A look back at Spring!

Now that we're approaching mid-summer, I think we can all use a refreshing breeze and break from the heat! I love the hot and humid weather because my plants grow so fast during the dog days of summer,  but here's a reminder that the cool days of spring can bring spectacular blooms too!

These photos were taken by my mom this past May and June. I live in South Carolina and only visit every few months so I often miss out on the reward to some of my hard work, but these photos remind me why I love gardening so much. All of these are VERY low maintenance!


American Wisteria - blooms in May and June and again in July. Not as showy as Japanese Wisteria, but less invasive so definitely a win!

Hardy Ground Orchids (Bletilla striata) - These are unbelievably exotic looking, but perfectly hardy in a zone 7. They typically bloom in May, but the beautiful foliage will last all summer. 

Baptisia (False Indigo) - makes a beautiful small shrub for the summer, but it's really special in May when it blooms! It comes in a few colors, but I love yellow! 

Calycanthus floridus - is known as Carolina Allspice and is native to the US! The blooms are really exotic looking and fragrant! My particular plant isn't very fragrant, so make sure you sniff before you buy because some specimen are more spicy than others. These only bloom briefly in May, but the beautiful leaves stick around for the rest of the growing season. 

Tradescantia virginiana (Virginia Spiderwort) is another native. These can get weedy, but the blooms are beautiful and they are beautiful if well kept. They only bloom in the spring. Very cold tolerant, compared to their houseplant relatives... purple heart, and wandering jew

Rhododendron need no introduction!

This rhododendron is known as Azalea "Garden Rainbow" and it blooms in early June. The blooms change color from yellow to reddish pink as they age. The result is a kaleidoscope of blooms in late May and early June.  It's a deciduous azalea so expect just bare stems through the winter, but with a show like this in spring, it's worth the wait!

Clematis come in so many shapes and colors. They aren't tropical, but they sure look the part! 

And honorable mention goes to these plants on my porch in South Carolina! 

Queens Tears is definitely the most reliable bromeliad bloom I've ever grown. They bloom each winter, just when you're looking for color and they're cold hardy down into the 20s F. When they're not in bloom, the foliage is kind of blah, but when those inflorescences start to pop - WATCH OUT - they're stunning!

Where would we be without Camellias? 

I don't understand why people don't grow pansies more often up north. They're cold-tolerant enough to bloom through mild winters in New York. Here in South Carolina, they're reliable in the landscape from October through May. That's 8 months out of the year, and they're at their best when it's chilly! 

I am definitely a fan of weird geraniums. Vancouver Centennial probably isn't a huge fan of hot weather, but they can't get enough of spring. 

That's all I have on cool weather until the Fall. Back to the beach! 

Ashei Magnolia - The Pros and Cons

I've grown Ashei magnolia in my yard for a few years now. There's some downsides to this plant, but first, let's talk about the good! The leaves on this one are GIGANTIC and it's native to the US. The blooms are absolutely stunning, and despite everything about this plant being big, they do quite well in small gardens because they won't reach tree-like proportions. It's native to a small part of Northern Florida but is very cold tolerant and would probably do well just about anywhere in the eastern US.

Now onto the bad! Firstly, it's a deciduous magnolia which means it's down to just branches all winter long. Not a big deal for most gardeners, but it's just hard to compete with Magnolia grandiflora, figo, and sometimes virginiana which look beautiful all year long and also have lovely blooms. There's a lot of competition in this family!

I find the foliage on Ashei can sometimes look a bit messy later in the summer. The blooms are also very short-lived like all magnolias, but I haven't gotten a lot of new branches from my Ashei, so there haven't been many blooms. I definitely recommend this plant if you find one, but don't feel too bad if you miss out on it.

Red Hot Poker Plant - A MUST HAVE!!

This post is dedicated to a plant that really takes my breath away. Kniphofia uvaria, known as a torch lily or red hot poker plant is cold hardy and so so beautiful. It appears this plant can handle temperatures down to at least -10F. I can vouch that it's definitely hardy to at least the single digits and has no problem in NYC if you have good drainage and full sun.

