Lantana camara ‘Piñata’ is one of several heat and drought tolerant ornamentals for summer long color.
Water-needy container plants often require twice-daily watering in summer’s heat, so it saves time and water to plant tougher, more water-efficient ornamentals. My top five water saving container plants for effortless color are lantana (Lantana camera), narrowleaf zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia), Dichondra Silver Falls™, moss rose (Portulaca), and cigar plant (Cuphea ignea). (All of these beauties also attract pollinators!) Once established, they shine in the heat and can manage with less water. Two more tips towards less container watering: Plant in larger containers that give roots more room to grow, and use a water-holding growing medium like Black Gold® Waterhold Cocoblend.
Columbine grow well in full sun to partial shade. (Image by Jessie Keith)
The bright treasures of the shade garden often come from our nation’s most beautiful forests. Beneath the canopies are perennials that evolved to grow and bloom on the forest floor, which botanists call the understory. Here the litter of leaves, thin soils and root competition caused by so many trees may be similar to your own yard’s shaded spaces. What you plant there likely came from the forest floor, and these treasures really flourish when you offer similar soil conditions.
Hot-colored foliage of Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’ brings sunset oranges to the shade garden all season long.
The leaf litter accumulation is known as a duff layer, which is the natural mulch for shade plants. Recreate this protective layer using Black Gold Garden Compost Blend and Garden Soil. It’s equally useful for amending poor soil and clays with organic matter that improves drainage.
Of all the understory perennials, four top choices offer color, romance and elegance to shaded beds and borders…
Heuchera
Today’s Heucheras and are by far the most exciting group of new cultivars. Breeders have crossed western native Heuchera species with the traditional coral bells. The result are new varieties that not only bloom extravagantly, but their foliage color is nothing short of outstanding. Here you’ll find mounds of vivid foliage in reds to purple, black, gold and many shades of green for color long after flowers fade.
Charming heart-shaped blossoms hang from wand-like stems of Dicentra spectabilis, the woodland bleeding heart.
Bleeding Heart
From Asian forests come the old-fashioned bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis), often the first flower of spring. This frilly perennial is the most romantic shade bloomer with wands of dangling heart-shaped pink flowers. These nod and sway in the slightest breeze adding gentle animation to shaded nooks in the garden. This species was also bred to our western native Dicentra to expand flower colors into dark red and white.
Columbine
No flower can compete with the elegance of columbine (Aquilegia spp.), which is found in northern forest around the globe. Those we grow in gardens are hybrids of European species crossed with our many natives to produce a wide range of flower size and color. They also attract bees and hummingbirds.
Bigleaf Hydrangea
Perhaps the hottest shade garden plant is bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), the big leaf or mop head type. It brings early summer color to shade gardens with a bonus of blue or pink flowers to cut and dry. This is a great problem solver for beds and borders lacking much sun. Beware that mature hydrangea flowers are so fabulous they are routinely stolen from front yard plantings.
Huge flower heads of big leaf hydrangeas offer cut flowers in pink or blue depending on the variety and soil conditions.
When you set out to bring color to your shaded garden, there is less light to make the foliage and flowers stand out. To increase visibility, plant groups of the same variety in small drifts or masses. Before planting, recreate the forest floor conditions by mixing lots of compost into your soil, or amend it on a plant by plant basis in each, individual hole. Once all are in the ground, spread a thick layer of mulch around each plant to create your own duff. Above all, remember that trees are greedy and applying water in the heat must be enough to please them and these colorful denizens of the understory too.
Gardening should be fun and I love visiting a garden and seeing the unexpected. I especially like it when it makes be smile. These might be considered as odd looking breadseed poppy (Papaver somniferum) seed heads, and they certainly are. The owner of this garden painted them purple to compliment some purple flowers in the background. I have seen people stop and ponder these seeds heads and then ask the owner what variety they are!
Old fashioned annuals like bachelor’s button perform far better in rich, organic soils.
“Annual, biennial, perennial,” sounds like an incantation from a Harry Potter movie. But it’s gardener lingo that divides up the whole bedding plant world. If you’re new to gardening, these three terms may seem confusing, particularly when they are misused so often. Simply put, all relate to the life span of the plant. While their definitions are straight forward, it is the annuals that we plant and grow more than any other kind of plant.
What is an Annual?
Annual is derived from the Latin word for year, annus. It refers to a group of plants that grow from seed, mature, flower, set seed and die in the span of a single year. Their year is actually shorter, from spring through fall. Therefore you can expect all plants listed as annuals to grow fast in order to accomplish so much a short time.
Whether grown for edible seed or cut flowers, sunflowers are among the hungriest of all annual plants.
Marigolds, tomatoes and sunflowers are all annual plants. The exception here is in mild climates with little or no frost to kill annual plants at the end of the season. There annuals such as pansies and snapdragons bloom through winter in southern California and Florida, and elsewhere they may even survive a nip of frost.
