In the arc of an Irish gardening year, May is the month of magical things. The first rose. The first swallow. The first properly hot day. The first beech tree in full leaf. The first sighting of wisteria in magnificent lilac bloom, draping itself languidly against a high, sunny wall. As nature flashes its brilliant feathers, it’s also our last real opportunity before summer finally arrives to make a substantial difference to our gardens or allotments, whether that’s filling them with fast-growing annuals to provide plenty of homegrown produce for the months ahead, planting up spectacular summer containers, or fine-tuning flower borders for maximum impact. With all of this in mind, here’s a handy little to-do list to help you stay on course.
15 Flowering Shrubs That Bloom All Summer
06.05.2024 - 10:57 / balconygardenweb.com / Raul Cornelius
If you want the colors in your garden to stay intact even in the peak of heat, these flowers are a great choice as they keep on blooming no matter how warm the weather gets!
Botanical Name: Lagerstroemia indica
USDA Zones: 7-9
Crape myrtle blooms throughout summer with crinkled flowers in different shades. It grows 6 to 30 feet tall and wide, so it can also be used as a hedge or privacy screen.
Botanical Name: Clethra alnifolia
USDA Zones: 3-9
Native to the eastern United States, Summersweet is a highly sweet-smelling shrub that bears flowers from mid-summer that last for 4 to 6 weeks.
Botanical Name: Spiraea japonica
USDA Zones: 4-9
Japanese Spiraea, a fast-growing plant, is another option if you are looking for a summer-blooming plant. Just be mindful that it is invasive, so you need to prune it regularly.
Botanical Name: Hibiscus syriacus
USDA Zones: 5-9
Rose of Sharon is a deciduous shrub that produces flowers in various shades, such as red, pink, purple, or white, during the summer season (usually from July to fall).
Botanical Name: Abelia × Grandiflora
USDA Zones: 6-9
Abelia, a low-maintenance plant, is a suitable choice for growing as a bush border or alongside walls. Its bell-shaped flowers bloom best in full sun, from late spring or early summer until fall.
Botanical Name: Nerium oleander
USDA Zones: 8-10
Another shrub that blooms throughout summer is Oleander. It is easy to maintain and withstands rough conditions well, which is why it grows along roadsides. However, be careful, as these are toxic.
Botanical Name: Buddleja
USDA Zones: 5-9
Butterfly Bush gets its name from attracting lots of butterflies with its long, spiky blooms in colors like purple, white, pink, and yellow. It flowers abundantly from summer to fall.
Botanical
15 Full-Sun Annuals That Will Add Beautiful Color To Your Garden All Summer Long
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Episode 159: Plants that Take Sun and Shade
Chances are, you’ve got mixed conditions in your garden. One area might be in full sun, while another spot a bit farther away is in full shade. Even beds that have the same exposure on paper may have larger plants that shade out the ground below. This presents a challenge for developing a cohesive look within a landscape. As gardeners, we’ve been taught that repetition is one of the tenets of good garden design. But how can one repeat groupings of a plant throughout a border that stretches from bright light to dappled shade? The answer is by utilizing plants that are highly adaptable and will thrive in both sun and shade. In today’s episode we’re singing the praises of these flexible species. They are invaluable assets to the landscape and, as a bonus, will hold their own when the light conditions of a garden inevitably change over time.
Memories from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
There’s a buzz in the air at this time of the year in the gardening world, as we look forward to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
20 Flowers for Graves and Cemeteries
When choosing flowers for graves, it’s important to consider their symbolism so that you can convey the right wishes to the lost soul.
‘Ambassador’ Allium: A Towering Beauty for the Early Summer Garden
I have grown alliums for their stunning architectural form for years, but one is by far my favorite: ‘Ambassador’. Although its bulb is related to garlic, onions, and shallots, this ornamental garden variety is a show-stopper. There are many other allium cultivars out there, ranging in size, color, and form, but ‘Ambassador’ rises to the top of my list for a lot of reasons.
Plants That Take Sun and Shade for the Southwest
Name: Pycnanthemum albescens
Ahead-of-Schedule Flowers in Pennsylvania
A couple of weeks ago we saw the bulbs and buds growing in Carla Zambelli Mudry’s garden in Malvern, Pennsylvania. (Check those posts out here and here.). She’s already back reporting on the flowers (some way ahead of schedule) that have emerged since then.
Nature doesn’t care that your carefully nurtured seedlings want to be outside – it’s still prepared to be brutal
As someone who shivers at the thought of a chilly breeze, I’m well and truly done with our long, wet, cold spring. So much so, that I find myself daydreaming of brilliant sunshine, blue skies and warm breezes.
Why didn’t my daffodils bloom? It’s probably ‘daffodil blindness’
This year our daffodils only had one or two blooms. In other years it was a blaze of yellow. This has never happened before. What is going on? – AC, Co Galway
What will the Bridgerton Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show look like?
Bridgerton is coming to Chelsea this month, as Netflix makes its debut at the flower show, with a garden themed around its popular TV show. First time Chelsea designer Holly Johnston has created a garden based on the personal journey of the show’s main character, Penelope Featherington. The Bridgerton Garden is part of the Sanctuary Gardens area at the show.
Recipes For Hardy Container Gardens That Can Stand Up To The Southern Heat
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