[PLANT PROFILE] LOBELIA

September 12, 2022 Karen Logan

LOBELIA

30% off

A North American native plant that has spires of colorful hood-like flowers that open from bottom to top. Lobelias are typically found in wet, swampy soil or woodlands. They are a perfect choice for low spots in your garden that stay too wet for most plants. Although, given enough water Lobelias will be fine with more sun. They are an excellent choice for partial shade gardens.

Two perennial species we carry are Lobelia siphilitica, the Native Great Blue, and Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal flower.

We carry the Lobelia cardinalis in its native green leaf form, as well as Queen Victoria, a red leaf form that won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. A newer cardinalis hybrid we are offering is the Starship Series. This series is a little shorter and better branched. We usually have it in scarlet, rose and sometimes blue.

**Lobelia Starship Deep Rose & Scarlet Bronze Leaf**

**Lobelia Starship Deep Rose & Scarlet Bronze Leaf**. Rich bronze or purple foliage throughout the growing season. Adds a bold color for the late summer to early autumn garden.

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CARE

Prefer fertile, evenly moist soil.
Can be divided every 2-3 years in spring.
Allow to self sow.
Winter over with stems on.
Can be pinched back before flowering to produce more compact plants

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USES

Woodland paths
Perennial beds and border gardens with moist, well-drained soil.
Given enough water they can be fine with more sun.
Great choice for partial shade gardens
Well-suited for use in rain gardens, around ponds and streams and other moist areas.

Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Pairs well with ferns or heuchera.

[PLANT PROFILE] CRAPE MYRTLE

September 6, 2022 Karen Logan

Lagerstroemia

[CRAPE MYRTLE]

An all-season performer that shows off colorful foliage in fall, attractive exfoliating bark in winter and showy flowers in the summer! Crape Myrtle bloom from July to September, with some varieties blooming until first frost. Flowers have a crepe like texture and range in color from red, purple, pink, orchid and white. There are several varieties that range in size from 2-foot shrubby dwarfs to large trees.

Crape Myrtles’ showy flowers adds a punch of color in late summer & early fall.

Crape Myrtle (front), Rudbeckia & Hibiscus

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HISTORY

Better known by their common name of Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia is a genus of about 50 plants native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The Genus is named after the director of the Swedish East India Company, Magnus van Lagerstrom, who supplied Carl Linnaeus with plants he collected.

Only 2 species are primarily used in gardening and landscape horticulture. The Lagerstroemia indica from China and Korea was introduced to Charleston, North Carolina in 1790 by French botanist Andre Michaux. In the wild it is a large multi stemmed shrub but 200 years of cultivation have resulted in a huge number of cultivars with varying characteristics.

Another species from Japan Lagerstroemia fauriei is becoming increasingly important as a landscape plant and as a parent in hybrids with L. Indica. This species is more resistant to fungal diseases, has highly ornamental bark and is more cold hardy than L. Indica making it valuable as genetic material for hybridization.

FALL IS A GREAT TIME TO PLANT. allowS CRAPE MYRTLE time to establish their roots before going dormant in winter.

CARE

Prefer full sun. The more sun the more blooms!
Once established, Crape Myrtles are quite drought tolerant.
They need good drainage.
A common mistake is over-pruning.
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USES
Crape myrtles make great additions to any size garden. Some ideas for how to use them:
Plant multiple dwarf or medium-size varieties together to form a hedge.
Use dwarf varieties as colorful additions in borders and beds.
Dwarf varieties make excellent choices for large containers.
A good choice near walkways and driveways.
Use larger varieties as an individual accent

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we have dwarf varieties available to add to your garden if you don’t have space for a larger speciman.

Crape Myrtle ‘Like a Latte’ [photo: walters gardens]

CRAPE MYRTLE VARIETIES WE HAVE AVAILABLE

Lagerstroemia 'Like A Latte' (Dwarf)

Lagerstroemia 'Barista Cherry Mocha' (Dwarf)

Lagerstroemia 'Tuscarora'

Lagerstroemia 'Tonto'

Lagerstroemia 'Muskogee'

Lagerstroemia 'Muskogee Lavender'

Lagerstroemia 'Natchez White'

Lagerstroemia 'Cherry Mocha' [photo: walters garden]

Crape Myrtle ‘Tuscarora’ [photo: monrovia]

Crape Myrtle ‘Muskogee’ [photo credit: monrovia]

[PLANT PROFILE] ANEMONE

September 1, 2022 Karen Logan

*Anemone [illustration by karen blackerby logan]*

JAPANESE ANEMONE

[WINDFLOWER]

A common name for Anemone is windflower because the delicate poppy-like flowers sway in the breeze. The Greek word anemos translates as "wind."

Japanese Anemones add a wonderful splash of color to the autumn garden when other perennials are beginning to fade. With one of the longest bloom times, they are a great season extender in a perennial garden. They spread when they are happy and can tolerate moist soils!

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CARE

Japanese Anemones are fabulous perennials that thrive ideally in a little afternoon shade. They can tolerate full sun as long as the soil is moist.
They prefer rich, moist soil. Water the plants regularly when it does not rain.
Bloom time: Mid-Summer to Late Fall 6-8 weeks

USES

Borders, cottage gardens, coastal gardens, naturalized areas such as meadows

White anemomes stand out nicely at night. White gardens are sometimes called moonlight gardens .where the white flowers light up at night.

Japanese Anemone and Impatiens balfourii [photo by keith kurman] *Anemones contain basal leaf clumps from which long flower stems grow to support delicate flowers.*

Japanese anemone bloom abundantly from mid-summer to late fall, giving gardeners a shade-loving alternative to the autumn mums and asters.

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JAPANESE ANEMONES WE CARRY AT VINEYARD GARDENS

Japanese Anemones are mostly hybrids. Some are taller than others, up to 3 feet. The more popular ones are single flowers but we often carry a pink double called Pamina. Next year we are ordering a white double called Whirlwind.

Wild Swan: White with a bluish tinge behind the petals
Honorine Jobert: White single flowers
September Charm: Pink single flowers
Robustissima: Pink single flowers
Bressingham Glow: Pink flowers
Pamina: Pink double flowers

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Japanese Anemone in their full glory and the bees taking it all in!