AGASTACHE

July 27, 2026 Karen Logan

AGASTACHE

foeniculum

Anise Hyssop / Hummingbird Mint

If you are looking for an edible, long-blooming perennial and is fantastic for pollinators, Agastache deserves a spot in your sunny garden beds. Its nectar-rich, tubular flower spikes are irresistible to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. As a member of the mint family, its fragrant foliage offers an aromatic licorice-mint scent that naturally repels deer.

Agastache foeniculum & Hybrids

These robust varieties reliably return year after year on the Vineyard. They feature lavender-blue flower spikes from midsummer through fall and reseed gently in sunny spots.

Black Adder: An outstanding hybrid cross (A. foeniculum x A. rugosa) featuring deep smoky-violet buds that open to soft lavender-blue flowers.
Blue Fortune: A hybrid celebrated for its dense, 3-foot powder-blue flower spikes and exceptional humidity tolerance.
Golden Jubilee: Striking chartreuse-to-yellow foliage paired with dense blue-purple flower spikes.
Little Adder: A compact, dwarf version of 'Black Adder' that offers the same rich blue blooms on a shorter, mounded frame.

Growing Conditions

Sun: Thrives best in full sun.
Soil: Prefers dry-to-medium, well-draining soil.
Watering: Highly drought-tolerant once established. Avoid poorly drained or flooded areas, as wet winter soil causes root rot.

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Agastache (left corner) infront of the herb garden

‘Tender’ Agastache

Treated as Annuals

There are many other Agastache species and hybrids we carry. While nursery catalogs often list many hybrid Agastache as Zone 5 hardy, our Vineyard winter freeze-thaw cycles, combined with damp winter soil, make them tricky to perennialize. In a true Zone 5, the ground freezes and stays frozen, protecting the crowns. Therefore, we treat these varieties as long-season annuals. They bloom non-stop from early summer right up until a hard killing frost, often around Thanksgiving, filling the autumn garden with vibrant color.

Featured Varieties We Carry:

Agastache aurantiaca ‘Apricot Sprite’: We grow these from seed and are a great season extender. It is the perfect orange color for fall.
Kudos™ Series: Compact hybrids available in rich shades including Mandarin, Ambrosia, Coral, Gold and Silver Blue. Plant these in the summer for a long fall season of color. Their minty foliage is not eaten by deer.
‘Rosie Posey’ & ‘Peachie Keen’: These are shorter, more mounded plants with two-tone rose-pink and peach blooms. They want a sunny location and are drought tolerant once established. Easy to grow.
‘Mango Tango’: Vibrant magenta-pink buds that open to soft mango-orange flowers.

“Combine them with other season extenders like salvias and chrysanthemums. Plant them with late season asters, perennial sunflowers and rudbeckia for and unforgettable autumn display.” - Chris Wiley, owner

Agastache Apricot Sprite

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Design Ideas

for Your Garden

Agastache is a versatile perennial, with many uses in the coastal landscape.

Rock Gardens: Pair compact varieties with creeping succulents, thyme, stonecrop (Sedum), dianthus, ice plant (Delosperma), and blue fescue (Festuca glauca).
Hellstrips & Curbsides: Plant along hot driveways or street borders with other low-water favorites like lavender, catmint, yarrow, beardtongue (Penstemon), and fountain grass (Pennisetum).
Patio Containers: Pot a dwarf Agastache in a decorative planter alongside lantana, gazania, or Osteospermum.
Pollinator Meadows: Naturalize in a sunny meadow alongside native black-eyed Susans, Liatris, purple coneflower (Echinacea), milkweed, and native asters.
Herb Gardens: Blend Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) into culinary gardens next to oregano, marjoram, sage, rosemary, thyme, and lavender.
Slopes & Banks: Mass along sunny hillsides, alternating groups of other drought tolerant plants like lavender, Russian sage (Perovskia) and tickseed (Coreopsis).
Late-Season Border: Pair with goldenrod, Joe Pye weed, maiden grass (Miscanthus), and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) for a stunning prairie-style fall border.

