These happy plants begin blooming near the end of bulb season, adding a pop of color right when your garden needs it. Their delicate blue-green foliage also makes a beautiful statement in the garden. Hardy in Zones 3-9, there are 60 to 70 species that grow in many different environments, including moist woodlands and rocky alpines. Columbine Overview GENUS NAME Aquilegia COMMON NAME Columbine PLANT TYPE Perennial LIGHT Part Sun, Sun HEIGHT 6 to 12 inches WIDTH 6 to 24 inches FLOWER COLOR Blue, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green…
Coconut Palm
Coconut palm is the most recognizable palm in the world. This tree grows 60-100 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide with huge leaves to 15 feet long. Coconut fruits hang in clusters under and among leaf bases. Immature fruits range in color from green to yellow or red, but all eventually turn brown. This palm is extremely drought-tolerant and can withstand salty soils. It’s a versatile plant used to make copra (coconut meat), coconut oil, coir (a material often added to potting mixes), and coconut milk. Coconut Palm Overview GENUS NAME Cocos nucifera COMMON NAME Coconut Palm PLANT TYPE Tree LIGHT Sun HEIGHT 20 to 20 feet WIDTH 20 to 30 feet ZONES 10, 11 PROPAGATION Seed PROBLEM SOLVERS Drought Tolerant Varieties of Coconut Palm ‘Panama Tall’ Coconut Cocos nucifera ‘Panama Tall’ is also known as Pacific Tall coconut. It grows rapidly up to 100 feet tall and forms a large-diameter…
How to Plant and Grow Climbing Rose
It’s almost impossible to imagine a cottage garden without these romantic plants. Climbing roses develop long canes well-suited to trailing on pillars, fences, arbors, and gazebos. They produce either large, single flowers or clustered blooms on a stem. Climbers can be trained to bloom more heavily by leading their canes in a horizontal direction. Anchoring them loosely to a support structure will encourage young plants to climb. Doug Hetherington. Climbing roses work their way over an arbor gate or fence or up a quaint brick facade. While climbing roses may seem a little daunting, these graceful flowers are easy to grow, creating a cottage feel. Climbing rose blooms tend to have one very heavy bloom in spring and then sporadic blooms throughout the rest of the growing season. How they bloom depends on the variety planted. Regular deadheading of the flowers can encourage continuous blooming. If you decide to prune your plants…
Climbing Hydrangea
A full-grown climbing hydrangea in bloom can take your breath away. This big vine produces large clusters of white flowers held against rich, dark green foliage. Climbing hydrangeas grow by producing aerial roots that grow into walls, fences, or even up the side of a large tree. The vines can be slow to get established — so be patient with them. Note: All parts of this plant are toxic. Climbing Hydrangea Overview GENUS NAME Hydrangea petiolaris COMMON NAME Climbing Hydrangea PLANT TYPE Vine LIGHT Shade HEIGHT 20 to 20 feet WIDTH null to 50 feet FLOWER COLOR White SEASON FEATURES Summer Bloom SPECIAL FEATURES Cut Flowers, Low Maintenance ZONES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 PROPAGATION Stem Cuttings
How to Plant and Grow Clematis
This perennial vine comes in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes. PHOTO: DAVID MCDONALD Clematis is one of the best perennial vines for your garden. These plants dress up any kind of structure they climb with their flowers that come in an array of shapes and colors. Bloom time ranges from late spring to fall, depending on the type and variety. With a little planning, it’s possible to have clematis blooms in your garden throughout the growing season. You can even plant these vigorous vines alongside sturdy woody plants such as roses, trees, or shrubs to act as a living trellis. Whether it’s a summer-blooming variety with large, showy blooms, or a fall-blooming type of clematis with hundreds of smaller flowers, these vines make a stunning statement. The most common clematis are the open-face blooms that reach as large as 7 inches across. Blooms also come in small, bell-shaped blossoms with outer petals…
Chrysanthemum
Colorful Combinations With almost every color of the rainbow available, chrysanthemums can enhance any garden or container. Plant breeders are even working on perfecting a true blue! Mum bloom shapes and sizes are quite spectacular, with a wide range of sizes including the common small cushion mum to the giant spider mums. Chrysanthemum Care Must-Knows Growing mums is an easy task as long as you keep a few things in mind. Plant mums in well-drained, evenly moist soil. These plants will quickly rot if where they are planted stays too wet. If you have a heavy, dry soil, such as hard clay, mums would benefit from added compost and peat moss to loosen the soil. Mums can also be considered heavy feeders; it is a good idea to give them supplemental fertilizer throughout the growing season, especially if you’re growing them in pots. For best results from your mum, plant…
How to Grow and Care for Christmas Cactus
PHOTO: CARSON DOWNING Christmas cactus is a popular, low maintenance houseplant and a favorite pass-along plant that can live for years. Named for its festive flowers that often appear around the holidays, this succulent plant actually can bloom at other times of the year as well. The orchid-like flowers can be shades of red, pink, purple, orange, and white. Unlike most desert cactuses, Christmas cactus is native to the Brazilian coastal rainforests. In its natural habitat, it gets plenty of moisture and high humidity. That means it has different care requirements than other cacti in your indoor garden. Have furry friends at home? Not to fret, this pretty plant is also pet friendly. Christmas Cactus Overview GENUS NAME Schlumbergera COMMON NAME Christmas Cactus PLANT TYPE Houseplant LIGHT Part Sun HEIGHT 6 to 12 inches WIDTH 1 to 2 feet FLOWER COLOR Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow FOLIAGE COLOR Blue/Green SEASON FEATURES…