Author: briGHt4384v

If you’ve ever tried googling a plant name, or a gardening question, you’ve probably come across a lot of information, much of it contradictory. One important consideration when gathering information related to plants or gardening is where geographically that information comes from.

For example, I subscribe to several gardening magazines, which are headquartered and written throughout the country, from New England, the South East, and Pacific Northwest. I’ve seen photos of roses and hosta growing next to each other in full sun – something that would never work here in North Carolina, but is a possibility up north or out west. Fortunately for North Carolina gardeners, we have several resources based on research right here at NC State University. Read on to learn about two that we use regularly.

I’m always looking for plants with attractive fruit at this time of year – they can be a design inspiration as well as great plants to use in my winter decorations. This year I’m trying to branch out from hollies – deciduous and evergreen – and I came up with two other attractive plant options with berries. Read on to learn about Winter Hawthorns and David Viburnum.

You don’t need a ton of tools to perform most routine gardening tasks, but the right ones will make your life a lot easier.  Read on for a list of my favorite tools for planting, pruning, and everything else.

One of the first questions I ask every client is ‘do you have deer’? The second question is ‘if so, how bad are they’? Deer are present in almost every neighborhood we work in, but there is a lot of variation in how destructive they are to the plants. Read on for my tips on landscaping with deer.

Ferns find their way into almost every landscape that I design for a shaded area.  In addition to being shade tolerant and deer resistant, ferns also tend to be incredibly tough.  Read on to learn about my favorite ferns – those I use all the time, and those that I should use more!

I love hibiscus!  Growing up in Virginia my Grandmother had a potted tropical hibiscus outside her door every summer.  I loved the bright blooms and the tropical look of the plant, and to me it meant that summer had arrived.  When I started working at the nursery years later I learned that ‘hibiscus’ can actually refer to a variety of plants – the tropical one that I was accustomed to, as well as a large shrub variety, and a native perennial.  Read on to learn about each and how to best use them in the landscape.

With blueberry season right around the corner it is a great time to consider adding these versatile shrubs to your garden. In addition to their fruiting, blueberries add to the landscape with their fantastic bright red fall color. Best sited in full sun, these plants like an acidic soil with good moisture and drainage to perform their best. Read on to learn more about how to incorporate these plants in your garden.

Crapemyrtles are part of the summer landscape of North Carolina. You’ll find them on highways, in commercial plantings and neighborhoods, and throughout many residential properties. While Crapemyrtles or Lagerstromia sp. are a popular plant, they are often sized inappropriately for their planted location – leading to another feature of the North Carolina landscape – the aggressive pruning of these trees, known as ‘Crape Murder’. To help avoid this we’re sharing some advice on how to select a Crapemyrtle – if you consider all the factors listed below you are certain to choose the right plant for the right place.

I love hosta!  I love it’s form, it’s color, and the huge number of varieties available in the market.  Whenever i’m at a nursery I have to take a look in the hosta section – I’m always looking for unusual new varieties.

When I moved into my house in Durham several years ago I noticed that one of the garden beds planted by the previous homeowners was full of a low growing, evergreen plant.  I wasn’t sure what the plant was, so I left it for the time being and worked on other projects.  Come spring I was surprised to find that the plants were full of strawberries, and that they had produced more fruit than we could eat, without any care or maintenance.  Now when clients ask about incorporating edibles into their garden, strawberries are often the first plant that I suggest.  Read on to learn about adding strawberries to your garden.