NATIVE SUMMER BLOOMING SHRUBS

GROW NATIVE MASSACHUSETTS

SUMMER PLANTED COOL WEATHER CROPS

July 27, 2026 Karen Logan

Cool-Weather

Crops for Fall

The peak days of summer are here, and for Martha’s Vineyard gardeners that marks the time to start a new round of cool weather crops. Because we’re surrounded by water, our island enjoys a uniquely extended growing season. While we often get a few light frosts in October, we rarely see a true hard frost until November. This long, beautiful autumn gives us the perfect window to plant right now for a robust, late-season harvest.

Lettuces

Mixed Mesclun Greens

Red Leaf Lettuce

Tat soi (miniature Chinese cabbage-like)

Spicy Micro Greens

Arugula Astro

Zonal Scented Geranium

Lavender hidcote

Sage tricolor

Thyme Lemon

Thyme Woolly

Mesculin Mix Asian Salad Greens

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Vegetables & Greens Available

We’ve already started our first rounds of seedlings. Stop by to grab yours and get planting today!

Salad Greens & Cooking Greens

Lettuce & Arugula: Our first batches are up! We’ll continue seeding fresh lettuce every few weeks into autumn, shifting toward hardier winter lettuce varieties as the season cools down.
Spinach: Freshly germinated and ready to grow.
Hardy Favorites: Kale, Oakleaf Lettuce, and Red Swiss Chard.
Asian Greens: Tender Pac Choy and Bok Choy.
Brassicas: Broccoli and Cauliflower

Fresh Herbs

Give your fall kitchen garden a refresh with these culinary and aromatic herbs:

Thyme (Lemon & White 'Albiflorus')
Sage & Chives
Greek Oregano & French Tarragon
Lavender, Rosemary & Germander
Scented Geraniums & Alpine Strawberries

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DESCRIPTION OF THE GREENS WE ARE GROWING FROM FEDCO SEED

Broccoli Waltham 29: "We’ve found a reliable strain that consistently produces 6" heads with medium beads on attractive stocky 20" plants."
Arugula Ice bread: "This is arugula with more bite, vigorous with complex full flavors."
Kale Dazzling Blue Dinosaur: "Vigorous 24–34" upright savoyed lacinato-leaved kale in a range of bluish-green shades and all with a dramatic pink mid-rib. Sure to attract attention of chefs, market growers and gardeners alike."
Swiss chard Red rhubarb: "Deep crimson stalks, dark green leaves. Very hardy. Beautiful for edible landscapes. Heirloom from Europe goes back to 1857"
Lettuce red sails: "An attractive large plant with purplish red-splashed rosettes serrated with bubbled frills, Red Sails delivers lightly crunchy lobes with good melting texture. "
Lettuce New red Fire: "Has Red Sails’ characteristic ruffled leaves, though slightly lighter coloration, and good size. Has been among the last to bolt, lasting as late as July 29. Also quite cold-hardy. Tender sweet flavor with almost no bitterness."
Lettuce Black Seeded Simpson: "The earliest and most popular looseleaf variety."
Spinach Tundra: "Tastefully crinkled oval leaves are held off the ground for easy baby-leaf and mature harvests."
Buttercrunch: “Dark green outer leaves with broad mid-ribs and a creamy white center heart. Slow to bolt. Excellent flavor.”
Blue Scotch Kale: “Dense frilly finely curled blue-green leaves on compact upright 12–16" plants stand well, maintain color and resist yellowing in cold and heat. Hardy and productive. Best as a fall crop, planted in July or early August. More variable than the hybrids. Cold-hardy.”
Bok Choy Prize Choy: “Open-pollinated. Classy pac choi with celery-like white stems and vase-shaped 15-18" tall heads. Succulent stems and tender greens.”
[*Descriptions cited from Fedco Seed Catalog]
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SMALL FRUITS

Add long-term perennial value to your garden patch. The following varieties are in stock and ready to plant:

Blueberries: Patriot, Bluecrop, Chippewa, Chandler, Reka & Darrow
Raspberries: Killarney & Caroline
Blackberries: Natchez
Elderberries: Samdal & Samyl

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WARM WEATHER

CROPS

Still looking for summer flavor?
We also have warm weather crops like tomatoes, eggplant & peppers available for immediate and late summer harvest!

Visit us this week to pick up your seeds, starts, and fall planting supplies!

