by Briscoe White | Aug 12, 2010 | Flowers, Growing |
Of all the beach flowers, Gaillardia is the only one that is there by choice. In yards which are irrigated, Oleander, Rudbeckia, and Rosemary grow well. But how many volunteers do you see growing out in the dunes? My late summer visit to the NC beach found the dunes blanketed in Blanket Flower. No individuals were large bunched plants like their kin growing with a gardeners care and regular water. All the little Gaillardia plants were single stem with a flower or two per plant. They made up for individual size by shear numbers. The vacant lot next to the walk over the dunes was completely filled as if sown on purpose. With little or no competition, Gaillardia grew freely from seed.
Gaillardia in a garden setting is expected to perform with more color than the wild cousins are capable of as individuals. Sharing their tolerance for hot, dry locations, cultivars of Gaillardia such as “ArizonaSun” give the hardiness of the wild species and more flowers and much better plant habits. Ariziona Sun grow to only 12” hiigh and a nice 15” spread. It will flower from mid-summer to fall.
If looking for a flowering plant for a beach garden, Gailadia in a native which cannot be overlooked. Choose cultivars for any planted beds. Any wild areas can be seeded by collecting from wild pants.
by Briscoe White | Aug 9, 2010 | Growing, Herbs |
We have just returned from family vacation at the beach. The beautiful NC coastline is only a memory until next time! While visiting various beach houses, I was always looking for plants that thrive near the beach. The plant that that I admired the most grew over the retaining wall along the driveway of our rental house. Hanging four to five feet over the wall were several creeping rosemary plants.
These full grown specimens were not only full of deep green foliage, they were in full flower. Small pale blue flowers graced the long arching limbs of dark green foliage. These beautiful specimens grew strong and were obviously long lived. To have such plants at the beach, irrigation is a must. If looking for an evergreen shrub for a beach yard, Rosemary plants have proven themselves to me! Upright varieties make excellent shrubs and creeping types can be used as a ground cover or a cascading plant to soften a wall. Bottom line is Rosemary works well in coastal plantings, and being an herb plant as well as a shrub, many uses can be found for cooking with the clippings.
by Briscoe White | Jun 29, 2010 | Flowers, Growing |
That is the best description for Perovskia, or Russian Sage, when it is in bloom. The hardy ( Zones 5-9) perennial will give years of low maintenance, long summer blooms. Blue panicles create a lavender – blue mist which gets more intense as the flowers open. I like to use this plant as a specimen, mass planting to create a large stand. These beds are easy to maintain and offer color for much of the summer. Each plant grows 3-5′ tall with a 2-4′ spread; planting 2-3 feet apart, they will grow together as a large shrubby mass. They are also live many years, and are tolerant of poor soil. The planting outside of my late father in law’s office has been blooming for over 15 years with little to no attention.
The leaves are finely cut with a distinct blue- green color, which contrast beautifully with the blue mist of the flowers. As mentioned, Perovskia makes a great specimen plant, but also blends well into a mixed perennial bed. If more is desired, the blue mist can be accentuated with plantings of Rudbeckia. Maintenance is as simple as a late winter pruning of all stems to 6″. Where the growing season allows, deadheading will result in reblooms. Having no serious pest from the insect or disease world, it is a perfect perennial for beginner and experienced gardeners. Being so easy to grow in full sun, the challenge is making the most of the Blue Mist.
by Briscoe White | Jun 25, 2010 | Flowers, Gardening |
After every season there are always some plants that did not find a home. In the greenhouse, we have to be merciless and allow no survivors at the end. Plants that are divided or potted up are spared because they have found a new reason for being in the next season. Left over annual plants fill our containers.
So, sometimes we are left with perfectly good plants with nowhere to go. Here is where the lucky ones end up. A lot are planted around our farm; we have learned to concentrate planting where they can be tended a little. The hot dry summer is a threat to all new planting unless water is available. Our beds are along the entrance road and around living areas.
The picture shows what we did with some left over perennials. A low drop off behind our pool and always been an eyesore; hardly anything would grow there. Some Ansomnia had grown to very large clumps and a few daylilies hung from the steepest part. I had to water several times a week to get the plants through summer, but it was worth the effort. So, last summer, with the assistance of some hardworking just-graduated seniors, we were able to give those leftovers a second chance. Now, in the INTENSE heat of our end of June days (yesterday was 101!) this bed is hanging on with little to no attention. Notice the coneflowers?
by Briscoe White | Jun 18, 2010 | Flowers, Growing, Miscellaneous |
It has been so long since I made a journal entry that I do not even remember when! All I can say about the last few months is that we sent out a lot of plants from our farm. Many thanks to all our gardening customers, may your plants always grow to their full potential!
Now that the shipping season for spring is done, and the fall catalog safely with the printer, we find ourselves beginning what may be a long hot summer. The vegetables are growing and peaches being picked, so all of our summer chores seem to revolve around eating! Being how we are though, flowers will be found on any ground not already occupied.
Last fall, I showed pictures of my seed collecting efforts. This past time takes place while driving; if I see a plant I want, I stop and mark it with flagging tape. It is really hard to relocate plants without a marker, since the original marker is now long gone to seed. This picture is one of the grass filters, which surround all of our fields. Grasses work well, but a few wildflowers turn it into a little prairie, which are always a wonder to behold! Flowers bring a host of winged creatures to colonize this man made habitat: Dragonflies and Butterflies, Bluebirds and Goldfinches fill a pallet of color in constant motion. But, my favorite is the constantly soaring Marsh Hawk, not seen in our fields before the prairies were planted. You don’t have to believe me, look at the picture, it can’t do justice to maybe a hundred thousand flowers.
By the way, that’s our newest pup, an Aussie named ‘Blue’. A great dog …
by Briscoe White | Apr 19, 2010 | Flowers, Growing |
I often wonder where I’d be without loyal customers .. not only because of their financial support, but also for their emotional and practical support! We’ve been in business, growing and selling, for over 25 years and in that time, ‘Martha’ has been their since day one … a great customer who buys lots of plants, a talented gardener, and one of those folks who loves to share her knowledge and her opinion of good plants. I always listen, and that is why we are offering a great salvia.
Salvia ‘Oceana Blue’ has GREAT color .. blues in the garden are something special and this salvia is gorgeous. It is tall, it is drought tolerant, it attracts hummingbirds, butterflies but NOT deer. And, in our garden, it makes a great cut flower for a summer arrangement.
But, this isn’t all about the plant … it’s actually all about the customer. You know who you are … Thanks Martha!
