Master Gardener^sm Column for the Week of June 27, 2005
Charlie Spencer
Brunswick County Extension Master Gardener^sm Volunteer

If you are new to this area, or are just looking for some ideas for your flower garden this year, following are some suggestions.

These plants are usually available at garden shops and they are all available in good catalogs. And if you have done any gardening, you probably receive lots of garden catalogs in teh mail.

A favorite flower with many gardeners is Shasta Daisy. Shastas (chrysanthemum superbum) in a variety called "Alaska" are the purest white of almost any flower you can grow. They are perennial, easy to grow in poor soil, and can take hot sun. The flowers are nice and tall, last a long time, and look great in bouquets.

They are easy to divide in the fall or spring and, as they grow quickly, you can plan on dividing them almost every second year. They like acid soil (which is the most common in our area), so if you have alkaline, add ammonium sulfate or other additive to bring the alkalinity down.

Another favorite is Hydrangeas. The huge blooms are an incredible sight. Some are deep, deep blue and others are a pure clear pink. There are also white varieties and a dark reddish-purple. The leaves are quite large and, on some varieties, will turn lovely autumn colors in the fall.

Hydrangeas are deciduous shrubs that bloom in late spring to mid-summer. Full height is three to six feet and five feet wide. They grow quickly. Don't plant them in full sun--they want partial shade, acid soil, and plenty of water. Mulch the roots to keep them cool. For next year, keep in mind to cover your hydrangea if frost is predicted and the plant is beginning to open or you might lose all the flower buds for a full year.

The astounding thing about Hydrangeas is that you can control the color of the flowers. Adding aluminum sulfate produces blue flowers and adding lime makes pink! Dry the bloom for a marvelous display in your home.

The small shrub called Butterfly Bush (buddleia) is very popular and easy to find anywhere plants are sold. It grows very fast, seems to have few if any problems with insects or disease, and can take the hot sun and acid soil of this region. It is even drought tolerant.

The butterflies really do love the blossoms which come in several shades of lavendar as well as a rosy pink, white, and near-to-black variety. Even the leaves are attractive, very small, and a grayish-green color.

The bush will grow to nearly seven feet in a single season but is best cut back each year in late winter. You can pinch out the new growth in spring to get a more compact, dense bush if your space is limited.

Candytuft (iberis sempervirens) is an evergreen ground cover that blooms in very late spring with tiny white blossoms. Although it doesn't get tall, it does spread slowly and will eventually look like a white carpet in bloom.

Candytuft requires very little care, likes acid or alkaline soil and full to partial sun. It stays green all winter so get more color to your garden all year long.

Send your gardening questions or comments to: Brunswick County Master Gardener Column, P.O. Box 109, Bolivia, NC 28422, or call (910) 253-2610. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if requesting information or a reply. Answers may be printed in this column.

For further information or assistance, please e-mail:
Charlie Spencer, Brunswick County Extension Master Gardener^smVolunteer

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Date Created 7/1/2005