SUMMER CROPS FOR FALL HARVESTS

POETIC GARDENS

July 20, 2026 Karen Logan

Andew Wiley, working on Vineyard Gardens display bed

A PASSION

FOR PLANTS

Vineyard Garden’s Andrew Wiley, a creative plant ‘genus’

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It’s not just a job for Andrew Wiley, his passion for plants is infused in his bloodline. As a child he grew up at Vineyard Gardens, watching his horticulturalist parents, Chris and Chuck Wiley develop a singular greenhouse and lawn mowing business into the vibrant establishment it is today. Not only did Andrew soak in the atmosphere and information as a boy, he now embraces everything about plants, landscaping and design. After an unmatched year at Great Dixter House & Gardens, Andrew’s plant knowledge and creativity in the landscaping world has been unleashed. His ethereal and poetic gardens are a wonderful demonstration in succession planting, filling garden beds with continuous blooms throughout the year. His front bed display at Vineyard Gardens is constantly evolving, never a dull moment from one plant finishing it’s bloom cycle to a new one opening up. Within the display bed there are many beautiful vignettes that seamless work together as a whole.

Next time you are at Vineyard Gardens take a meditative walk along the display garden and you will notice something new, fresh and exciting each time.

“This photo is reminiscent of my time in England at Great Dixter All three of these plants can be found in the garden there. This Phlox was originally a seedling given to Christopher Lloyd by Margery Fish and is known at Dixter as Phlox paniculata ‘Margery Fish.’ Piet Oudolf decided to name the phlox ‘Dixter’ as it was never given a trademark name, something Great Dixter does not do with their plants for various reasons. The Salvia is one of my favorite biennials, best practice is to always plant all biennials in the fall. This will always give you bigger and better plants with much longer bloom time than if planted in Spring. The Marigold (Tagetes) was used on the Long Border at Dixter where Fergus received the seeds from a conference in France. I collected and brought back seeds from these plants. A true scrambler this Marigold gets huge and is best planted where it can tumble over and sprawl around.” Andrew Wiley

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July’s Display Bed

Take a virtual walk to learn about Vineyard Gardens’ July display bed.

Have you ever had the chance to walk through a garden with Andrew? His energy and excitement for designing with plants is unmeasured. Spewing off latin names and talking about the evolution of gardens and biodiversity you feel like you just had a master class in horticulture. Andrew’s contagious spirit will have you walking away from Vineyard Gardens with a million plants because he made you fall in love with every single one of them!

SUCCESSION GARDENING

ECHINACEA

July 20, 2026 Karen Logan

ECHINACEA

CONEFLOWER

Echinacea comes from the Greek word echinos meaning hedgehog or sea-urchin in reference to the spiny central cone.

A Closer Look at Echinacea

Beauty, Biodiversity, and What to Plant

Walk through any summer garden center and it’s hard to miss the bright, joyful flowers of Echinacea, from the vibrant magenta to fiery oranges to soft whites. Beyond their colorful appeal, coneflowers are adaptable and are pollinator magnets.

Native Coneflowers

At our nursery, we grow several species of North American Native Echinacea from seed, including:

Echinacea purpurea: classic purple coneflower
Echinacea pallida: pale, drooping petals
Echinacea paradoxa: a rare yellow species

Starting plants from seed introduces new genetic combinations, which increases the plant’s ability to adapt to changing conditions and resist disease. These North American natives offer long-term benefits to pollinators, wildlife, and the resilience of the garden itself. Native color palettes are more limited, primarily pinks and yellows, but their ecological value is profound. They are long-lived, drought-tolerant (once established), and deeply rooted in local ecosystems.

Hybrid Coneflowers

Coneflower cultivars are mostly derived from Echinacea purpurea and have been carefully bred for color, size, and form. At the nursery you can find Echinacea in shades of:

Reds (Salsa Red)
Oranges (Adobe Orange)
Greens (Green Twister)
Whites (White Swan)

We sell countless hybrids that the horticultural industry has created from mostly Echinacea purpurea. Hybrids are typically propagated asexually through cuttings or tissue culture to maintain consistency in appearance. This can make them less genetically diverse, and potentially less adaptable, especially under stress from disease or climate extremes. When carefully sited and well-maintained, they’re a stunning and reliable part of any garden design.

Coneflowers come in a rainbow of colors!

