Pat Malcolm asked:


The term, ‘perennial plant’, means simply that the plant returns following severe freezes, to grow again the next year. Trees are cold hardy tested perennials by nature, some trees that are evergreens and do not go dormant, but merely slow down during various seasons, and other shade trees enter dormancy and shed the leaves. Tree growth of shade trees may stop altogether in extremely cold climates, but in the spring, will surge with buds that open to flower and leaf out.

Great difficulties arise in assigning a plant, ‘perennial’, mainly because the primary determining factor, temperature range varies from year to year; and every century extreme cold temperatures may erase certain plant populations that have survived in areas before for decades or sometimes even centuries. A perennial plant may be a survivor, thus a “perennial” for a given growing area, then suddenly may become extinct in that growing area. The USDA has constructed a zone map that reveals averages of temperatures reached by the location in your State. This map is a nursery tool used to predict whether a perennial will live (cold hardy) in your area.

Agaves are a diverse genus of over 200 species of rosette, spear-like, leafed evergreen perennials. Agave typically grows as low shrub-like plants in dry or well-drained soils of the Southern part of the U.S. from New Jersey down to Florida, and then West to California. Many Agave species, such as Agave americana or Agave tequilana, have sharp recurved, protective teeth running along both sides of the blade of its semi-curved, lance-shaped leaves, with a sharp needle-tip lance at the end. There are Agave species, like Agave attenuata, and Agave stricta, that do not have sharp-teeth at all, but are smooth. The color variations of Agave plants range from shades of green, to silvery-grey, bluish-green, top yellow or white stripes, such is the case with Agave americana ‘media-picta’. The bloom of mother Agave plants are a beautiful array of pendulent bell-shaped, creamy-white flowers soaring high above the mother plant on a flower stem that may reach 20 feet or more for some agave species. The bloom period of a mother Agave plant is during the summer and the flower stalk is magnificent to behold, however, this event means the cycle of life ends for mother Agave and begins again for her Agave offspring. Agave plants are an excellent choice for rock gardens or well drained soils that lend themselves well to terracotta or cement planters. Agaves are fairly slow glowers so expect higher prices on these sunloving garden jewels at retail garden centers. Huge specimen agaves can be quickly delivered by semi-trucks. Recommended Agave cultivar plants are: Agave ‘Victoria-Reginae’; Agave americana; Agave americana ‘Marginata’; Agave americana ‘Media-Picta’; Agave angustifolia ‘Marginata’; Agave attenuata ‘Boutin Blue’; Agave bovicomuta; Agave celsii ‘Nova’; Agave colorata; Agave desmettiana ‘Variegata’; Agave desmettiana ‘Zebra Stripe’; Agave ‘Felipe Otero’; Agave franzosini; Agave geminiflora; Agave lechguilla; Agave parryii; Agave parryii ‘Compacta Variegata’; Agave potatorum ‘Verschaffeltii’; Agave pygmaea; Agave salmiana; Agave stricta ‘Pueblensis’; Agave ‘Shark Skin’; Agave sisalana ‘Variegata’; Agave toumeyana; and Agave tequilana ‘Weberi Blue.’

The ancient Egyptians in 1500 BC grew the Aloe for healing, and while the Pharaoh held all the Jews in captivity, aloes were used as cosmetics and for the sacred healing power of this mysterious perennial. The Book of John, in the New Testament Bible, John 19-39, records that Jesus’ body was wrapped in linen cloths and aloes after the corpse was removed from the crucifiction cross before burial. Aloes are evergreen perennial plants that grow as shub-like, climbing or tree-like plants. The aloe plant leaves are fleshly, succulent, long tongue-shaped groups of rosettes, or as star-patterned limbs. Most forms of the aloe, 300 species genus, have toothed leaf blades with soft to piercing hard teeth. Aloe saponaria and Aloe vera are the two most commonly found containerized aloes in homes and gardens. Aloe vera plant extracts have long been used by mothers on their children for fast relief for minor cuts and burns. Aloe saponaria is cold hardy down to freezing temperatures and is widely grown in Southern gardens for the beautiful, coral-colored, tubular blossoms and for the making of medicated soap. Most aloe plants are small, 1-3 foot tall and width, however, a few tropical aloe species, such as Aloe marlothii grow into large, 120 foot succulent trees. Aloe plant varieties may vary enormously in color from yellow, red to blue-greens, or to spotted or striped with random variegation. Recommended cultivars of Aloes are: Orange Aloe.(Aloe acutissima ‘antaramorensis’) ,Blue Aloe (Aloe acutissima) ,Aloe aristata ‘Montana’ Tree Aloe (Aloe bainsii) Aloe brevifolia Red Aloe (Aloe camronii) Climbing Aloe (Aloe ciliaris) Kokoerbom(Aloe dichotoma) Aloe distans ‘Yellow Teeth’Aloe ‘Dorian Black’ Aloe ellenbeckii White Aloe (Aloe glauca) Aloe kedongensis Bergaalwyn (Aloe marlothii) Gold Tooth Aloe (Aloe nobilis) Tiger Aloe (Aloe nobilis ‘Variegata’) Aloe petricola Spiral Aloe (Aloe polyphylla) Coral Aloe (Aloe strata) SoapAloe (Aloe saponaria) Aloe traskii Medicinal Aloe (Aloe vera) Partridge ****** (Aloe ‘Variegata’) Aloe verdoorniae Aloe ‘White Teeth’.

