Garden

[JustJazzmom]

Finally there is a cold hardy gardenia for Northern gardens (Hardiness Zone 7-11) called Gardenina jasminoides 'Frostproof'. It gets huge velvety white fragrant flowers in late Spring through mid Summer; has rich shiny evergreen foliage and is slow growing to 5' tall and 4' wide. It will NOT LOSE its flowers after late spring frosts. This plant does not get spider mites either (I asked that question at this AM's lecture I attended) and you can plant this in partial to full sun. It is adaptable to moist well drained soils and is deer, insect and disease resistant.

Another new plant for homeowner usage is 'Physocarpus opulifoliusa Donna May' or Little Devil Ninebark. This has shiny, deep burgundy foliage that is offset by the button like white-pink flowers that occur in June. It is a native plant and it is an upright rounded form maturing to 3-4' tall and wide. It is easy to grow and its a low maintenance shrub. It can be planted in full sun for best foliage color (in more shady spots the leaves will be green in color) and is another one that does well in well drained soils and is disease and insect free and grows in Hardiness Zones 3-7.

And how could I forget some hydrangea introductions??

Hydrangea arborescens 'Bella Anna' is a remontant (reblooming) magenta-pink Hydrangea arborescens to the Endless Summer collection. It produces an abundance of large flower heads throughout the summer and it features a strong stem to support the weight of those magenta-pink blooms. It does its best in flitered light and moist, well drained soil. It blooms on new wood and can be pruned hard in the springtime (like about now in Zone 7).

Hydrangea paniculata 'Bombshell' is a well branched with dwarf growth habit covered with white flowers from summer to frost. It grows 2-3' tall and is 3-4' wide. It has a long bloom time and the amount of flowers per plant is greater than any other H. paniculata. Plant it in full sun to light shade and in moist, well drained and organic rich soil. It blooms on new wood so you can prune it hard in the springtime (like about now in Zone 7). For Hardiness Zone 3-8.