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ECHINACEA AVAILABLE AT VINEYARD GARDENS

*If food for pollinators is your number one reason for planting Echinacea, either plant the native species. The doubles are not believed to be good food for pollinators. Many of the doubles are sterile and produce no seed.

USES

Pollinator Magnet: Coneflowers attract a wide variety of butterflies, bees, birds, and other beneficial pollinators, making them a valuable addition to any ecological garden.
Winter Interest & Wildlife Support: Leave the spent flower heads standing through winter. Their seed-filled cones provide an important food source for birds, especially finches. In early spring, simply cut the stems back to the ground to encourage fresh growth.
Medicinal Tradition: Long used in herbal medicine, Echinacea is believed to support the immune system and may help reduce the duration of colds and flu. Their distinctive blooms are often associated with healing and wellness in both gardens and apothecaries.

GROWING CONDITIONS

A hardy herbaceous perennial, Echinacea is native to the Midwestern prairies of the United States and thrives in a wide range of conditions.

Adaptable and resilient, it tolerates drought, heat, humidity, and even poor soils once established.
Best grown in full sun with average to dry, well-drained soil, it doesn’t need rich soil to flourish.
Coneflowers are low-maintenance and rarely troubled by pests or disease. They require little to no fertilizer.
Expect a vibrant display of blooms in mid-summer, with some varieties continuing into fall.

An excellent, long-blooming flower for massing in the border, meadow, native plant garden, naturalized area or wildflower garden. Often massed with black-eyed Susans.

NATIVE SUMMER BLOOMING SHRUBS

PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

July 15, 2026 Karen Logan

Brightening the Shady Garden with Summer Perennials

Many gardeners feel limited by a lack of sunlight, but a shady yard is an incredible opportunity to play with dramatic textures, architectural foliage, and soft summer colors. If your garden is currently too dark, you don't necessarily need to cut down your beautiful trees, simply "limbing up" lower branches or thinning out a dense canopy can let in the perfect amount of dappled light. Conversely, if you have a full sun bed and want to grow some of these shade-loving gems, planting a few small understory trees or large shrubs will add instant height, visual interest, and the necessary canopy.

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Plants that evolved in the forest understory often sport larger leaves to capture every bit of available sunlight (think Hostas, Rodgersias, Astilbes, and Heuchera). Most shade perennials will actually thrive with a bit more sun, provided they get enough water. The reverse, however, is not true: sun-loving plants placed in the deep shade will quickly grow weak, long, and leggy. For the best results, give your shade plants a rich, moist, but well-drained soil.

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Hosta

Sanguisorba ‘Lilac Squirrel’

Astilbe

Alchemilla, Lady's Mantle

Astilbe Pumila

Anenome

Clematis Boulevard Acropolis

Clematis Sweet Autumn

Ferns

Athyrium Brilliance

Osmunda regalis

Filipendula Kahome

Geranium Max Frei

Geranium Rozanne

Heuchera Dolce Cherry Truffles

Heuchera Berry Smoothie

Heuchera Primo Wild Rose

Heuchera Snow Angel

Hosta Frech Fries

Thalictrum Black Stockings

Thalictrum flavum glaucum

Euphorbia

Foamflower

DEER RESISTANT PERENNIALS FOR SHADE

If deer are a constant pressure on your property, you can still achieve a lush, flowering oasis. These summer-blooming varieties are rarely bothered by wildlife:

Astilbes: Add vibrant pops of color to darker corners with their feather-like plumes, available in a range of sizes and shades.

Heucheras (Coral Bells): While they bloom beautifully for 3–4 weeks in midsummer, they are primarily grown for their foliage. From deep bronzes and dramatic purples to bright lime greens and reds, their color stands out all season.
Everblooming Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra): Unlike their traditional cousin (Dicentra spectabilis), which blooms only in spring and goes completely dormant in summer heat, the everblooming varieties will flower continuously from early summer straight into late summer while gently spreading.
Ferns, Rodgersia, & Thalictrum (Meadow Rue): Outstanding selections that offer structural foliage deer naturally avoid.