Fern plants are a beautiful landscape choice or a container perennial, because of the delicate graceful foliage. Fern plants are native to the U.S., and found growing on every continent on the Earth. Some ferns grow well as cold hardy plarts in some areas bordering arctic conditions. A gardener can find a fern perennial to buy in practically any nursery or mail order operation.

Florida tropical perennials are restricted for growing in many States, because of the lack of cold hardy resistance. Some gardeners prefer to plant Florida perennials in greenhouses, or to grow as an annual. Many recommended plants are: Desert Rose, Adenium obesum; Allamanda cathartica; Giant Yellow Shrimp, Barleria micans; Hallmark, Bulbine fruiticasa; Clerodendrum ugandense; Bleeding Hearts, Clerodendrum thomsoniae; Bat Faced Heather, Cupha ilvea; Sapphire Showers, Duranta erecta; Euryops; Bolivian Sunset, Gloxina sylvatica; Iochroma cyaneum; Jatropha integerrima; Ixora; Lantana camara; Orthosiphon stamineus; Pentas; Russelia equisetiformis; Russelia equisetiformis aureus; Stachytarpheta urticifolia; Stachytarpheta mutabilis.

Flowering Vine perennials grow fast to cover fences, lattices, walls, and not only offer rewards of flowers, but many interesting flowers in colors of red, blue, white, pink, and yellow. If planted and grown in the sun, the flowering vines require little care of vine maintenance. Recommended flowering vines to plant are Coral Vine, Antigonon leptopus; White Coral Vine, Antigonon leptopus ‘Alba’; Jekyll Island Vine, Bignonia capreolata; Tangering Beauty, Bignonia capreolata; Night Blooming Jasmine, Cestrum Nocturnum; Bleeding Hearts, Clerodendron thomsoniae; Lavender Trumpet Vine, Clytostoma callistegoides; Carolina Jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens; Heart Vine, Ipomoea batatas; Chinese Jasmine, Jasminum polyanthum; Brazilian Firecracker Vine, Manettia inflata; Mailbox Plant, Mandevilla x Amblilis; Red Mandevilla, Mandevilla sanderi; Peaches and Cream, Mandevilla ‘Peaches and Cream’; Pink Mandevilla, Mandevilla splendens; White Passion Vine, Passiflora; Blue Passion Vine, Passiflora x Alato-Caerulea; Red Passion Flower, Passiflora coccinea; Lady Banks Rose, Rosa banksiae; Blue Glory Vine, Thunbergia battiscombei; White Sky Vine; Thunbergia grandiflora; Confederate Jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides; Blue Wisteria, Wisteria sinensis; White Wisteria, Wisteria sinensis ‘Alba’;

