Rodgersia - Bold Look In A Shady Garden

Rodgersia

Rodgersia (two forms) is an outstanding summer flowering perennial grown for its broad foliage and showy flowers. Rodgersia has one key requirement: consistent soil moisture through the spring and summer months. Don’t attempt to grow this bold perennial unless its water needs is totally satisfied. Plants prefer wet, boggy feet (roots).

Rodgersias (Rodgersia pinnata) sport bold pinnately compound leaves that emerge with a dark bronze tint. Leaves measure more than a foot wide and 3-4 foot high perennial. In early summer, white bloom panicles rise 2 to 3 feet above the foliage and bloom over 3 to 4 weeks. 

A secondary species, Chestnut-leaved Rodgersia (R. aesculifolia), is another clump form with bold green foliage and bears creamy-white flowers in mid-summer (USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8).

Varieties of rodgersia: 'Chocolate Wing' -- cherry blossom pink and cream blooms); ‘Alba’- white flowers and dark green leaves/bronze veining.

Rodgersia prosper in partial day sun tor light shade all day. Site them nearby water features like within the splash-zone of a waterfall. They grow exceptionally well along woodland creeks.

When properly sited, the foliage remains blemish-free all season long. Disease and pest problems are rare if growing conditions are ideal. Deer and rabbits rarely trouble them

.

Planting in containers: plant a single crown into a 3 to 5 gallon size container filled with humus-rich potting soil. To restrict most water loss, line the bottom of the container with plastic shopping bags. This reduces irrigation needs that saves on your monthly water bill.

Big Bold Perennial Queen of The Prairie

Tall and pretty spectacular pretty much describes Queen of the prairie (Filipendula rubra) (USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8). The species is native from Pennsylvania to Georgia west and north to Iowa and Missouri. This long-lived beauty will dominate its garden spot for many years. Unlike most Filipendula spp. which bear white flowers, F. rubra flaunts wonderful pink flowers.

Queen of the prairie is valued for both its bold foliage and flowers. This clump-forming perennial grows 6-8 feet tall. Many 6-9 inch wide panicles (corymbs) tiny, fragrant, pale pink flowers fill the tops in early to mid summer. Bright green, deeply cut, pinnately compound leaves comprise 7-9 lance-shaped large leaflets, each leaflet 7-9 lobed. Leaves are fragrant.


In Zones 3 to 7, filipendulas grow naturally in mostly full sun sites. In the South (Zones 7b - 8), plants are best lightly shaded from mid-afternoon sun. Plant in moist acidic soils, but they also will prosper on poorly drained, calcareous sites. More soil moisture means taller plants.


Few serious disease or insect problems trouble filipendulas when plants are not crowded and roots are kept relatively moist. Leaf spots, powdery mildew, rust are occasional problems. Though quite tall, this sturdy stemmed perennial usually does not ask for staking unless grown in moderate shade.


Filipendulas are tall plants for large gardens. Plant three or more for an early summer spectacular floral show.


Landscape use: borders (rear), cottage gardens, rain gardens, wet meadows or in moist ground along streams or ponds.

Angel Trumpets

Mottled leaf / White Flowered Variety

Angel trumpet (Brugmansia) is tropical plant native from Venezuela to Peru (USDA hardiness zones 7-b to 10). Plants have shown to be surprising hardy outdoors in zone 6-b in protected sites. 

This beautiful shrub, often trained as a tree, may reach heights of 6-10 feet before cold weather arrives in the fall. It is a member of the Solanaceae family which includes tomato, potato, petunia, nicotiana and other great garden plants. 

Angel trumpets are highly prized for their enormous fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers, some 10 inches or more in length. The exotic flowers emit a strong lemony scent over the evening hours. Blooms are pollinated by moths. Flower colors range from white, orange, yellow, and pink. Some varieties exhibit variegated foliage.

If you live in a northerly area, purchase angel trumpet in early spring and grow the new plant indoors to get it well-established. Move it outdoors after the threat of frost has passed. Plant angel trumpet in a large 12-16 inch (or wider) container in well-drained potting soil (media). If you live in a mild temperate climate, plant directly into a garden bed in a well-drained soil and keep well mulched. You may want to place the heavy container on a dolly to move it around to different locations of the garden.

This fast growing plant demands lots of water, but it fails when over-watered. Keep soil moist and let soil dry out between waterings. Fertilize monthly with a water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro®, Peters®, and Schultz®. In the summer, when plant growth is more rapid and most blooms form, feed every two weeks according to package directions. Cut back on fertilizing in fall and do not feed over winter.

In northerly areas, bring angel trumpet(s) inside as outdoor temperatures drop below 40°F. If you garden where winters are mild, protect by setting poles around it and wrap with milky white plastic. You may opt to cut back entire plant to the ground and mulch heavily to protect the crown during winter.

Occasionally snip off old spent flowers, and spur new growth. A container plant can be cut to the ground for winter. Beware: sap from this plant is highly poisonous when ingested by humans, pets, or livestock.

For a large selection of angel trumpet hybrids, shop on-line at Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, NC.

Pink variety

Ligularias Like "Wet Feet"

Ligularia 'The Rocket'

Ligularias (ligs) are outstanding summer flowering perennials  Two species and numerous varieties are grown for their bold foliage and showy flowers. Ligs have one special need: consistent soil moisture through the spring and summer months. Don’t attempt to grow either one of these awesome plants unless their water needs will be satisfied. These plants prefer wet, boggy feet (roots).

Their roots must be kept constantly moist so that leaves don’t wilt or "faint". Even after a summer shower, ligs may still go through a brief spell fainting in the mid-afternoon due to summer heat and water loss from transpiration.  By early evening the leaves recover fully hydrated.