PERENNIALS GROUNDCOVERS FOR SHADE

Why spend money on bark mulch every year when you can carpet the bare ground with beautiful living plants? These options thrive and spread efficiently in partial to full shade:

Pachysandra: The ultimate groundcover for deep, dry shade where little else will grow.
Asarum (Wild Ginger), & Epimedium (Barrenwort): Excellent, low-maintenance choices to create a dense green carpet under trees.
Perennial Geraniums (Cranesbill): Incredibly tough and reliable. 'Rozanne' is our top-selling variety for its nonstop violet-blue blooms. We also highly recommend 'Album' (pure white flowers) and 'Karmina' (pink flowers with spectacular, rich autumn foliage).
Bellflowers (Campanula): Campanulas are fantastic choices for partial shade. Depending on your garden's specific architecture, we carry a wide variety of habits.

Our Go-To Shade Favorites

When you stop by the nursery, ask us about any of these favorites, we’ll help you find the perfect match for your garden's unique conditions.

Alchemilla (Lady's Mantle)
Epimedium (Barrenwort)
Ligularia
Anemone (Windflower)
Euphorbia (Spurge)
Pachysandra
Asarum (Wild Ginger)
Ferns (All Varieties)
Polygonatum (Solomon's Seal)
Astilbe
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Rodgersia
Cimicifuga (Bugbane)
Galium (Sweet Woodruff)
Sanguisorba (Burnet)
Clematis (Select Varieties)
Geranium (Cranesbill)
Thalictrum (Meadow Rue)
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
Hakonechloa (Forest Grass)

SHADE LOVER: ASTILBE

POLLINATOR MONTH: NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

SHADE LOVER: HEUCHERA

NATIVE SUMMER BLOOMING SHRUBS

July 13, 2026 Karen Logan

NATIVE SUMMER

BLOOMING SHRUBS

Shrubs are often considered the bones of the landscape: providing structure, year-round beauty, and crucial ecological support. Native summer-blooming shrubs go a step further, they offer immeasurable benefits for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife during a season when gardens are in full swing. From early summer blooms to fall berries, these shrubs extend the growing season and support biodiversity. As entomologist and author Doug Tallamy explains in Nature’s Best Hope and Bringing Nature Home, keystone plants are “native plants that are essential to our ecosystems because they support 90% of the caterpillar species that enable our terrestrial birds to reproduce, as well as all of our specialist native bee species.”

Three standout native shrubs that thrive on Martha’s Vineyard:

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Cephalanthus

occidentalis

BUTTONBUSH

If your landscape includes wetlands, soggy areas, or you’re planning a rain garden, buttonbush is an ideal choice. Native to wetland edges and streambanks, this fast-growing shrub thrives in consistently moist or standing water and can handle heavy clay soil.

In summer, they bloom abundantly with fuzzy ball shaped flowers. These fragrant blossoms attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, such as tiger swallowtails and nearly two dozen species of butterfly and moth larvae. In fall, bright red seed heads feed songbirds, small mammals, and even waterfowl.

USES:

Rain gardens
Retention ponds
Erosion control

Its fast-growing root system helps with water quality near marshes, streams or wetlands. Since it can grow in water it is a favorite for wetland conservation.

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Hydrangea

arborescens

SMOOTH HYDRANGEA

Our native hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens, is more than just beautiful, it’s an important host plant for the hydrangea sphinx moth and a magnet for butterflies, pollinators, and birds. Found naturally on wooded slopes and streambanks in the eastern United States, Hydrangea arborescens prefers partial shade and blooms on new wood, meaning it can be pruned close to the ground in late winter.

Several cultivars produce large, ball-shaped flower clusters. This low growing hydrangea fits nicely beneath taller trees and shrubs, or as part of a layered garden design.

Uses:

Mass plantings
Woodland and shade gardens
Pollinator and rain gardens
Sloped or naturalized areas

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Clethra alnifolia

SWEET PEPPERBUSH

Clethra is a wonderful addition to any garden. A versatile shrub that can thrive in most conditions. Typically found in open woodlands or swamps along the Atlantic coast this workhorse can flower from full sun to shade. Clethra prefers moist soil but can even adjust to dry, compact soil.

Fragrant white flower spikes appear mid-to-late summer, drawing in bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. In addition, to being a hardy shrub, Clethra has year round interest. In fall, its deep green leaves turn golden yellow, and in winter, dried seed pods add texture and interest.