Groundcover perennial plants are beautifully colored and fast growing, to keep soil erosion under control. Recommended groundcover plants are: Ajuga reptans ‘Burgundy Glow’, Burgundy Glow; Allium tuberosum, Society Garlic; Arachis glabrata, Perennial Peanut; Ardisia japonica ‘Variegata’, Ardisia japonica ‘Variegata’; Aspidistra elatior, Cast Iron Plant; Aspidistra elatior ‘Variegata’, Aspidistra elatior ‘Variegata’; Apsidistra lurida ‘Milky Way’, Apsidistra lurida ‘Milky Way’; Asystasia gangetica, Ganges Primrose; Curculigo capitulata, Palm Grass; Ficus repens ‘Variegata’, Creeping Fig Vine; Ficus repens ‘Variegata’, Ficus repens ‘Variegata’; Houttuynia cordata ‘Chameleon’, Chameleon; Liriope; Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue’, Border Grass; Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’, Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’; Liriope muscari ‘Super Green Giant’; Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’; Liriope muscari ‘Silver Dragon’; Lysimachia congestiflora ‘Eco Dark Satin’, Golden Globes; Ophiopogon intermedius ‘Aztec’; Ophiopogon japonicus nana, Dwarf Mondo Grass; Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Ebony Knight’, Black Mondo; Persicaria capitatum, Jump Seed; Persicaria microcephala, Red Dragon; Setcreasea pallida, Purple Heart; Setcreasea pallida, Pale Puma; Pseuderanthemum alatum, Chocolate Soldiers; Rubus calycinoides, Emerald Carpet; Scuttelaria longifolia, Red Fountain Sage; Spilanthese oleracea, Eyeball Plant / Toothpaste Plant; Trachelospermum asiaticum, Asiatic Jasmine; Tulbaghia fragrans, White Fragrant Garlic; Tulbaghia violacea, Society Garlic; Tulbaghia violacea ‘Tricolor’, Tricolor, Society Garlic; Vinca major ‘Maculata’, Periwinkle; Vinca major ‘Variegata’, Periwinkle; Vinca major ‘Wojo’s Gem’.

Herbacious perennial plants freeze during the winter, but return in the following spring to produce flowers of many colors and rare forms. Recommended cultivars are: Bee Balm, Monarda didyma ‘Jacob Cline’; Blue Butterfly Flower, Clerodendrum ugandense; Blue Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata; Brunfelsia Pauciflora; Buckeye, Red, Aesculus pavia; Butterfly Bush, Buddleia lindleyana; Cestrum aurantiacum; Cigarette Plant, Cuphea micropetala; Clerodendrum bungeii; Cone Flower, Echinacea paradoxa; Cuphea ‘Allyson’; Devil Star Lily, Clerodendrum puniculatum; Echinacea ‘White Swan’; Echinacea purpurea; Firebush, Hamelia patens; Flowering Maple, Abutilion x hybridrum; Gaillardia ‘Pin Wheel’; Lestrum fasciculatum ‘Newellii’; Liatris spicata ‘Blazing Stars’; Liatris spicata ‘Floristan’; Lions Head, Leonitus leonarus; Obediant Plant, Physostegia virginiana; Orange Shrimp Plant, Justicia ovata; Orange Tongue Plant, Justicia leonardii; Phlox maculata ‘Alpha’; Pink Tongues, Justicia carnea; Platycodon grandiflora; Plumbago auriculata ‘Monott’ PP7822; Princess Flower, Tibouchina urvillenana; Purple Butterfly Bush, Buddleia davidii ‘Lochinch’; Red Cigar Plant, Sinningia sellovii;Red Prince, Weigela florida; Red Shrimp Plant, Justicia brandegeana ‘Red’; Mouth of Hollywood, Rehmannia Elata; Rudbeckia hirta ‘Becky Mix’; Ruellia brittoniana ‘Katie’; Ruellia elegans; Scarlet Butterfly Lily, Odontonema cuspidatum; Shasta Daisy, Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Alaska’; Shower of Gold Shrub, Galphimia glauca; Tecoma stans ‘Yellow Bells’; Turks Cap, Malvaviscus drummondi; White Tongues, Justicia carnea; Yellow Creeping Jenny, Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’; Yellow Shrimp Plant, Justicia brandegeana ‘Yellow’; Yellow Tongue Plant, Justicia aura.

