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Southern Gardening from 2008

This Sky Blue Surfinia petunia partners well with a Desana Lime sweet potato. Together they will fill and spill over this container's sides all summer long. (Photos by Norman Winter)
May 8, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Since the invention of air conditioning, patios and decks have not seen as much entertaining and relaxing activities as they now are seeing. Along with outdoor cooking and eating, container gardening with petunias in decorative pots and lush hanging baskets is soaring in popularity.

May 15, 2008 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter

MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Most people think of all spiraeas as the old-fashioned white bridal wreath spiraea, but across the South today, there is another group dazzling spectators called the Japanese spiraeas.

Magnificent larkspurs, poppies and even salvia are outstanding in this cottage garden in Kosciusko. The spiky texture is alive and well, creating garden excitement. (Photo by Norman Winter)
May 22, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The South is alive with incredible displays of larkspurs, and it is time to revel in their beauty. Normally, I write about plants that should be going into the ground right then or some that would make excellent additions to landscapes. This week is a good time to enjoy larkspurs and contemplate where you can make great use of this reseeding annual.

May 29, 2008 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter

MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

A recent 4-H event at one of the most highly rated golf courses in the country included the opportunity to see an impressive display of cleomes all around the clubhouse. The incredible new varieties I saw at the course are one of the reasons the old-fashioned cleomes are seeing a revival.

Endless Summer hydrangea blooms on old wood as well as new growth, which means a longer bloom season. Flower color on most big-leaved hydrangea varieties depends on soil acidity. The lilac color of this blossom reveals that this plant is growing in soil in the low to middle range of acidity. Lower pH levels produce blue blossoms, and higher levels produce pink to red blossoms.
June 5, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Hydrangeas are starting to bloom everywhere across the South and will soon burst with color farther north as summer weather takes hold.

The hydrangea is the most loved summer blooming shrub because of its huge, colorful blossoms. Despite the large blue or pink blossoms, the hydrangea has been mostly a generic shrub, and only recently have varieties started to gain attention.

Hanging baskets overflowing with tomatoes like this Tumbling Tom variety are a clear sign that interest in the patio vegetable garden is going through the roof.
June 19, 2008 - Filed Under: Vegetable Gardens

With roots in Europe …

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Interest in patio vegetable gardens and edible landscapes is going through the roof. We have known this explosion was going on in Europe and wondered if it would hit here, too.

Mezoo Trailing Red succulent has glossy green foliage with cream margins. In this setting, it supports a planting of Sanguna Electric Burgandy petunias. Mezoo Trailing Red can be used as a groundcover or as a spiller plant in mixed containers. The red in its name comes from dime-sized flowers that accent the plant.
June 26, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
Extension Horticulturist

Succulents are starting to catch on in landscapes everywhere, and one you need to keep your eyes open for is Mezoo Trailing Red.

To be honest, the weather has been making me a little grouchy. It's looked like the parting of the Red Sea when rain clouds approach my region. I wanted to write about a succulent that could withstand total abuse, and the Mezoo Trailing Red came to mind. Botanically speaking, it is Dorotheanthus bellidiformis.

The colorful leaves on many ornamental peppers are attractive, but it will be the peppers on this plant that steal the show. The plants always will be loaded with peppers that are red or purple. (Photos by Norman Winter)
July 3, 2008 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The Black Pearl was made famous a couple of years ago as both a pirate ship in the movies and as one of the most intriguing ornamental peppers grown in the landscape.

The same company that brought us the Black Pearl now is bringing us Calico, Purple Flash and Sangria -- three more incredible peppers.

The tennis ball size flowers of the TigerEye rudbekia plants growing in Mississippi State University's trials are eye catching. TigerEye will get about 24 inches tall with an equal spread. They may be hard to find until next year, but they will be a prize then. (Photo by Norman Winter)
July 10, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The phrase “eye of the tiger” may signify immediate danger or attack, but in the garden it will soon mean incredible beauty. As you look into the new rudbeckia called TigerEye, you will see orange and yellow with a dark brown eye lined in gold.

The blue flowers of Lily of the Nile are unforgettable when grouped in front of red bougainvillea plantings. (Photo by Norman Winter)
July 10, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

I have traveled a lot this summer, and I have seen the Lily of the Nile strutting her stuff from coast to coast. Mention summer bulbs and your first thought is probably the caladium, the elephant ear or even the rhizome of the canna lily. Or, you may be like many gardeners who are finally giving the Agapanthus, or Lily of the Nile, a try.

Cathedral Windows is one of the newest hostas on the market and is a tetraploid of Stained Glass, the 2006 Hosta of the Year. It is a large plant with large leaves and extra wide margins. The late summer-blooming flowers are intensely fragrant.
July 24, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Gardeners, if you have even a little shade, you need to remember the name Cathedral Windows. This is one of the most beautiful hostas in the world.