Uses:

Seaside or woodland gardens
Mass plantings or hedges
Rain gardens
Pollinator-focused landscapes

Why Native Shrubs Matter

Planting native shrubs helps create sustainable, resilient landscapes. They support local wildlife, improve soil health, and require less water and maintenance once established. Whether you're restoring a coastal property or refreshing a backyard garden, native shrubs offer beauty with a purpose.

Mix early bloomers with summer and fall bloomers to ensure continuous habitat and visual interest throughout the growing season.

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HIBISCUS

July 13, 2026 Karen Logan

Rose of Sharon illustration by karen blackerby logan

Bold & Tropical

HIBISCUS

Nothing brings a dramatic, bold energy to the landscape quite like the stunning, dinner-plate blooms of the Hibiscus.

With over 100 species in the Malvaceae (Mallow) family, these plants are known for their vibrant color and tropical flair. Because of their warm-climate origins, they are often some of the last perennials to emerge, but they reward us with a spectacular show of blooms from mid to late summer.

We grow and carry three distinct types of hibiscus: Annual/Tropical, Perennial/Hardy, and Shrubs, along with other popular ornamental cousins in the Malva family, like Hollyhocks (Alcea) and Sidalcea.

*Jazzy Jewel Ruby Hibiscus (Tropical Hibiscus)*

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Hardy Hibiscus

Hardy Hibiscus includes species native to North America, most notably Hibiscus moscheutos (commonly known as Rose Mallow or Swamp Mallow).This incredible species is actually native to Martha’s Vineyard! You can spot its beautiful wild pink flowers blooming profusely late in the season around the coastal ponds along the south shore. Unlike woody shrubs, Hardy Hibiscus are true perennials that die completely back to the ground in the winter and emerge fresh from the crown each spring. At Vineyard Gardens, we sell the species, as well as many hybrids with a wide range of flower colors (pink, purple, white, red & bi-color), large flower sizes and green to deep dark foliage.

CARE OF HARDY HIBISCUS

Plant in full sun.
They require frequent, deep watering, especially when young. Drench the plant thoroughly.
Apply a generous layer of mulch around the base to retain vital root moisture and provide extra winter insulation.
Since they freeze back completely, cut old dead stems down to the ground in late winter or early spring. They bloom on new wood (this year's growth).
To encourage a secondary flush of flowers, deadhead spent blooms before they form seed heads, or prune the plant back by one-third after a heavy flush.
Mature clumps should only be divided in the spring, never in the fall.

VARITIES AVAILABLE AT THE NURSERY:

Hybrids: Kopper King, Perfect Storm, Berry Awesome, Holy Grail, Candy Crush, Midnight Marvel, Dark Mystery, Marshmallow Moon
Luna Series: Luna Red, Luna White
Disco Bell Series: Disco Bell Pink

Hibiscus 'Berry Awesome' [Photo credit: Walter’s Garden]

Hibiscus 'Candy Crush' [Photo credit: Walter’s Garden]

Hibiscus 'Dark Mystery' [Photo credit: Walter’s Garden]

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Shrub Hibiscus

The most popular woody shrub is the Rose of Sharon, also known as Hibiscus Syriacus. Unlike its perennial cousins, Rose of Sharon maintains a permanent woody structure year-round, growing into a substantial ornamental shrub or small tree that can reach up to 15 feet tall. In mid to late summer, it has beautiful hibiscus like flowers, when few other flowering shrubs are peeking and is valued as an ornamental in landscapes.

CARE OF ROSE OF SHARON

Thrives in full sun. Like the hardy varieties, it is a bit late to leaf out in the spring because of its tropical roots.
It blooms on new summer growth, so prune it in early spring just as the buds start to swell. Rose of Sharon naturally grows from its tips and can become leggy or bare at the bottom if left alone. To keep it lush and full down low, prune out a few of the oldest, largest stems as close to the ground as possible to encourage fresh, leafy growth from the base.
Fertilize new plantings with a complete, slow-release fertilizer in the spring.

VARITIES AVAILABLE AT THE NURSERY:

Single Flower Varieties: Diana, Aphrodite, Fiji, Red Heart, Minerva, Blue Satin
Double Flower Varieties: Chiffon Blue, Chiffon Lavender, Chiffon Pink

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Tropical Hibiscus

Our annual selections feature Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, a stunning shrub native to Southeast Asia. While it shares a similar appearance to our hardy varieties, the Tropical Hibiscus cannot tolerate frost. This plant blooms vibrant flowers continuously from late spring until the first cold snap. They make lovely centerpieces for patio containers and garden beds. We carry these in both multi-stemmed shrub forms and as elegant, trained topiary patio trees.