Annuals are the heaviest feeders of all. They do a lot of work between seed and frost. If they fail for a new gardener, it always leads to one thing: soil. The many phases of growth requires more nutrition for plants to remain healthy. Modern varieties are developed in an environment of perfect nutrition levels, so they will be even more finicky about poor fertility than heirlooms.
Feeding Annuals
To ensure you have success with your winter annuals or all of next year’s garden it’s vital to understand the dietary habits of annuals in order to provide all the plant nutrition you can. When flowers are grown in containers, use Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil. It contains a slow release fertilizer that feeds at low doses over many months. This low dose is perfect for winter annuals. Use it for summer annuals too, but plan to add regular doses of fertilizer in that season because plants grow faster and demand more then.
Early crops of peas are far more productive when soils are enriched with microbes.
Annuals sown in beds and borders are equally demanding, particularly if you live in a new home were there has been little added to the natural soil. When planting here, work the ground with a good dose of Black Gold Garden Soil so the organic matter filters in to open clay soil and add more water holding potential in porous ground.
Annual Veggies
The heaviest feeders of all are vegetables because not only do most flower, they must also produce fruit. Here your soil prep will really pay off in yields. The best amendment for all types of soil is Black Gold Garden Compost Blend because it’s packed with fine organic matter and fertilizers such as bat guano, the richest source of organic nitrogen on Earth.
Violas in the organic winter garden can easily share space with chard so both may be used in the kitchen.
There are also natural nutrients in Black Gold Earthworm Castings that feed the roots of vegetable plants. Then at planting time, cultivate in a generous dose of castings, which are organic and add to your soil’s fertility. By the time your annuals have reached a good size, the fertilizer is ready to be taken up for improved flowers and fruit.
Anyone who can find success with annuals will find perennials and biennials a breeze to grow. So during the off season where conditions are mild enough, use the cool days to fortify your soil for a dynamite result next year. Just remember to keep it organic so you can clip violas for your holiday salad and eat tomatoes right off the vine without a care in the world.
Here it is July and summer has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest. It took quite a long time for this to happen as our spring was one of the coolest and wettest on record. But now that summer is here, what a glorious time of year it is. As some garden friends have told me; this is why we live here and perhaps it is because we have had such a gloomy winter that when we do see sun, it is a cause to celebrate.
Summer Herbs and Vegetables
Finally summer herbs and vegetable gardens can safely be planted. In my own garden, I have finally planted Basil. This is a plant that loves the heat and if planted too early will often die. A nursery grower told me earlier this spring that she tells people not to plant Basil until July 4. In my garden, we have two ‘trough like’ planters and that is traditionally where the Basil goes. It is an area that receives hot sun in the afternoon and in previous years the plants have thrived here and I do not expect anything less this year.
For Basil and other herbs in containers, I use Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil. This has proven to be an excellent soil and one that I have used for many years. Just prior to setting the Basil transplants in the containers, I add an all-purpose fertilizer. I find that generally one application of this fertilizer at planting time is usually sufficient for the season. Some varieties of Basil will tend to reduce leaf production if the plants are allowed to flower and I always try to remove the flower stalks. This prolongs the usefulness of the plants and we generally are harvesting leaves until cool weather arrives in the fall. It is also a good idea to apply some slug/snail bait around new plants.
Bold Container Plants
Another great container plant and one we have had on our deck for the past several years is Cyperus papyrus (Giant Egyptian Papyrus). I treat it as an annual plant in our climate as I have not had success with it surviving a winter, especially in a pot. This is a very striking plant and always draws attention. The tall green stems can reach 6 feet or more and the stems are topped with clusters of thread-like green parts. We have our plants in front of a tile garden art piece and while the plant is native to Africa, it fits very well in an Asian garden. This is a plant that requires plenty of water and an excellent mix to use is Black Gold Cocoblend Potting Soil.This potting soil is a mix of coconut fibers (coir) and peat moss with the addition of earthworm castings and pumice. The coconut fibers are excellent at retaining water which is ideal for a plant like this.
In previous web articles I have mentioned Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet) and what a great show of flowers these plants can provide. For one that will provide color even without flowers, consider a variegated type. We have two of these in urns placed in the entryway as one would enter our back garden area and with all the solid green leaves surrounding them, the variegated leaves really make the plant stand out. Brugmansia is fast growing and likes both heat and water. It makes good sense to use Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil to help retain water. At this time of year, many garden centers will have Brugmansia available in 5 gallon size containers and thus you can get an instant effect. Fertilize every ten days to two weeks as Brugmansia is also a heavy feeder. I always add some blood meal at time of planting to encourage growth. Be careful using blood meal when the weather is hot as it can burn if applied too heavy. At this time of year, I would just add a light application at time of planting.
Showy Garden Flowers
If you have read my columns before, you know I am a fan of Salvia. While my favorite is ‘Black and Blue’, I like to try new varieties. A new one for me this year is Salvia ‘Oceania’ with sky blue flowers. I have three plants in a pot on our deck and they have not been without flowers since they were planted in May. The blue color of this Salvia is sure to draw attention of anyone visiting your garden.
