The Perennial Plant Association (PPA), annually names an outstanding plant its “Perennial of the Year.” The 2015 selection is an easy-to-grow hardy geranium groundcover (spreading) perennial, Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’, which is a cultivar that is native to the Biokovo Mountains in Croatia. It is said to be hardy in zones 4-8. It begins blooming in late spring, lasting through summer, with tiny white-petaled flowers, tinged ...
Each year, the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) names an outstanding plant its “Perennial of the Year.” The selection for 2014 is Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’, an ornamental grass that was a runner-up in 2012. This is one of the first PPA winners in recent history that I have not personally grown and used in landscapes, so I ...
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Every landscape should include a nice selection of ornamental grasses. They are very easy care plants – generally only needing shearing back close to the ground in early spring. They like lean soil – no need to fertilize. They are reliably deer resistant and pest free. They provide a range of benefits in the landscape – e.g., they make useful ...
Many of our treasured plants succumb to insect and disease problems in the long hot, humid summer. As herbaceous plants die back to the ground for the winter, and deciduous trees and shrubs lose their leaves, we get a break from many pest and disease problems. Nourishment for wildlife, however, is more limited, and can pose a particular challenge. With green material at a premium in ...
The perennial Peony hybrid, Paeonia x, provides a very long season of interest in many conditions. It grows well in full to part sun, and it is reliably deer resistant. It is commanding, growing to 2 ½ feet tall by 2-3 feet wide, making a good specimen, or it can be used to fill in borders.
It produces very large fragrant blooms in mid to late spring, in shades of ...
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