summer shrubs

More Summer Blooming Shrubs

More Summer Blooming Shrubs

As we pass the midpoint of summer and head towards fall, numerous plants continue to shine in our local gardens.  Two standouts in particular are looking great, adding bright flowers, nice foliage and ornamental berries to the landscape...

Summer Blooming Shrubs

Summer Blooming Shrubs

Whenever I ponder summer blooming shrubs, two have been and always will be at the front of my mind… Roses and Hydrangeas – as nothing will beat either of these for length of flowering time, all the way until frost… There is never anything wrong with more of either, but what else can I choose that will add some seasonal interest to the summer garden?…

Crape Myrtles In Washington

Crape Myrtles In Washington

Speaking as a self-proclaimed “plantaholic” who likes just about all things with foliage, fronds, or needles, one plant I started to salivate over in the 1990’s was Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.).  For us in northern latitudes, these mythical plants were uncommon and were perceived as…

These Late-Blooming Shrubs Are Worth Waiting For!

These Late-Blooming Shrubs Are Worth Waiting For!

August can feel like a long time to wait for a some plants to finally put forth flowers, all while the rest of the garden might be blooming its head off.  On the other hand, by the time we get to August, our gardens can conceivably start to look kind of tired and bedraggled, and having a few plants that are just coming into bloom can be a very good thing.  I have often said that in the Pacific Northwest you can find a plant blooming every day of the year…

4 Great Reasons To Visit The Garden Center In August

4 Great Reasons To Visit The Garden Center In August

I was in the nursery the other weekend looking for some ideas for my next column, when it occurred to me: “What is it that draws shoppers into the garden center this time of year?”. Considering that there is nary a shy bone in my body, I thought, why not ask a few customers why they were there. This is what I found out…

Celebrate Summerific Week

Celebrate Summerific Week

Every year during the first full week of August… we celebrate the perennial Hibiscus moscheutos and its many cultivars… An incredibly durable North American native that can sport blooms the size of your face in late summer when lots of other plants have pooped out…

3 New “Pee Gee” Hydrangeas To Salivate Over

3 New “Pee Gee” Hydrangeas To Salivate Over

This happens to me every spring and it drives me crazy… I am perfectly happy with the plants I have in my garden until I see the “new and improved” versions out on the market. They all have these fancy new features that make them irresistible, and all of a sudden, my established plants start looking dull and underperforming. It’s not their fault mind you…

2021 - The Year Of The Hardy Hibiscus

2021 - The Year Of The Hardy Hibiscus

Due to the National Gardening Bureau declaring 2021 the Year of the Hardy Hibiscus, I find myself back once again visiting these reliable and late blooming perennial and shrubby plants. For color well into the end of summer, they are hard to beat. Let’s start with the perennial form first…