Yucca is a genus of evergreen plants, with approximately 40 species that grow in dry, desert-like areas. However, this is a common misconception, because members of the Yucca family can be found growing in 30 of the States in America, from New Jersey, down to Florida, and west to California. Yuccas can be grown as small shrubs or yucca trees, up to 30 feet tall, depending upon the yucca species. Yucca has lance-shaped leaves growing in a rosette pattern, on a woody stem or trunk-like frame. Yucca plants may vary dramatically in color from shades of green, to white or yellow stripes, to blue-green hues, as with Yucca rostrata, a jewel for any garden. Most yucca plants are stiff and sharp pointed, like the Spanish Bayonet (Yucca aloifolia), while some yuccas have flexable soft leaves, such as Golden Garland Yucca (Yucca flaccida). The flower blooms of yucca grow in summer, and develop into a beautiful, creamy-white pendulum of bell-shaped flowers that tower 8 feet above the mother plant. Yuccas are very adaptable and are among the oldest living trees in the world. The Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia), Yucca filimentosa (Bear Grass or Adam’s Needle) is among the most cold-hardy and widely grown varieties. The strong, stringy filament (fiber), that run a course from the needle tip, down the margin of the leaf, was used by native Americans for making into garments and possibly the treating of war wounds. The roots of Yucca were also used to make soap. The primary use for yucca plants in todays landscapes are for their ornamental beauty, like we find in Yucca flaccida ‘Golden Sword’, in terracotta pots or in ground landscape plantings. Some people use Yucca aloifolia ‘Spanish Bayonet’, Yucca treculeana ‘Spanish Dagger’, or even Yucca brevifolia ‘Joshua Tree’, as security hedges for their beautiful and exotically bazaar, stiff leaves, hence the nickname, “Burlars’ Nightmare.” Yucca plants are typicall sunlovers, growing in well drained soils, but are adaptive and often grow faster in moderately moist areas, such as the Southeastern U.S.. Recommended yucca cultivar plants are: Yucca aloifolia; Yucca brevifolia; Bear Grass, Yucca filamentos; Bright Edge, Yucca filamentosa; Golden Garland, Yucca flaccida; Golden Sword, Yucca flaccida; Ivory Tower, Yucca flaccida; Variegata, Yucca flaccida; Silverstar, Yucca elephantippes; Soft Leaf Yucca, Yucca recurvifolia; Spanish Dagger, Yucca treculeana; Rigida, Yucca rostrata; Linearis, Yucca rostrata; HesperYucca paviflora; Cordyline ‘Baueri.’



Marlene

Ted Roberson asked:


Shrubs tend to be the centerpiece of most people’s front yard gardening. I think that’s because shrubs are easy, but they’re also expected. Homes without a row of shrubs lining the front look kind of ***** and unloved.

But it can be difficult choosing the right shrubs for your yard. There are so many possibilities and so many conditions in front yards that no one shrub is going to be perfect for every situation. I think what most people are looking for in their shrubs, though, is something that is easy to care for.

Shrubs are something you don’t want to have to think about, you just want to plant them and have them survive with a minimum of watering and pruning. And if you’re looking for easy-care shrubs, evergreen shrubs simply can’t be beat.

Evergreen shrubs are the perfect combination of easy good looks and minimum care. They look good year round, which is perfect for something that’s in your front yard where everyone can see it all the time.

When I moved into my current home, the front yard was filled with a bunch of evergreen boxwood shrubs. These little evergreens are super-easy to grow and will look good with almost no care. If you take the time to water them occasionally, they will reward you with more growth.

Though they’re called “evergreens,” boxwood shrubs grown in the sun will actually turn orange in the winter. I think they’re prettier than the plain old green ones, and we actually kept our boxwood that were in the sun and got rid of the ones in the shade (they turn green again when it warms in the spring).

We replaced the boxwood shrubs we got rid of with evergreen azaleas. Azaleas are one of the stars of the shady garden, producing beautiful and bright flowers in the spring. The rest of the time they look nice, too, with small, waxy, dark green leaves. The azaleas are a little more work than the boxwood was; we water them through the summer and apply acid once or twice a year. Still, not much effort for solidly beautiful shrubs.

Another good choice for shade is hydrangeas, which have big puffballs of flowers in the late spring or early summer (some also bloom in fall). Hydrangeas are fun because the plants that bloom pink or blue can actually bloom different colors depending on the condition of the soil. A low pH (acid soil) makes blue blooms, while a very alkaline soil makes hydrangeas bloom pink. Even if you buy a plant that is supposed to bloom the other color, the pH of your soil may give the plant other ideas. (Like azaleas, not all hydrangeas are evergreen, so be sure to check the label.)

Holly shrubs are another good choice, and they make a nice hedgerow if you have an expanse of house that you want to cover up. They’ll need pruning to stay looking nice and to keep their shape, but they are worth it because they make these beautiful, large, lush shrubs that have berries in the winter, which bring color to the yard and attract birds.