CARE OF TROPICAL HIBISCUS

They prefer rich, well-draining soil packed with organic matter, maintaining a neutral to slightly acidic pH.
Give them full sun. While they will survive in partial shade, their flower production will drop significantly.
To avoid breakage of the long stems, plant hibiscus where they won’t be exposed to strong winds.

VARITIES AVAILABLE AT THE NURSERY:

Classic Favorites: The Path, Cherie, Hula Girl, Red Dragon
Jazzy Jewel® Series: Jazzy Jewel Opal, Jazzy Jewel Ruby, Jazzy Jewel Amber, Jazzy Jewel Gold

Hibiscus illustration karen blackerby logan

MARSH MALLOWS: MV TIMES

NATIVE SUMMER BLOOMING SHRUBS

FILIPENDULA

July 6, 2026 Karen Logan

FILIPENDULA

Meadowsweet / Queen of the Prairie

If you are looking for a perennial that delivers sensational structure, lush foliage, and cloud-like summer blooms all at once, Filipendula is your plant. Valued equally for its deeply lobed leaves and its astilbe-like flower panicles, Filipendula is an absolute must have in the summer garden.

Growing Conditions

Most Filipendula varieties thrive in average, medium-to-wet, well-drained soil and prefer a spot in full sun to part shade. They are particularly exceptional for those troublesome damp areas of the yard where other perennials struggle with wet feet.

A highlight of midsummer!

Filipendula ‘Kahome’ (front) & Filipendula ‘Queen of the Prarie’ (back)

FILIPENDULA VARIETIES

Depending on your landscape, Filipendula offers two completely different scales to design with.

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Filipendula rubra ‘Venusta Magnifica’ (Queen of the Prairie)

This is a bold, architectural plant designed to make a massive statement. In early to mid-summer, it erupts with wide, dramatic panicles of tiny, fragrant, pale pink flowers.

Height: Grows up to 6–8 feet tall (though often slightly shorter in average garden soils).
Bloom Time: June to August.
Sun/Soil: Full sun to part shade; medium to wet soil. While it is native to consistently moist soils, it is incredibly resilient and will still perform well in average garden soils.
Best Garden Uses: Perfect for the rear of perennial borders, cottage gardens, native plant restoration areas, wet meadows, naturalized along the moist banks of streams and ponds, rain gardens or massing.
Native Region of Species plant: Northeastern Highlands of US / Not Ecotypic in New England

Queen of the Prairie is spectacular when planted in large masses. Because of its height, it serves as the perfect living backdrop for mid-sized summer perennials.

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Filipendula ‘Kahome’ (Dwarf Meadowsweet)

If you love the look of Queen of the Prairie but have a smaller garden space, 'Kahome' is your perfect match. This upright, clump-forming dwarf perennial offers the exact same fluffy charm on a miniature scale.

Height: A compact 8–12 inches tall.
Bloom Time: June to July.
Sun/Soil: Full sun to part shade; medium to wet soil.
Best Garden Uses: Front of the border accents, small cottage gardens, and damp rock gardens. Its dwarf size makes it a fantastic choice to mass together as a lush, flowering ground cover.

Ecological Benefits

Beyond its visual appeal, adding Filipendula to your landscape supports a healthy local ecosystem.

Pollinator Magnet: Highly attractive to butterflies, native bees, and other beneficial pollinators during the peak of midsummer.
Deer Resistant: Deer typically pass by Filipendula, making it a reliable choice for properties with high wildlife browsing pressure.

Bring Filipendula into Your Garden

Whether you need an 8-foot focal point to anchor a wet meadow or a tough, 12-inch flowering ground cover for a damp border, Filipendula fills the gap beautifully. Stop by the nursery this week to see their stunning foliage in person and find the perfect spot for them in your yard!

JULY GARDEN TIPS

July 1, 2026 Karen Logan

JULY

GARDEN TIPS

As the heat ramps up there are many ways to keep your garden looking beautiful. With a few smart strategies, you can keep your plants vibrant and healthy, ensuring a spectacular display late into the season.

