It’s cold and there’s still snow in the ground but the planting season is just around the corner. With this in mind it’s time to start thinking about what we want to plan this season.

As with every year, this is about the time the 2010 plant catalogs start rolling in and if you are like me, you always have your eye out for that something special that will set you apart from the rest. So lets take a preview at those special plants that will make our gardens stand out from the rest.

Hydrangea Forever and Ever Red

Hydrangea Forever and Ever Red

Hydrangeas are one of the most popular shrubs for Zone 7 but if you are tired of the old fashioned white variety, here is a new variety that will stand out in your garden.

This stunning new Hydrangea variety start with red blooms that gradually turn purple. Another awesome feature is its ability to set blooms on new growth. NO need to worry about damaged flower buds with this variety.  This is actually quite important for blooming as it is very common for “old” growth blooming hydrangeas to suffer damaged flower buds, thus leaving you with a bloomless shrub. I have one in my yard which I have never seen blooms from. This particular variety is sure to bloom from from summer until frost.

As with other Hydrangeas, this will do best in part shade with and well drained rich soils in zones 4-9. So if you like Hydrangeas and want to try a new variety, then this one is for you. Avaliable from DirectGardening.com

Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia

Gardenia Kleim's Hardy

Ever wanted that wonderful tropical Gardenia fragrance in your garden but figured that Gardenias only grew in warm climates? Well, think again because this variety will do just fine here in Zone 7. Not only will it do fine, it will even stay green for you all winter! Mine have survived single digits and several snow storms without minor leaf damage. So I can vouch that this is one strong little plant.

Unlike tropical gardenia shrubs, this is a small variety that grows up to 3′ wide and 3′ tall.  As you can see, the blooms are also different from standard Gardenias but the fragrance is unmistakably all Gardenia! In addition to the lovely blooms, Kleim’s hardy features tough and attractive dark green waxy evergreen leaves. Perhaps the best thing about this little shrub is that it is very easy to grow.  Simply plant it in a shade to part shade area in your garden, give it some rich soil, water it during droughts and it will reward you with nice growth and great smelling blooms.

It should be noted that many local garden centers carry similar “hardy” gardenias but it should be noted that those are no Kleim’s Hardy and thus not nearly as hardy as these.  This is new for 2010 from DirectGardening.com

Hibiscus, Turn of the Century

Hibiscus Turn of the Century

Don’t let the tropical look of this awesome perennial fool you because it’s capable of growing perfectly well all the way down to zone 4.  Despite such exotic blooms, seeing these in every day zone 7 gardens is extremely rare.  So if you really want to stand out, this is one you have to consider.

If you have never seen a temperate hibiscus bloom in person, then you are really missing out because they are extremely large, growing up 10″ across!  I know the first time I saw these in person I was shocked and could not believe these could actually grow here.  Another plus is that their stems are quite strong so they are more than capable of supporting such large blooms.

Simply plant them in rich soil, either sun or part sun and watch them take off.  These are late bloomers so when everything else is fading, these will just begin to take off.  Other pluses include drought tolerance and deer resistance. This one is a real treat and I highly recommend it. Local availability may be tough but they are available through DirectGardening.com

The air is crisp and the days are getting shorter. It’s that time a year when everybody should start planting their bulbs for that Spring color, but why not be unique this year? Why not choose some unique bulbs that will set your garden apart next spring? Here are some bulbs are will surely turn heads, but you better HURRY before fall shipping ends!

Unique Bulbs for Fall Planting
Get 20 Lavender Mountain Lily for just $1.99	Get 4 Daffodil, Rosy Clouds for just $2.99	Get 50 Carpet Mix, Red & White for just $14.99
Get 6 Tulip, Double Beauty Apeldoorn for just $2.49	Get 10 Tulip, Pastel Mix for just $2.99	Get 10 Tulip, Deidre for just $2.99
Get 5 Tulip, Blue Parrot for just $3.49	Get 6 Tulip, Lilac Perfection for just $2.49	Get 6 Tulip, Carnaval de Nice for just $2.49

Red Hot Poker

The Red Hot Poker or Kniphofia Uvaria is a favorite of many gardeners and for good reason. This plant features tall spikes tiped with red and yellow flowers. Actually, each spike end is comprised of many little flowers to form a cone like structure at the end of the stem. What’s great about these is that they grow fast and will give you flowers in it’s first year! Even bare root plants will give you nice flowers after a month or so in the ground. The rest of the plant features grass like foliage so the Red Hot Poker can essentially be used just like an ornamental grass and the colorful flowers will make this an wonderful feature plant in your garden. The flower spikes can measure up to 30″ tall and the foliage can grow about 24″ tall.  As it ages, it gets wider and wider similar to an ornamental grass. I have seen some specimens that about 4′ in diameter so they do need a bit of room.