Leaving the world of evergreens, for an informal sunny garden, butterfly bush is a great choice. These shrubs have huge cones of colorful flowers that bloom in high summer and are very attractive to butterflies (and bees, so be careful planting these if someone in your household is allergic to beestings). Some varieties of butterfly bush are huge, growing up to six feet tall and five or six feet wide. If you don’t have room for that kind of commitment, smaller hybrids are now available.

Those shopping for shrubs in the Deep South for sunny spots should also consider crape myrtle. These large bushes or small trees make great quick-growing hedges. New cultivars bloom twice a year or have extra-long blooming periods. This is another great shrub for attracting butterflies and other fun insects.

Easy-care shrubs make a great foundation for your flower garden, whether in the front yard or back yard. When these reliable performers are in place you can focus your attention on the fun stuff: planting and caring for your flowers and other plants.



Beverly

Terrence Aubrey asked:


How often have you heard someone say “What can I do”, or how can I affect anything? It is a very commonly shared sentiment, but actually you and each one of us can do a lot and have an effect more far reaching than we realise.

Maybe you have heard the hypothetical questions, can the effect of the flapping of a butterflies wings in Australia be felt in Europe. Will a head on collision between a fly and a train affect the speed of the train? Well the answer to both questions is yes, microscopically and almost immeasurably, but yes.

Equally each one of us affects everyone we come into contact with during our daily existence, it might like the butterfly be a very small effect, but that makes it no less real. When you stand at the edge of a still pond and throw to the centre a small pebble the ripples will however small eventually reach the shore. In our lives we are as that pebble and our effect upon those around us are as that pebble within the pond.

I am not a fan of quoting others but the words of Ghandi express the reality for all of us so well “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. It is if we are all individually the centre of the universe, or conversely that the existence of the universe is for each one of us directly related to our existence.

How we feel, how we are and how we relate to anyone and everyone we meet actually is important, it does actually make a difference to each and every person that we each come into contact with. It is something that each of us has personally experienced. The surly, indifferent shop assistant, taxi driver or civil servant does affect us. We feel in some small way feel alone abused, or insignificant.

Equally the shop assistant, taxi driver or civil servant that goes out of their way to try to help you , or supply you with what you need, makes you feel that you are valid, important, or at the very least someone deserving of their best shot, their best efforts. This does have the effect of making us feel good or at the very least a valid member of the human race. Yes?

So what can we do, how can we go about changing ourselves, uplifting those that we come into daily contact with and not adding to their burden? We can only really be as we are, as we feel, (unless we are very good actors). So first we must love ourselves, be grateful and thankful for the opportunities and possibilities that being alive gives each of us.

Each of us likes to be treated with respect, yes? Each of us want to feel that our life is important, our opinions as valid as the next guy and our point of view at least worth a consideration, yes? The world is at a crossroads, we exist at a crucial time. The very fact that we each have a life now and at this moment in time must be relevant. If we can each one of us, be a force of good, of positivity, it can make a difference.

Who else can make a change? The politicians? If you really consider the reality the politicians now follow, not lead the people. It is how they retain their positions of power. They can only remain in power by offering people what they want, not what they need. The church, religion, seems to have become marginalised and equally lost and impotent, so it comes down to every thinking and aware individual to make their stand and make a difference.

It really is such a simple thing, but normally people do respond positively to a smile and an open and friendly disposition and very frequently will respond in kind, so the effect is often two way. The human memory is a little like our benevolent friend, we usually forget very rapidly negative experiences (unless super negative), but conversely our positive and enjoyable experiences will often linger within our memories for quite some time.

So, if you would like that people react favourably with you and are friendly and helpful in their dealings with you, take the initiative. “ Be the change you wish to see in the world”.



Jean

Pat Malcolm asked:


Gardeners grow two types of plants basically, annuals and perennial plants. The annual plant grows from a seed; flowering follows and the mother plant dies after the new crop of seed has matured. The perennial plant does not have a life span that is limited to one year unless it is grown out of zone. For instance, the tulip bulb is a perennial plant when grown in the Netherlands, but in much of the United States, the tulip bulbs decline and won’t flower again in many States, so that tulips are planted thereafter as an annual—not to return the following year. The environmental factors of heat and humidity limit the planting and growing of tulip bulbs in much of the United States as a perennial plant.

Elephant ear bulbs can be grown as a perennial plant in warmer climates where the elephant ear bulbs grows in size each year to form huge clumps. Elephant ear bulbs when planted in Northern States like New York will not survive outside temperatures of snow and ice and must be grown as an annual unless the elephant ear bulbs are dug up and stored inside the house.