I need to admit, first, that when I see hostas, I love them all. I run from one to the next, drooling over them and listing their virtues and exclaiming how this one or that one must be the prettiest I've ever seen.

The Japanese tassel fern gets its name from the way young fronds, called crosiers, unfurl and bend backward, drooping in a tassel form before flattening out. The evergreen fronds are a shiny, deep, dark green that gives an almost waxy appearance. (Photo by Norman Winter)
July 31, 2008 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The Japanese tassel fern offers rare beauty, form and texture in the landscape and should be mandatory for all shade or woodland gardens.

If you treasure ferns but lament their disappearance in the late fall -- caused by deciduous dormancy, death or having to move them to a sheltered location -- then you will like the genus Polystichum.

The Adirondack chair is a style of furniture that has stood the test of time and reached heirloom status. These hot pink chairs and matching table are flanked by tall crape myrtles of a similar color.
August 7, 2008 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

I was told once that outdoor furniture should entice a person to sit and relax for an extended period of time. Today the choice of outdoor furniture is staggering and almost as complicated as picking out the plants to use nearby.

Just as there are old-time favorite plants that have reached heirloom status, such as the fragrant gardenia, there are furniture styles that have stood the test of time.

A tall urn holds a tree fern surrounded by Dragon Wing Red begonias and Marguerite sweet potatoes. Electric Lime coleus, SunPatiens Vigorous Red impatiens, Gold Mound duranta and Goldilocks lysimachia are layered in the bed around it, and Super Dwarf Cavendish bananas flank the planting.
August 14, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Early August usually means several more weeks of hot, miserable weather. If your more tender flowers have started to fail, I have a combination planting that will perk up your summer-tired landscape.

Lime green ornamental sweet potatoes and Dragon Wing begonias kick into gear when temperatures soar. These work in landscapes, containers or baskets.

Ellen sanchezia starts a little slow but is a real star after it becomes acclimated. The leaves are dark green and variegated with yellowish or chartreuse zebra stripes.
August 21, 2008 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Plants with names like Sanchezia and Psuederanthemum are probably as unfamiliar to us as they are to our software programs that underline these words with red to indicate they are surely misspelled.

Though you may not know about them, these plants can be landscape assets. Keep your eyes open for them when visiting local garden centers. Mississippi State University has grown them in trials, and I was pleasantly surprised by each.

The Electric Pink cordyline is the thriller plant in this mixed container combined with the cascading, lime-green foliage of the Sweet Caroline Sweetheart ornamental sweet potato. (Photo by Norman Winter)
August 28, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Daggers have become extremely popular in the garden in recent years. I'm not talking about knives, but the kind of leaves found on plants like the new Electric Pink, Purple Sensation and Cardinal.

You may be wondering what kind of plants these are, and after my revelation, you still may be a little confused. These plants are all varieties of cordyline. You may be familiar with Hawaiian Ti plant, which is a cordyline.

The toasty, copper-bronze color of the Bronzita sedge sets off the brilliant Picante Scarlet salvia. (Photos by Norman Winter/MSU Extension Service)
September 4, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Words like bronze, copper, orange and toffee describe a great group of plants that will really strut their stuff in the next few weeks. They look pretty doggone good the entire gardening season, but the grass-like plants we call sedges hold great promise for cool-season landscapes.

The Philippine violet is planted in front of maiden grasses' golden plumes that tower over the violet and dance in the wind. Flanking this are several Bengal tiger cannas. The striped green and gold foliage contrasts with the violet flowers. (Photos by Norman Winter/MSU Extension Service)
September 11, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

I want to introduce you to a flower from India and Burma that is related to the shrimp plant and the ruellia, or Mexican petunia, and is called the Philippine violet. I can't imagine being without this beautiful plant.

This Padre Orange Belgian mum perfectly complements the blue-flowered Russian sage. (Photos by Norman Winter)
September 18, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

This time of the year, “mum” is the word at Mississippi State University's Truck Crops Experiment Station in Crystal Springs, and it certainly should be at your home, too. We have hundreds of species of flowers from salvias to roses to tropicals, but what would fall be without the garden mum?

Violina Orange is a fragrant selection in the Violina series that reaches about 6 inches tall and spreads 14 inches. (Photo by Norman Winter)
September 25, 2008 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Cooler temperatures mean it's almost time to use pansies and violas to add a breath of color to landscapes and containers. There is nothing quite like going to the garden center with brisk fall temperatures in the air and seeing all the vibrant colors. You'll probably notice enticing fragrances, to boot.

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