If the soil in your vegetable garden seems to be drying out, this is an excellent time to apply Black Gold Garden Compost Blend. Work this lightly into the soil around vegetable plants and it will improve water retention and give the garden a more finished appearance.
At this time of year with so much happening in the garden, don’t forget that one of the purposes of why we garden is to enjoy it. Make some time to enjoy your garden and let it be a calming place. In my own garden, one of my favorite times is early morning and to water the plants by hand. It is usually a quite time and I enjoy the solitude which I do not mind sharing with the hummingbirds.
If you have some bare spots in your garden, check out your local garden center as most will have blooming summer flowers in pots to set out for instant gratification. Enjoy!
Here in the Pacific Northwest temperatures seem to be getting warmer and warmer in the spring. We have finally had some sunny days, and the temperature actually reached the 80’s. How nice it was to see the sun, and what a wonderful feeling to get outside in the garden without a jacket.
I always like to visit other gardens and made a recent visit to the garden of a friend to check on the status of his garden peas. Since peas like cool weather, they have done just fine. It is so nice to see his raised vegetable beds. He worked Black Gold Garden Compost Blend into the soil at time of planting, and the plants look great. The fine compost gives his beds a ‘finished’ look.
If you have held off on planting your summer vegetable garden, it should be all right to do so now. Beans are very easy to grow from seed. Once the soil has warmed, they germinate quickly and are a good crop for children to grow. Cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and corn can also be planted from seed. If you just need a few plants, save time by buying individual starts at your local garden center.
With the arrival of warm weather, basil can finally be planted. Basil definitely needs heat and is one of the last plants I set out in spring. I wait until the nights and days are both warm. Try growing basil in containers on a deck or patio. As long as it has full sun, it should thrive. At our house, we always have basil in several pots on our deck. Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil is a great mix for basil planting. (Basil deserves to be planted in an organic potting soil!)
There are many different types of basil to grow. In addition to the familiar large-leaf Italian sweet basil, consider growing ‘Dark Opa” for its flavorful dark-red leaves or ‘African Blue’ for its purple-tinted leaves. A new one for me this year is ‘Pesto Perpetuo’, which has variegated leaves that are light green with a cream margin. The contrasting color of the leaves make this basil stand out nicely against the reddish stems.
This shaded bed shows the large leaves of my Gunnera towards the back behind the hostas.
Gunnera tinctoria is a plant that always amazes me with its giant leaves and fast growth. Mine are already over 6 feet tall and growing. My Gunnera is also sending up a flower stalk which looks somewhat like a corn cob. Sometimes garden centers will label Gunnera as “The Dinosaur Food Plant” because it is an ancient plant and is found in fossils. Here in the metro Portland (Oregon) region, I have had good success with Gunnera even though it is not considered winter hardy here. Once we have had a frost, I cut the huge leaves and cover the crown of the plant with them for winter protection. I then cut the stems and insert them through the leaves and into the soil to help anchor them. This has provided enough protection for my plant that it has survived for the past five years even though we have had some very cold temperatures.
My experience is that Gunnera does best with some shade, especially protection from the hot afternoon summer sun. It also requires plenty of moisture and a soil rich in humus. I planted mine with about a 50% mixture of Black Gold Garden Compost Blend and good garden loam. I also use two applications of an all-purpose fertilizer later in the season.
Roses should be coming into bloom, and this is the time to fertilize them with a quality rose food. Roses expend so much energy with their continuous flowering, it is wise to fertilize on a regular basis (perhaps every four weeks) during the growing season. I always like to make one application of blood meal because of the high- and fast-acting nitrogen content. For an easy-care shrub rose, consider a Knock Out®rose. While not the traditional cutting rose, ‘Knock-Out’ bears flower clusters that bloom all summer, and it has never had a trace of disease.
Knock Out® Rose
The hardy banana, Musa basjoo is another good summer plant for Pacific Northwest gardens. When the word ‘hardy’ is used, it refers to the roots as being hardy, not the leaves. Like a perennial, this plant will die to the ground in the winter and return from the roots in spring. I have had it planted in my garden for over 10 years. When the first frost comes, I take the old leaves and cover the entire ground area with them.
I am amazed at how tall my hardy banana has already grown this year, considering our cool weather. Typically, I apply a quality all-purpose fertilizer as it begins to grow. By the end of August, it will reach 12 feet and tower above most other plants in my garden.
Romneya coulteri
A final plant to mention is Romneya coulteri (Matilija Poppy). Each bloom has magnificent white crinkled petals with a cluster of yellow stamens in the center. The foliage is bluish, so the plant attracts attention in the garden, even when it is not in bloom. If you are looking for a plant that will grow well in sunny, hot, dry space, this is it. The only other requirement is that it needs good drainage. Once established, no summer watering is required.
So many plants to choose from! Check out your local garden center, and try something new. I always try to find some plants to add to the garden that are not familiar but look exciting.
from seed. Once the soil has warmed, they germinate quickly and are a good crop for children to grow. Cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and corn can also be planted from seed. If you just need a few plants, save time by buying individual starts at your local garden center.
