Summer Gardening

Inspiring Big-Leaved Hydrangeas

Inspiring Big-Leaved Hydrangeas

I think all gardeners crave color and flower power that brings smiles to faces throughout their landscape.  When we talk about options for summer-blooming shrubs, Roses and Hydrangeas stand above all others for both choice and longevity.  Roses are for full sun, while depending on the variety, Hydrangeas can be for sun, partial sun or shade.  I seem to write about…

Not Your Grandma’s Butterfly Bushes

Not Your Grandma’s Butterfly Bushes

As we inch towards the onset of summer, with the solstice on the horizon, June is another month full of garden temptations and color for our landscapes.  It is also pollinator month, and I urge everyone to do all that they can for our local pollinating friends.  We all need to welcome…

A Touch of the Tropics, The Sequel

A Touch of the Tropics, The Sequel

We began our travels down the road to annuals last week, so I am not making any U-turns just yet as this week we will continue to talk color and tropical plants.  The vast majority of our landscapes are filled with…

Stylish Sedums and Succulents

Stylish Sedums and Succulents

Hardy Sedums come to us from across the globe and have adapted perfectly to almost all arid, and even higher elevation, locales.  Modern Succulents, of all kinds, have been bred into a massive array of...

More Summer Blooming Shrubs

More Summer Blooming Shrubs

As we pass the midpoint of summer and head towards fall, numerous plants continue to shine in our local gardens.  Two standouts in particular are looking great, adding bright flowers, nice foliage and ornamental berries to the landscape...

Summer Blooming Shrubs

Summer Blooming Shrubs

Whenever I ponder summer blooming shrubs, two have been and always will be at the front of my mind… Roses and Hydrangeas – as nothing will beat either of these for length of flowering time, all the way until frost… There is never anything wrong with more of either, but what else can I choose that will add some seasonal interest to the summer garden?…