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JUNE 29 2010 FILED UNDER Perennials	Perennial Hibiscus Enjoy big blooms year after year! The perennial hibiscus should not be confused with the tropical hibiscus. Perennial Hibiscus are truly perennial and are tough plants that will provide brilliant landscape color season after season. Tropical Hibiscus, on the other hand, is considered an annual and offers a burst of color during spring and summer. The tropical varieties cannot withstand a hard freeze or a Virginia winter, but fills a spot in the summer garden. We love the perennial hibiscus for its spectacular flower colors, the size of the hibiscus blooms and best of all that it is a perennial and will come back each season. For years the only hardy hibiscus colors available were white, pink and red but now, thanks to plant breeders, you can select from incredible color variations like hot pink, raspberry, mauve, dusty rose or even plum. These plants produce large flower sizes that range from 4 to 10 inches in diameter. Some even reach the size of a dinner plate! While each bloom only lasts one day, hibiscus are prolific bloomers and can produce more than a hundred blooms in a season. Not only are these garden jewels beautiful, but they are easy to grow. All they need is full sun, decent soil and some occasional pruning. Although hibiscus will tolerate part shade, excessive shade will reduce flower production. A hardy hibiscus is considered a Herbaceous perennial. This means their tops die down to the ground each winter, but new shoots will come roaring back into lush growth when soil gets warm. Since Hibiscus love the heat they really do not start to come on strong until the temperatures get very warm. There are assorted varieties of perennial hibiscus to choose from. Use them in the garden as a focal point or arranged to provide an informal hedge. Some of the more popular varieties that we carry include ‘Kopper King,’ ‘Cranberry Crush,’ ‘Fireball,’ ‘Robert Fleming’ and ‘Jazzberry Jam.’ These flamboyant flowers will provide you with attractive foliage and a summer full of spectacular bloom! { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 29, 2010 }
JUNE 22 2010	Heat up summer with hot blooms! Altheas, better known as Rose of Sharon, are a beautiful blooming shrub commonly found growing in the south. They love the heat and their massive, colorful blooms make quite a statement in the garden, blooming from late summer until fall. Altheas are available in shades of red, white, pink and even purple. Plant in groups, masses or shrub borders or even as a screen or hedge. This old-fashioned shrub was common in gardens around the turn of the century and is coming back into vogue. The newer varieties have bigger blooms and longer bloom periods. This showy plant will attract both hummingbirds and butterflies. We suggest pairing this shrub with daylilies, viburnum, homestead purple verbena, rosemary or lantana. Try these varieties: • Aphrodite: A single, ruffled dark pink petal with a dark red eye. • Diana: A single, ruffled pure white flower. • Minerva: A single ruffled, lavender pink flower with a red eye. • Helen: A single, ruffled white flower with a maroon eye. Try this heat-lover in your landscape for stunning blooms that can stand up to the Hampton Roads’ summer heat and humidity. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 22, 2010 }
JUNE 8 2010 FILED UNDER Perennials	What is a Perennial? Perennials are considered to be ornamental plants that do not die after one season of growth. This does not mean they live forever, however, they do offer a repeat performance for several seasons. The term perennial is generally reserved for plants with showy flowers, excluding ornamental grasses and other plants mainly grown for their foliage. The term herbaceous perennial further narrows the group to plants with soft, green stems that die back to the ground in colder climates. Trees, shrubs and other woody stemmed plants are excluded. We love planting perennials in the landscape. They can create a border, focal point, accent or even fill a container. They are a source of back-ground in color and size and provide an abundance of cut flowers. With so many colors to choose from, there is one that is perfectly suited for your garden. In the garden center now, are some of our favorites including: Coneflowers, Daylilies, Mexican Petunia, Coreopsis and Lantana, and Verbena. Try these perennials in a special spot in your garden for an easy to grow pop of color. { Happy Gardening! Posted by McDonald Garden Center, June 9, 2010 }
JUNE 1 2010	Seeing Blue - Agapanthus ‘Midknight Blue’ If you love blue, Agapanthus produces some of the best blues in the summer garden. This easy-to-grow perennial produces colorful blue globes made of trumpet-shaped flowers in summer and fall. Its evergreen leaves add texture to beds, borders, and containers. Agapanthus blooms best in a spot where it gets full sun and has moist, well-drained soil. These blue beauties can be grown in the ground and are striking in containers. Consider these design ideas when planting Agapanthus in your garden. Line them up for a quaint edging or plant in seas of blue as a groundcover. They work well in groups combined with other annuals and perennials. The structure of the flower makes it suitable for modernistic landscapes and crisp contemporary compositions. They are perfect paired with shades or orange and yellow. Try these companion plants: Shasta Daisies, Coral Bells, Lantana, Daylilies Agapanthus is truly a summer gift to the garden.