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Watering: Efficiency is Key

Irrigate borders and lawns infrequently but deeply. Generally, gardens and lawns need about 1 inch of water per week, or a deep watering that penetrates 6 inches into the soil.
Use a rain gauge to keep track of natural rainfall and only supplement with irrigation when truly needed.
Thinking long-term? Consider converting parts of your lawn to lower-maintenance groundcovers, shrub or perennial borders, or even meadow plantings. This reduces water needs and boosts biodiversity!

What to Prune and When

Now is the time to cut back any yellowing daffodil foliage. Remember, leaving it intact for as long as possible is crucial, as the plant uses this time to photosynthesize and store energy in its bulb for next spring's display.
Give asters, chrysanthemums, and other late-summer perennials their final pinch in early July to encourage branching and a fuller form. If some perennials look a bit congested, don't hesitate to thin stems to improve air circulation.
After their spring flowering, give a hard cut to catmint (Nepeta), lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis), and perennial geraniums. They'll thank you with a fresh flush of growth!

Weeds & Mulch

The golden rule of weeding? Catch them before they go to seed! This prevents countless new weeds from sprouting.
Mulch! Add organic mulch to any bare spots or plant another "season extender." Shredded leaves saved from fall cleanup are a fantastic, natural, free, and local mulch for annuals, perennials, and even vegetable gardens. They break down over the season, enriching your soil.

Vegetable Gardens

Keep the harvest coming by direct sowing succession crops like radish, lettuce, carrots, chard, and beets for your next harvest.
Fertilize heavy-feeding crops such as corn, tomatoes, squash, peppers, potatoes, onions, and eggplant now to support their continued growth.

Container Plants

Container plants are heavy drinkers and eaters, especially in the summer.

Feed Regularly. Opt for compost tea, fish emulsion, or seaweed extract every 7-10 days. These organic liquid feeds provide essential nutrients.
Water Wisely. On sunny, hot days, your containers might need daily watering. We recommend a deep watering once per day, letting the plants "hold" between waterings encouraging them to develop stronger, tougher roots. Only water when plants show signs of wilting.

Biennials: Next Year's Blooms

Get a head start on next year's garden by sowing seeds of biennials now. Plants like foxgloves, Angelica, Salvia sclarea, Lunaria, and Dianthus will produce leaves this year, overwinter, burst into glorious flower next year and set seed their second season.

Season Extenders

Want to keep color bursting in your garden as summer winds down? Now's the perfect time to plant late bloomers and season extenders. They'll get established nicely and then light up your landscape when other plants are fading. Consider adding:

Tender Salvias:
- 'Black and Blue' Salvia guaranitica for a deep indigo color
- Pineapple Sage for a fragrance
- Dalvia uliginosa for its baby blue flowers

Classic Fall Favorites:
- Asters and mums
- Chrysanthemum pacificum

Hellstrip Gardening

IN THE WEEDS

HYDRANGEA PANICULATA

July 24, 2025 Karen Logan

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HYDRANGEA

PANICULATA

Panicle Hydrangeas

Panicle Hydrangeas are the no fuss hydrangea with long lasting blooms. They range in size from large to compact depending on variety, allowing for many planting options in the landscape. A late blooming shrub, they become the autumn stars when most other shrubs are no longer blooming. Triggered by air temperature fluctuations and day length Hydrangea paniculata go through a color transformation starting with an early summer white that fades to shades of pink or red before drying to beige in the winter. Their nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies and bees late into the season, providing them with a vital food source.

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HYDRANGEA PANICULATA ATTRIBUTES

Panicle Hydrangeas thrive in full sun or morning sun, a place in the garden that mophead hydrangeas don’t flourish.
They bloom on new growth each summer so prune early in spring. There is also no risk of flower buds being harmed by the cold winter or late frost because they bloom on this years growth.
As the rest of the garden winds down, the fall panicle hydrangeas take center stage.
Flowers can even be left to dry on the plant in the fall and can stay looking good into the winter.

Uses:

* Variety of sizes means there’s a perfect fit for most situations

* Smaller specimens ideal for foundation, mass or container planting

* Larger specimens ideal for hedges and back of the garden