Growing these is very easy.  Simply grow them in full sun in some well draining garden soil. Mine are growing in the front of the house where they get full sun. To plant them, I simply amended the clay with a humusy garden soil and some cow maneur mixed in.  They should be watered regularly their first month or so. After that, provided that you are not in drought conditions, they do well with just the water provided by mother nature. As I mentioned previously, these grow quite nicely and will take off in their second season.  In general, the red hot poker is not a  fussy plants and can be planted any time though they should be planted in early spring to enjoy same season flowers or fall to enjoy flowers the following season.  These are also quite hardy being able to survive in zones 5-9. They grow absolutely great in zone 7.

If you have not tried or seen these, I highly recommend them. You will not be disappointed by their beautiful colorful flowers and their easy growing nature.  You can get the Red Hot poker at Blooming Bulb quite inexpensively.

Plant Information

Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Sun exposure: Full Sun to Mostly Sunny
Height: about 30″
Width: Varies up to 4′
Bloom time: Summer
Bloom Color: Red with slight yellow
Watering: Average
Soil: Well draining
Availability: Blooming Bulb

Save Money

Whoever said  “dirt cheap” never went to Home Depot or Lowes  for garden supplies.  A coworker was talking not too long ago how he spent $700  on dirt for his vegetable garden!

Here are some tips to making the most out of your gardening dollar.

1. Buy plants in small quantities. You don’t need to plant the Amazon rain forest do you? Buy only what you can plant right away, don’t go over board especially when shopping for plants online even though they are cheap!

2. Settle on a few good internet order sources. The variety offered by mail-order catalogs is inspiring, but don’t overpay on shipping because you order from six companies every spring. Try Direct Gardening and Blooming Bulb just to name a few. These have never failed me, are incredibly cheap and have a huge varieties.

3. Use local sources for heavy items. The cost of shipping heavy items can usually be greater than the item itself. Organic fertilizer additives , like bone meal, green sand and composted animal manure, are cheap but can cost a ton to  ship.  Check out local sources before purchasing this stuff online.

4. Search out other retail outlets. Though it may seem like it, Lowes and Home Depot are not the only games in town. A bale of straw at a nursery is sold as mulch and priced like mulch, while a bale of straw at a farm store is priced as livestock bedding. Ill go with the livestock bedding!

5. Keep an Eye Out for  free garden materials. Tree Limbs cleared from power lines are typically shredded. You can often get the mulch free from the utility company. Many community sanitation departments also give away compost made from leaves and organic waste.

6. Make friends with Pickup Truck owners. Delivery charges can really add up. Offer to fill up the tank, it will be cheaper!

7. Buy certain items in large quantities. You can buy large quantities of  compost from or mulch from landscaping centers a lot cheaper than by the bag at the home stores.  In fact, as much as 70% cheaper!  Bark chips and other mulch also come cheaper when bought in bulk.

8. Go for the small plants. Opt for small online plants instead of expensive gallon containers at your local stores. Perennials don’t usually take off the first season you plant them. They need some time to settle in.  The following spring, after a winters rest, perennials start to thrive and, typically  both big and little plants alike will reach mature heights at the same time.

9. Purchase late in the season or after the spring rush. You can save over 50% buying stuff at the end of the season vs the beginning.  Discounts on plants are common during fall sales. Plus, fall is one of the best time to plant.

10. Make your own gardening potions. A mixture of 1/3 ammonia and 2/3 water is deadly to slugs. See my aphid control article for, guess what, aphid control.  Do research on other diy control methods.

11. Mulch your plants. If you live in a hot and  dry climate, a thick layer of mulch will dramatically cut your watering bill. Regardless of location, mulch is one of your best allies against annoying and nasty weeds.

12. Make your own plants. Many perennials, like as sedums and many grasses, can be divided. Each will root. Don’t be afraid to divide the mature perennials already in your garden.  Not only will it give you more plants, you will also be helping the existing ones out.

13. Save on garden gear. An over priced piece of gardening equipment does not usually make you  a better gardener.  The  best tools are usually available for less than $10 at your local hardware store.

Copper King Hibiscus

I have received a lot of emails asking about the Copper King and related pests/diseases. While I have personally never had any issues with any sort of pest harming my Copper King or related Rose of Sharon, I decided to do a bit of research on the matter.

After visiting a local nursery that grows a lot of these,  I learned that these hybrids do not suffer from many pests or diseases.  In fact, they told me that they are quite disease pest and disease resistant. They said that in the few years they have been growing them, they have never experienced any issues. This has also been my experience with the few that I own.  About the only exception has been some stray Japanese Beetles that wonder over to them after I have sprayed their favorites.  Even then they don’t seem to find the Copper King quite as satisfying because they only seem to munch a leaf or two.

In conclusion, the Copper King Hibiscus is a very pest and disease resistant plant.  In my research, I have not found any information saying otherwise. If your experiences have been different, I would love to hear the types of issues you have had in terms of pests and diseases.