The Giddiness of a good find, ‘Miss Ruby’ buddleia x 2010

‘Miss Ruby’ is my new favorite 2010 Proven Winners Color Choice shrub this week. I’m trialing it in my garden and it hasn’t stopped blooming since May. The blooms have been a deep magenta pink that makes me giddy every time I look at it which matches how I’m feeling tonight.

Below is a stock photo from Proven Winners and this is true to color. I think they have this paired with ‘Limelight’ hydrangea but it could be ‘Incrediball’.

Proven Winners sent me this plant in the Spring and I was excited about the color and its butterfly attracting qualities. I had the same idea and originally had it paired with ‘White Dome’ hydrangeas.

I moved the ‘White Dome’ to the back beds because it was just too hot out front for them and replaced them with ‘Incrediball’ hydrangeas also by Proven Winners and I’ve written about them HERE.  You can image the car wrecks that are going to happen when those two beauties collide next summer.

The reason I’m so giddy is cause I found a local herb farm called, Mills Garden Herb Farm.  I’m over the top excited about them cause they offer cooking, crafting, and medicinal herb classes. I told ya’ll I wanted to learn wildcrafting and this certainly is a form of it. My first class is wreath making. If you get a chance. Browse on down the main page and meet Madge and her dogs. You know I’ll go over and do an interview so you can see more!! I promise. You know it makes me giddy. I’m nuts about this sort of thing.

My very good friend Kevin Campbell who owns Campbell Family Nursery is the one who directed me to the herb farm. Kevin knows everything. His nursery has been in his family forever. He’s like me..been around since the early 1700’s. I’m going to interview him for you too. He just bought a whole bunch of land moved the entire nursery and has a grand story to tell. You should read some of the stories he has on his blog! Talk about folklore……..he can really tell it. Finding Plant Treasures

I’ve got one of the pure Campbell bloodline Japanese  maples growing in my backyard! So if I tell you that I like a plant and share it with you—-folks I don’t do it lightly—I do it from my heart and because I know it’s got a good bloodline and I trust who it came from. I trust Proven Winners Plants cause I grow them in my own garden.

From the Proven Winners Site: ‘Miss Ruby’ buddleia x

 

Growing Tips
Prefers well-drained, moist, fertile soils but can tolerate drought once established. Prefers medium moisture. Prune in late fall or early spring. In Northern states, this plant will die back to the ground though the roots are hardy. In the South, cut back as needed. To encourage reblooming, remove old spent blooms. Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer specialized for trees and shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rate of application.

Exposure
Full sun

Height
48-60″

Spacing
36-48″

Hardy Temp
-20°F (-29°C)

Uses
Excellent for use in perennial beds, wildlife gardens and mixed borders.

Features
Brilliant rich pink summer blooms unlike any other variety. Prune back in late winter/early spring. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Fragrant. Deer resistant.

Snow Princess™ Lobularia hybrid Sweet Alyssum, Must Have

Incredible is all you can say about ‘Snow Princess’ Lobularia hybrid sweet alyssum. I grew it in containers and in the ground this summer and watching the never ending display of fluffy white blooms was absolutely satisfying. I thought you might like to see the photos from the Proven Winners site. Please enjoy!

You’ve all seen my gardens so let’s go look at some others around the Proven Winners’ world. All photos are used with permission from PW. You may not use these pictures without written consent from Proven Winners Plants.

Unlike most alyssums that fizzle out in the southern heat, ‘Snow Princess’ held up beyond measure. She’s on my list now appearing on a page at the top of my blog—-called***FGG’s FAV Annuals which is under construction.

This is one of the most stunning landscapes I’ve seen don’t you think? Bravo Proven Winners. I can name all their NEW VARIETIES in there? Can you? I see—Yep, I’ve grown everything in the picture above and it will look like that–now if I could just remember to put it together in that order!!

