Tag Archives: flowering plants

Chokecherry Makes a Fine Hedge in Sun or Shade

August 20, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: Chokecherry is a great wildlife shrub/tree, providing food for the larvae of many species of butterflies and moths, and berries for birds and humans (the tart berries can be made into jams and jellies). It takes sun or shade …

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Actaea Racemosa Is an Exciting Shade Garden Plant

August 15, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: Actaea racemosa is a must-have shade-garden plant because it blooms in mid- to late summer, lighting up the shade with its dramatic spikes of white flowers. It also attracts butterflies and it is typically not bothered by deer and …

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Liatris Ligulistylis Supports Monarch Butterflies

August 8, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: Liatris ligulistylis, or meadow blazing star, is a perennial plant that blooms in late summer and autumn. Its bright purple flowers provide food for butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinating insects, so much so that it has earned the nickname “the …

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Agastache Mango Tango Checks All the Boxes

August 1, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: Agastache Mango Tango has many things gardeners look for in a perennial for late summer: It blooms for a long time (midsummer to fall), it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, it tolerates drought and heat and it resists deer and …

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Gaura Karalee Petite Pink Is a Social Butterfly

July 25, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: Karalee Petite Pink gaura, or wand flower, is a social butterfly in the garden for a few reasons. Its pink flowers look like butterflies, for one thing. Another reason is its habit; with its low foliage and taller wands …

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Bush Honeysuckle Handles Dry Shade

July 18, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 1

Virtues: Bush honeysuckle is a summer-blooming shrub that grows easily in dry, shaded areas such as underneath trees. Its summer flowers provide food for bumblebees and other pollinators.

Annual Vinca Valiant Takes Heat and Drought

July 10, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: The Valiant series of annual vinca won top praise in trial gardens last summer thanks to its ability to withstand heat and drought. Annual vinca blooms all summer with little upkeep. The gardeners at Kansas State University’s Prairie Star …

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Summer-blooming Shrubs: Expert Recommendations

July 4, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Spring-blooming shrubs get the early glory, but late bloomers are invaluable for summer interest. Here, two Horticulture contributors share their recommendations for summer-blooming shrubs:

Eco-friendly Roses: Heirloom Varieties and Native Species

June 27, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

GUEST POST BY MAX EBER Some gardeners avoid roses because they think these plants require lots of upkeep and chemical spraying. Breeders are responding with eco-friendly roses like the Oso Easy series (Proven Winners) and the Drift roses (Star Roses …

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Salvia and Hummingbirds: the Perfect Pair

June 20, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

GUEST POST BY BRIAN BARTH With their long, slender beaks, hummingbirds are well equipped to feed from any flower with an elongated tubular shape, from honeysuckle to grevillea. However, there is ample evidence that their unique beak, as well as …

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Celosia Flowers to Attract Pollinators

June 12, 2017 | Meghan Shinn | 0

Virtues: ‘Asian Garden’ celosia is a long-blooming celosia that withstands heat and drought. It can be grown in a container or in the garden. Celosia flowers attract bees and other pollinators. Planted near a vegetable garden, it will help ensure …

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