The grassy part of the plant is nice enough in the landscape (it kind of has a yucca appearance), but the blooms are the reason to grow this plant. Mine will bloom sporadically through the warm months, but the biggest show is in early summer. This plant will not perform well in shade, but is the perfect solution to a dry and sunny part of your yard that needs a plant that thrives on neglect. It pairs beautifully with yuccas and agave!

There are some great cultivars out there for increased cold hardiness and bloom time, so definitely look into those before purchasing to make sure you have the best for your growing situation. I believe this one is "Hot and Cold" but I regretfully lost the tag years ago.

These photos were taken in June.

A closer look at exotic "cold hardy" flowers

If you've followed along this blog for a while, you know I'm all about foliage over flowers. I don't like to rely on blooms to bring color to the garden (that's too much pressure to perform!) but there are some exceptions! 

Southern magnolias are a staple in the south (and they're native). The foliage alone gives them plenty of worth in any landscape (I can't think of another tree that stays green all year long with beautiful, glossy leaves). The leaves take a step back in late spring and through summer when the giant flowers open. We're talking bold, white blooms, 6 inches across! The flower parts look pre-historic, and they actually ARE pre-historic. It's believed the first flowers to ever exist looked like magnolias! Maybe that fact explains why these look so unusual up close! If you live in zone 7 or warmer, you definitely should consider this plant for your garden! 

Passiflora caerulea (aka Hardy Passion Vine) is another staple to the south and so beautiful. This species is actually native to South America, but if you're looking for a North American native, P. incarnata is a perfect choice! I've personally never had luck with P. incarnata, but caerulea has proven to be marginally hardy. During "zone 8" winters, P. caerulea is actually evergreen. These plants can become a bit "weedy" in warmer climates, but the flowers are definitely unlike any weed! 

 Plumeria is going to get a separate post entirely because in my opinion, it's the easiest tropical plant you can grow in a pot up north. Although they are far from cold hardy and will melt in below-freezing temperatures, they are very drought tolerant. They go dormant in the dry season in the tropics which makes for easy storage up north! Plumeria love hot summers and will not bloom well if summer afternoons don't regularly get into the 80s F (30s C). Typically a branch will send a big head of blooms every other year. Most of my plumerias have enough branches to bloom each season, but some years will have more bloom heads than others. The fragrance is unbelievable and instantly sends me to Hawaii. A must-have!

American Wisteria is a beautiful option. It's more behaved than Japanese wisteria, stays more compact, and blooms a second time in the summer! The blooms aren't quite as dramatic as the Japanese species, but it's a small tradeoff for a much more responsible wisteria! 

A few randoms... Enjoy! 

Aint this the bee's knees?

My parents have a wood gazebo which has unfortunately become home to a carpenter bee nest. These bees bore into wood to lay eggs. They can weaken wooden structures, but otherwise are pretty tame so I suggested to my parents that they let the bees do their thing for now. It looks like the bees feel VERY comfortable and at home because I caught this carpenter bee taking a morning snooze on my parent's hydrangea!

This piqued my interest on the subject. It turns out for most species, male bees are more likely to be caught sleeping because they don't return to the nest. Bees appear to follow irregular sleeping patterns (I can relate to that these days!) so they'll take a brief nap, often in the morning.

You got to admit, it's a comfy-looking spot. Sleep tight!

A few nighttime photos from the garden

String lights were definitely one of my favorite garden investments. I think I paid $15 for a 20-foot strand of heavy-duty lights. I don't even take them down for the wintertime and they've been in the garden now for at least 4 or 5 years. They are so relaxing to look at and add the perfect level of light for a relaxing late-night stroll around the garden.

Yucca flowers only open up at night so that's the best time to give them a smell and take some pictures! Nighttime is also really fun when you have hibiscus because you'll often see the blooms start to unfurl before the sun rises. Our hibiscus are still a few weeks away from blooming. They have been REALLY slow to emerge this year. It's okay though because the hostas are stealing the show anyway!