blue flowers

Amsonia ciliata 'Georgia Pancake'

Golden Pancakes

The amazing Southeast US native groundcover, Amsonia ciliata ‘Georgia Pancake’ is putting on a stunning fall show now, as the foliage changes from rich green to gold, before going dormant for the winter. This is truly one of the most amazing, garden-worthy native perennials we grow. Amsonia ciliata ‘Georgia Pancake’ has been slow to propagate

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Eryngium ravenelii 'Charleston Blues'

Ravishing Ravenel

If you’re tired of failing with those short-lived European eryngiums that look so good in gardening magazines, look no further. Looking absolutely dazzling for the last few weeks is the extraordinary Southeast (SC to Florida) native perennial, Eryngium ravenelii. This amazing plant, which is still virtually unknown in gardens, is found naturally in flooded ditches

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Hydrangea involucrata 'Wim Rutten'

High on Late-summer Hydrangeas

After peak hydrangea season is long in the rear view mirror, the Japanese/Taiwanese Hydrangea involucrata erupts in flower. For us, that means August and September in NC. The main clone on the market (pictured below) is Hydrangea involucrata ‘Wim Rutten’, from Dutch plant breeder, Catherine Rutten. Our garden specimen is now just over six years

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Stokesia laevis 'Peachie's Pick'

The Season for Peachie

Looking great in the garden now is Stokesia laevis ‘Peachie’s Pick’. This incredible selection of our native Stokes aster was discovered as a seedling in the Mississippi garden of gardener/floral designer, Sara “Peachie” Saxon, and in 2001, it was introduced to the commercial trade by the former Niche Gardens of North Carolina. Stokes aster is

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Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Storm Cloud'

Storm Clouds Brewing

Looking lovely in the garden this week is the amazing Southeastern US native, Amsonia tabernaemontana ‘Storm Cloud’. Amsonia, commonly known as blue star, are a group of mostly native, typically deer-resistant perennials, prized both because they make such good drought-tolerant plants and they bear one of the few true blue flowers in the perennial world.

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Ajuga tenorei 'Blueberry Muffin'

Blueberry Muffin, without the Calories

One of the finest of the dwarf, non-weedy ajugas is the amazing Ajuga tenorei ‘Blueberry Muffin’, which is in full splendor in the garden this week. We grow this in half day sun, with slightly moist, but well-drained soils. We love using these groundcovers as “green mulch”, where they help retain moisture and suppress weeds

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Pulmonaria officinalis

I Hate Hybrids – Lungwort time

I always find it amusing when I encounter gardeners with a staunch opposition to hybrids and cultivars in their garden, despite them being unable to look in the mirror and realize that they are both a hybrid and a cultivar. The first photo below is our wild collected lungwort from Croatia, Pulmonaria officinalis. The second

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