We had a frost last night which certainly took out most of my surviving annuals but ‘Snow Princess’ lobularia greeted me this morning still going strong. I just had to tell you about it. Girlfriends gotta share you know. And as promised, I told you I’d get the word out about the 2010’s before the nurseries finished ordering them so you could put your request in. Go tell them you want ‘Snow Princess”

This plant is very thirsty and hungry. You might need to water it twice a day. It will recover from a dry spell but I’d keep it on the moist side. I’d feed it once a week and give it plenty of pot room. I’m betting the one in the head above got a weak feeding every time it was watered and was probably watered at least twice a day if not hooked up to a slow drip system.

Good luck with your ‘Snow Princess’ . She sure looks worth it huh?

Meet ‘Pretty Much Picasso’, the new 2010 outrageous annual

Take a look at the new 2010 outrageous annual that is going to take seasonal gardeners to another level. Lots a wow coming at you with ‘Pretty Much Picasso’. He’s a Proven Winners Plants variety of course. Don’t be shocked when I tell you that my order totals 40! That’s right…..

I ask The Briar Patch last week how many they were ordering and they said–oh about 100. I said well I’m taking 40 of them for my clients and so Candy said—-well ok!….I guess we better get more—I said well I’m guessing you best cause it’s gonna sell like hot cakes—do you hear private nursery owners!!! I’m going to promote the socks off this one. I love it!!!!!!

I’m going to use it in pots with other taller plants that I’ll introduce over the coming days which are also new 2010 varieties. Two are new Ipomoes and one is a new papyrus. Such exciting things going on. So much to tell about that I might not get it all in before Spring planting. Goodness!

And in my garden one of the most important features would be that DEER do not eat them! I did not recieve one of these to trial in my garden this year but I’ve trialed so many PW petunias that it’s just a no brainer on this. I’m sold on the color. I’m guessing they will cost around $5 each for a 5″ pot which some people stroke over but out of that I get a healthy 3+ foot plant from May-November with proper soil prep and feeding schedule. You don’t have to removed spent blooms. I can’t find a better deal than that. My six packs won’t do that.

Proven Winner Cultivars are super athlete plants. They must be planted in good soil and they are heavy feeders needing weekly or bi-monthly liquid food and slow release is what I recommend. That was very evident this summer when my neighbor didn’t follow my instructions and the exact same plants as were in my garden grew to half the height and width.

Also, I’ve sold him on the idea of adopting my garden soil prep habits which you can read about HERE. <——If you follow my soil routine…..you’ll rarely have pest and disease problems and you’ll have beautiful plants. It’s that mushroom compost that’s the best ingredient.

Capsicum annuum ‘Black Pearl’ ornamental pepper

The Briar Patch Garden Center in Winston Salem, NC had an open house for their new location this past weekend. This garden center was started in 1999 by Damien and Deidra Johns, the owners, and they have worked almost around the clock while reaping the rewards of their efforts. Yesterday as they opened a second location in Advance, NC—I spotted the ornamental peppers placed so nicely with the beautiful mum.

Look at that red pepper which ripens to this rich red as the plant matures. This is

Capsicum annuum ‘Black Pearl’ and you can read about it HERE. Ornamental peppers seem to be popular this year and I’ve noticed them popping up in annual flower beds.

They do work well at the front of a border reaching 20″ in height and width. The are considered annuals and even start well from seed. They aren’t picky needing little fertilizer and are somewhat drought tolerant.

This isn’t a new cultivar and has been around since 2006. It’s my experience that plants take awhile to catch on and I’m convinced this will become a landscape favorite.

No peppers in the picture above but isn’t it beautiful? The open house was a big hit and I’m so happy for Damien and Deidra.

Above you see ornamental red and white peppers in this border at Duke Gardens in Raleigh, NC. Some peppers are not edible so make sure you check each variety carefully.

My Product Wish List from the Garden Writer’s Symposium 2010

Ups-A-Daisy is a clever little creation. It’s a pot insert that saves on the amount of soil you’ll need to fill a container. Have you searched all over the house for pot fillers? I have. I’ve used old cans, plastic jugs, broken pots, and the list goes on. These inserts work by cutting down on your fill area and allowing you to use less soil and making the container lighter in the process.

