Common names are misleading. I often talk to clients about planting regionally native plants and two standouts are Joe Pye weed and western ironweed. Both plants are great additions to the late season garden and benefit pollinators. However, the first question I get after recommending them is “. . . but why do I want…
Surprise & Toad
Nothing signals the start to the end of summer like seeing the surprise lily (Lycoris squamigera) bloom. We will start to get calls here shortly from clients asking what are those pink, naked, flowers blooming in people’s yards. Unlike most perennials that produce leaves and blooms at the same time, surprise lilies will produce long,…
Going Native?
Hello friends – Work has been a little hectic and Its been a few weeks since I have posted my last blog. Inspiration struck the other day when I had posted a picture of my globe thistle (Echinops sp.) in flower on a Facebook page. Someone posted that it was pretty but it was not…
Freshen Up Patio Planters
In midsummer, patio plants, window boxes and other containers can get a bit bedraggled looking. In order to help them look new and fresh again, consider the 5 R’s: Reduce – Trim out the growth that has become scraggly. Carefully cutting away the tissue that is wayward allows for sunlight penetration and air flow…
Japanese Beetles—They’re Colorful, They’re Hungry and They’re Here
The most important thing to understand about Japanese beetles is their feeding doesn’t kill trees, shrubs and flowers. Granted, it isn’t fun to see the lacy leaves they’ve created, but pesticide management options require thought and planning before you set out for revenge. Systemic insecticides, for instance those containing the active ingredient imidacloprid, are taken…
Echinacea tennesseensis
As I write this I am far behind on my daily to-do list and was wondering what I should blog about this week. Over the weekend I was walking through our pollinator garden and was admiring the coneflowers that are currently blooming. We all know and love the purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea and is probably one…
Oakleaf
Hydrangea quercifolia or Oakleaf Hydrangea is a small deciduous shrub reaching about 6′ tall about the same if not more in spread. Growing in full sun to full shade this North America native shrub is a consistent bloomer and easy to care for. What I find appealing to about this plant is the lack of…
Leaf Scorch
Leaf scorch, also called sunscald, is the bronzing of leaf surfaces and crisping of leaf edges. Even plants that are well-adapted to our climate can be scorched. Plants have amazing resiliency, especially when Mother Nature eases them into changing seasons. But taking into consideration a spring like this one—cold and rainy—then an abrupt change to…
Early Summer Stress
What happened to spring? We know that Southeast Nebraska and Southwest Iowa can have some challenging weather to contend with, but this caught us all off guard. We are getting calls asking how this will affect our landscape plants and what can be done to mitigate damage. We experienced record heat over Memorial Day that…
Itoh Peony
Peonies are one of the longest lived perennials that you can plant for your home landscape. Anecdotal evidence suggest that they can live for 3/4 of a century if not longer. Currently there are about 33 recognized species of peonies with only one maybe two native to North America. Most know only the herbaceous garden…