From these perennial bulb examples, it can be demonstrated how important temperature factors are in plant survival. Other factors of the environment are important, such as light intensity. Yucca plants and agave plants thrive in hot, dry, sunny conditions, and if either of these plants are grown in low light, the decline begins that finally results in plant death.

Desert plants such as agave plants, yucca plants, and aloe plants can survive in the dry sands of the deserts and heat, drought, and intense sunlight that other plants could not tolerate. The yucca, agave, and aloe plants could not survive tropical jungle humidities and shade.

Fern plants are very adaptable to practically any environment imaginable, from rocky heights on arctic-like mountain tops, to the heavy shade of tropical rainforests, ferns thrive. As a nursery plant, ferns are grown as bedding plants in sun or shade or as delicate indoor potted fern plants such as the lacy maidenhair fern, Adiantum peruvianium, and the foxtail fern, Asparagus meyerii.

Groundcover perennial plants are important in controlling erosion and in reducing soil evaporation. Some groundcover plants form clumps and others, like ivy, form vines that can rapidly grow to cover uphill bare spots or cover walls and buildings. Ivy grows rampantly once established and is popular to use in planters and hanging baskets. Iron plant, Aspidistra lurida, grows well as a shade plant and some aspidistra forms are covered with white dots on the waxy green leaves; others are variegated with white stripes, Aspidistra elatior ‘Variegata.’ Palm grass, Curculigo capitulata, grows very well as a shade plant near pools. Dwarf mondo grass, Ophiopogon japonicus nana, is an excellent liriope-type groundcover that aggressively crowds out weeds and grows in green or white forms for landscape contrasts. The creeping fig vine, Ficus repens, rapidly covers walls and can cover ground areas that are barren. Ficus repens, fig vine, can rapidly send out leafy shoots that grow a foot per week. Liriope groundcover perennial plants are among the most popularly grown because they are colorful, dense, clean growing and grow in many sizes. The most popular liriope cultivars are Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue;’ Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple;’ Liriope muscari ‘Super Green Giant;’ and Liriope muscari ‘Variegata.’

Flowering bush hydrangea perennials are native plants to the United States, and many new hydrangea cultivars have been developed in bright colors of red, blue, white, purple, and pink. Hydrangea bushes shed their leaves during the winter, but spring back to life in the spring, covered with flowers.

Flowering vine perennials are grown to cover fences, trellises, and walls—some with evergreen foliage, others with flowers with a bonus of many colors, including red, coral, blue, purple, pink, white, and yellow. Carolina jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens, covers the entire vine with bright yellow flowers, which are fragrant and fast growing. Confederate jasmine, Trachelospemum jasminoides, flowers with yellow or white blooms, perfumed like other sweet jasmine vine perennials. Bleeding heart vine, Clerodendron thomsoniae, flowers bright red, heart-shaped blooms and climbs as a vine rapidly for privacy screens. Coral vines, Antigonon leptopus, are famous in the South for heart-shaped leaves and fragile delicate flower clusters of pink or white. Coral vines are known locally in Florida as the Tallahassee vine.

The butterfly bush is sweetly scented and easy to grow as a perennial bush or hedge. Butterflies swarm on the flowers in summer and fall seasons that are tough and can easily become established underneath pine trees in thickets, some are documented to have persisted for over 40 years in one place. Important flowering butterfly bushes flower in red, pink, purple, white, and yellow. The important cultivars grown are Buddleia lindeyana, Buddleia davidii ‘Bonnie,’ Buddleia davidii ‘Pink Delight,’ and Budlleia davidii ‘White Profusion.’

Ornamental grasses have secured an important place in the landscape garden. As a bedding plant, ornamental grasses such as black fountain grass, Egyptian papyrus, lemon grass, Pink Muhly grass, Red fountain grass, Umbrella grass, Tricolor society garlic, Northern sea oats, Pampas grass, Cortaderia selloana, and Japanese silver grass have found valuable placement in office building landscapes.

Angel trumpet plants (Datura) are very desirable to grow in warm climates. The trumpet flowers open as fragrant one foot blooms, drooping as the as the day progresses. Flowers of many datura, angel trumpet plants, cover the shrub all summer and fall in a blaze of color: red, pink, white, yellow, orange, purple, etc. These datura (angel trumpet) plants are readily hybridized into many attractive interesting color combinations, known technically as ‘Brugmansia’ x ‘candida.’



Calvin