These Ups-A-Daisy plastic inserts are light weight and save your back when you go to move your pot full of mature flowers. I rarely move my pots as they grow cause the thing is just way to heavy. Well here is the solution. And..most annuals don’t need a lot of root space. Annuals grow better with about 10 inches of soil and they love to be snuggled together. It’s perfect for pansies. The design improves drainage too. So no more rotting plants.

Ups-A-Daisy is just one of the companies I made a mental note about so I could go back home and research more about the product. These are new to me and I thought you might like seeing some of the products I’d enjoy using in my garden and home.

Another of these companies was:

Lechuza Self-Watering Containers are on my list of must haves for my porches. This will be the answer to who is going to water while I’m on vacation or when I simply forget about them.

This system waters your plants for up to 12 weeks. There is a gage indicator that tells you when the container needs to be filled again.

I am really impressed with the design and idea not to mention it’s going to assure the success of my containers and make my plants more attractive.

I will be testing these containers and writing more about them in the near future but I am so excited that I wanted to share and give you a sneak peak.

There is a video on their website that explains how they work and they have an online shop. The colors and textures are very classy.

These containers will help you conserve water because you will know exactly how much water your plant requires. No over or under watering.

And , if you leave the plug in the containers for inside—you don’t have to worry about ruining your furniture with water spots.

Are you looking for a hose that will keep up the wear and tear you dish out, or a nozzle that makes watering easier, or maybe you’d rather the watering take care of itself? Look to the Dramm company to do it stylishly and still be durable.

This display was full at the beginning of the Garden Writer’s Symposium. You can see that it was a popular product.

I enjoyed meeting these folks and learning about their consumer and commercial line.  What color would you pick. I think my favorite is the burgundy. Check out their site and you’ll recognize the Color Wand as you probably own one.

Actually, I have several and the garden center where I use to work full time—has lots. It’s a cinch to reach hanging baskets with the long handle. Dramm makes a Touch and Flow wand that allows you to start and stop the flow of water with more ease than traditional nozzles. The control mechanism is in the handle and works by the squeeze of your grip and it will not tire your hand as is the custom of most hand held nozzles.

These are just a few of the items on my wish list and I’ll be writing more about them as the season progresses.

Fall plantings are actually Spring plantings

Fall plantings are actually Spring plantings. If you want your containers to have Spring bulbs then you gotta think about that right now. This container is nicely displayed at the Bob Timberlake Gallery in Lexington, NC.

The euphorbia and heuchera is pretty planted in the Autumn and if you live in a milder climate it will last through the winter. I’m in zone 7 and both below are pretty year round unless it gets really cold–then the heuchera dies back but returns in early Spring.

Euphorbia (Wood Spurge) Helena’s Blush
Heuchera (Coral Bells)
Peach Melba

Here are a few ideas for you on what to plant for Autumn. These are all from the Proven Winners site.

Graceful Grasses:
Toffee Twist
Euphorbia ‘Despina’
Heuchera (Coral Bells)
Dolce® Peach Melba
Heliotropium (Heliotrope) ‘Nagano’

Carex (Toffee Twist Sedge) Heuchera
(Coral Bells) ‘Amber Waves’
Osteospermum Peach Symphony

Euphorbia (Wood Spurge) Efanthia
Heuchera (Coral Bells) ‘Amber Waves’
Carex (Toffee Twist Sedge)
Lamiastrum (Dead Nettle) Hermann’s Pride
Osteospermum Melon Symphony
Carex (Toffee Twist Sedge)
Heuchera (Coral Bells) ‘Amber Waves’
Osteospermum Peach Symphony
Euphorbia (Wood Spurge) Efanthia
Heuchera (Coral Bells) ‘Amber Waves’
Carex (Toffee Twist Sedge)
Lamiastrum (Dead Nettle) Hermann’s Pride
Osteospermum Melon Symphony

Hope you all enjoyed that as much as me! Now get busy planning those Autumn in to Spring arrangements.

