For diversity in foliage colour, Judith Adam appreciates red foliage plants such as ‘Husker Red’ and ‘Dark Towers’ beard tongues (penstemons).
May in the garden
When to prune spring-flowering shrubs
Although spring-flowering shrubs such as lilacs can vary in their bloom times, there’s far less leeway about when to prune spring flowering shrubs.
Heat-proof lobelias
A second generation of breeding has produced heat-proof lobelias. Lobelias have intensely blue cascading flowers for hanging baskets or as an upright form.
Ginkgo trees capture attention
Judith Adam is getting started with a collection of ginko trees. Ginkgos have been around for more than 150 million years.
Seeking enthusiastic pollinators
When the flowers come out, clouds of pollinators descend — bees of several kinds, small and large wasps, various flies and even some butterflies.
The ‘Red Dragon’ fleece flower caught my eye
‘Red Dragon’ fleece flower (Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’, Zone 7) is a tender perennial used as an annual in cold regions.
Off schedule: Italian honeysuckle
Italian honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolium, Zone 6, possibly Zone 5 with protection) is finally in flower, and is quite late this year.
Peonies and butterflies
On heavily budded peonies without ring supports, remove the two smaller buds on either side of the largest flower buds at the top of each stem.