Bigleaf ligs (L. dentata) and narrow-spiked ligularias (L. stenocephala), aka "golden ray", grow well in temperate climes (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). Tropical species are listed under the genus Farfugium  (zones 7b -10). Favorite cultivars include: 'The Rocket', 'Bottle Rocket', 'Britt-Marie Crawford', 'Desdemona'.

Ligularias (ligs) thrive in part day sun or light shade all day. Site them nearby water features like within the splash-zone of a waterfall. They grow exceptionally well along woodland creeks.
When properly sited, the foliage remains blemish-free season-long. Disease and pest problems are rare if growing conditions are ideal. Deer and rabbits rarely trouble them
.
Planting in containers: plant a single crown into a 3 to 5 gallon size container filled with humus-rich potting soil. To restrict most water loss, line the bottom of the container with plastic shopping bags. This reduces irrigation needs that saves on your monthly water bill.

Coneflowers

'Showoff' Echinacea at Kingwood Center, Mansfield, OH

Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.) have undergone great improvements over the past quarter century. Varieties are now available in many color shades and plants flower for longer periods. Recently introduced cultivars also grow alot shorter. On the negative side, some hybrid forms have been disappointing, barely surviving 1-2 years in the garden.

For overall dependability, Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is my #1 favorite for dependability (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). The species is native to most of the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. They bloom in July, August, and into September, their nectar-filled flowers attract  butterflies and bees, and their winter seed heads provide food for birds and other critters.

Yellow Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa) is native to the Ozark region in Missouri and Arkansas. The yellow blooming E. paradoxa have been bred with E. purpurea. Flowering starts in June, and puts on a long show even as the petals fade. This species has a small geographic range due to habitat loss.

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) are native from the central U.S. Petals tend to be long, narrow, and droopy along with washed out lavender color. Leaves and stems are particularly fuzzy. They bloom from June to July and grow in most U.S. gardens under proper care.

Tennessee Coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis) are native the state, but their habitat has been in decline over the past half century. Only recently has it been removed from the endangered species list. This mid-summer bloomer grows 2 to 2 ½ feet tall.

Coneflowers perform best in full sun and within a low to moderate range of soil fertility. While good soil drainage and watering during prolonged dry spells are good practice. Keep in mind that most coneflowers establish deep taproots and resent constant irrigation and over-feeding. To insure winter survival, coneflowers should be planted before July 1st.

Summer Garden Phlox

Proper siting - full to partial sun and humus-rich soil - are key to successfully growing garden phlox (Phlox spp.) (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). Phlox ask for minimal care of seasonal fertilizing, mulching, and supplemental watering in periods of drought. Deadheading also extends the plant's flowering potential.  Select truly superior cultivars and never over-irrigate the garden bed. Finally, avoid overcrowding plants which may result in outbreaks with powdery mildew disease.

2015-17 MT. Cuba Center's Phlox Trial in Greenville, DE. The best performing cultivars of Phlox paniculata are: P. paniculata ‘Jeana’, ‘Glamour Girl’, ‘Delta Snow’, ‘Lavelle’, ‘Robert Poore’, ‘Dick Weaver’, ‘David’, ‘Ditomdre’ (Coral Crème Drop), and ‘Shortwood’.

The best performing selections from other species and hybrid phlox are: Carolina phlox (Phlox carolina ssp. carolina) ‘Kim’ (light pink), Phlox glaberrima ssp. triflora 'Bill Baker', sweetly aromatic, reddish purple flowers  (P. glaberrima ‘Morris Berd’), purplish-pink flowers of P.  x ‘Forever Pink’, P. amplifolia, and P. x ‘Minnie Pearl’ (pure white).

Three P. paniculata favorites:
‘David’ - large, pure white, fragrant flowers; foliage is highly mildew resistant; 2002 Perennial Plant of The Year
'Delta Snow' - grows 3-4 feet tall. Fragrant, snow white tubular flowers with purple eyes; mildew resistant foliage.
‘Jeana’ - long blooming summer phlox cultivar; deep green foliage is topped by conical lavender-pink flowers and mildew resistant foliage.

All three varieties make colorful additions to cut flower arrangements.

Pruning Time For Oakleaf Hydrangeas

Native oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are pruned as their summer flowers start to declines in quality around late July. The main pruning time for oakleaf hydrangeas is from mid-June thru mid-August. At this time, make the big cuts to reduce shrub height and width, if needed. Secondly, remove or “deadhead” all withered or faded flowers.

A frequently asked question is "should I prune my oakleaf hydrangeas coming out of winter"? My general response is no, because you will be reducing the flower count in June. However, if you missed making last summer's cutbacks (or cleanups), you may remove 20-25% of the dormant branches and only sacrifice a few flowers. Broken, diseased wood, plus bottom suckers may be removed to improve the appearance of the overall plant.

Oakleaf hydrangeas set their flower buds for next spring on both old or current season’s growth on the terminal bud. Do not practice pruning in the fall as it may stimulate new soft growth which dies over a cold winter. Make all cuts 1/4 inch above the last set of leaves or cutback flush to a main branch.

Summer pruning improves the health of oakleaf hydrangeas and stimulates new vegetative growth. On older 4-5 year old hydrangeas, remove larger, thicker canes and prune them at the base of the stem.

What about old neglected oakleaf hydrangeas? Remove one-quarter to one-third of these older branches. In 3-4 years the shrub will be completely rejuvenated.

Dead, dying, diseased stems, and old flower heads can be removed at any time of year.