The Best Roots In a Jar, Ipomoea batatas Midnight Lace

The best roots in a jar come from the new Illusion Midnight Lace and Emerald Lace Ipomoea batatas. They make a pretty impressive mound of luscious deep burgundy or emerald foliage too. I grew them in the ground and planters and they are by far the best Ipomoeas out there. They will not take over and have grown to about 3 feet by 3 feet this summer. They are of course by Proven Winners. They will be available in garden centers Spring 2010. They proved to be disease, heat, and drought resistant in my zone 7 garden.

********** Updated to say—–this Ipomoea will not be planted in the ground! Sure I could make a million more of them this way but patent means—-PATENT. You can not reproduce this for yourself or for anyone else. I’m using this Ipomoea for a display—period! Just like if you cut flowers for an arrangement. Just wanted to make sure I cleared that up.

By patent, you can not share these cultivars so I root them in a jar for my enjoyment only. They’ve got the prettiest roots I’ve ever seen. They rooted in one day! I’m not kidding. The vase root pictures are from one week’s growth. So not only are they pretty to grow outside but they make a lovely and interesting arrangement inside. It last forever in water.

The leaves are more dramatic than others in the family and have deep cut spaces between the lobes. It’s very graceful.

Organized Mess!

Just behind the wicker chair you can see Emerald Lace from earlier in the season. It is the same size now( Mid August) as the Midnight Lace from above so you can see how much it grew in once season. I like that it doesn’t get out of hand.

Sugar Tip, Blue, and White Chiffon Rose of Sharons

Blooming beautifully in my garden are Proven Winners‘ Chiffon series of Hibicus syriacus. I also have Blue Satin in the front and back of my house. They are all long bloomers which cover the bush from top to bottom. They grow quickly to approximately 12′ in just a few seasons. Hardy in zones 5-9. I like White Chiffon the best because it shows up so well from the road for great curb appeal.

You can click on any picture to enlarge it!

Blue Chiffon Rose of Sharon

Sugar Tip Rose of Sharon

And why did I put it by my back steps like this—long story—It was moved from our former home and survived sitting in the middle of our yard for 8 months of no watering and not attention while the house was being built. Then I moved it here May of 08 to give a chance to recuperate. I suppose it will be trimmed and moved again this Autumn. Just where I’m not sure yet but it is worth the effort. As you can see from the sidewalk that it has already lost lots of blooms that have dropped and it’s still going strong!

Lastly Blue Satin which has a bunch of eaten up leaves which is proof my garden is organic. Even with these poor leaves, the blooms have been beautiful. My other Rose of Sharons were not affected so badly. I can highly recommend PW’s cultivars. I would say that I have purchased about half of PW’s in my garden and PW has sent me the other half asking that I test them and then write about what I think. They do this for several garden writers and I’m appreciative. Just this week I got the new 2010 catalog and it’s fantastically beautiful. I think it’s the best one yet!

You can go to http://provenwinners.com/ and look up plants for your zone—get color ideas, arrangement inspiration, and see their new online magazine. I was buying PW’s long before they ever showed interest in sending me any. I worked at a PW nursery for 6 years off and on and loved seeing the new plants come in. My passion is new cultivars and so far—-PW leads the way. I hope you will start asking your local nursery for them and be specific. A nursery would love to know what your desires are for 2010. You need to start asking now cause they are already making plans for what to order.

I’ll be making a list soon of my favorite and must have PW’s to share with you. I’ve not done that in the past and found it hard to locate the many I suggest to my friends and those I do arrangements for. This year I’m trying to get the word out so you can ask early and help your nursery get prepared. And how is my garden growing today…………

That crazy Senorita Rosalita cleome on the right—split in half, mended itself, and keeps on blooming like a fool.

Just in front left is the new Ipomoea by PW that I’m going to write about next! And my Knock Out red roses are doing well this year but not blooming as much as last year. We’ve been on the cool side except for yesterdays heat wave.

Look at my cut cockscomb vase—huge!

Ok—more in a bit…….hugs to all!