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Southern Gardening from 2006

Kathy Ann, a native yaupon holly from Stone County, Miss., reaches 15 to 20 feet in height and is a perfect choice for use as an accent or the focal point to a special garden. The leaves are dark green and large, serving as a good contrast with the white bark that adds further winter landscape appeal. The Kathy Ann is in an elite class as one of the most prolific berry producing hollies.
January 5, 2006 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

As I was buttoning my favorite pair of pants this morning, it became evident the high Southeastern humidity in my closet had caused them to shrink. Unfortunately, it looks like the same New Year's resolution will be at the top of my list again.

Speaking of resolutions, there are several New Year's gardening resolutions we all need to make to have a better and more environmentally friendly garden this year.

Zowie! Yellow Flame zinnia and Evolution salvia make a dynamic duo in this landscape. Both make great cut flowers for the vase and can be dried for an everlasting bouquet. Unlike any other zinnia, each Zowie bloom flames with a scarlet-rose center and yellow petal edges. Evolution provides a slightly richer color that Victoria Blue salvia.
January 12, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Zowie! That is a word that may conjure up memories of the 1960's Batman television series when it may have been used to mean wow, incredible or great Scott. In 2006, it will remind you of an All-America Selections Flower Award Winner, a zinnia called “Zowie! Yellow Flame.”

The Firewitch dianthus, or cheddar pink, is a low growing, mat-forming plant with narrow, bluish-gray foliage and brilliant purplish-pink flowers. The blooms cover the plant and perfume the air with a spicy, clove-like fragrance.
January 19, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

If you love Bath's Pink dianthus, then you will be delighted with Firewitch, the 2006 Perennial Plant of the Year. The Perennial Plant Association has a strong reputation for selecting perennial plants that perform for the widest area of the United States, and this year's winner is no exception.

Stained Glass has brilliant shiny golden foliage surrounded by a 2-inch wide, dark-green margin. The American Hosta Growers Association has chosen Stained Glass as the 2006 "Hosta of the Year."
January 26, 2006 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Rains, especially those on recent weekends, have been so plentiful that about all we can do is make plans for the spring planting season. I'm past ready to prepare beds for a new hosta I want to try called Stained Glass.

Stained Glass looks to be the hottest hosta in the upcoming season as the American Hosta Growers Association has chosen it as the 2006 “Hosta of the Year.”

This All-American daylily winner is a large, showy salmon-pink variety with a rose halo. It is a robust performer that produces loads of buds, blooming an average of 90 days per year. It is easy to grow and does beautifully as a border, ground cover or container-grown specimen.
February 2, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

There are thousands of spectacular daylilies for sale, some even approaching the cost of my first car, but two reasonably priced selections you should search for are this year's All-American Daylily Selections, Buttered Popcorn and Persian Market.

Each Tiger Fern frond resemble a tiger's stripes with different colors and different patterns of variegation. The colors will vary from dark green to lime green and golden yellow.
February 9, 2006 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

If you like the Boston Fern, you will adore the Tiger Fern. These tropical treasures make their Mississippi debut this spring at garden and patio shows in Hattiesburg, Jackson and Southaven.

Their incredible beauty comes from the variegation that resembles a tiger's stripes. Each frond will be a different color and offer a different pattern of variegation. The colors will vary from dark green to lime green and golden yellow.

The Angel Mist lavender compact angelonia combines well with Million Gold Melampodium. The new compact Angel Mist angelonias will stay around 15 to 18 inches tall and bloom long before they need to be deadheaded.
February 16, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Thanks to the new Serena series and a new compact called Angel Mist, angelonias should finally reach star status in Southern landscapes.

Maybe that's wishful thinking because my recent surveys at seminars point to a disturbing fact -- gardeners still haven't tried angelonias and probably don't understand what they are.

2006 Mississippi Medallion winner Knock Out is a shrub rose that is very disease resistant, and plants are heat and drought tolerant once established.
February 23, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Ten years after the Mississippi Medallion award program started in 1996, the Mississippi Plant Selections Committee is announcing its first award-winning rose: Knock Out.

Blazin Rose Iresine
March 2, 2006 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The Iresine varieties Blazin Rose and Bloodleaf got a lot of attention at the Gulf Coast Garden and Patio Show and look to be among the hottest plants for 2006. If you missed them in Hattiesburg, you will be able to see them at the 9th Jackson Garden and Patio Show.

Mystic Spires Blue is the first dwarf or compact selection of the well-loved Indigo Spires. It will work well with perennials like purple coneflowers and summer phlox, or combined with yellows like melampodium, black-eyed Susans and New Gold lantana.
March 9, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Since its discovery almost 40 years ago, Indigo Spires salvia has been one of the most loved flowers in Southern gardens. It deserves the Mississippi Medallion honor even though it has never received the award.

The foliage of Wild Lime coleus matches the yellow in the Prairie Sun rudbeckias and helps provide an opposite complementary color for the Easy Wave Blue petunias.
March 16, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Garden centers are bringing in new flowers by the truck full, and choices may seem a little overwhelming. One thing you should consider is incorporating plants grown for foliage, such as the coleus, in combination with those you pick for flowers.

One stunning planting I saw late last summer would be easy for anyone to duplicate. It had rudbeckias, petunias and coleus.

The Intensia phlox series blooms from early spring until fall frost. Because of this long bloom season, the bright colors of Lavender Glow, Lilac Rose, Neon Pink and Cabernet have an endless choice of companion plants.
March 23, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Phlox seem to be blooming everywhere now, already making the springtime sizzle. The two you mostly see are the creeping Phlox subulata and the Louisiana phlox, or Wild Sweet William, known botanically as Phlox divaricata.

The Profusion Fire and Profusion Apricot zinnia varieties bloom from spring until frost. Profusion Fire astounds viewers with its scarlet and orange blooms. The Profusion Apricot is light coral with a rich terracotta center.
March 30, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The two newest zinnias in the Profusion series have garnered top honors in Mississippi. The Mississippi Plant Selections Committee chose the Profusion Fire and Profusion Apricot as 2006 Mississippi Medallion award winners.

The Mississippi Medallion award program began in 1996 with the selections of New Gold lantana and Blue Daze evolvulus.

The Kong coleus will liven up the shade garden and be available in red, scarlet, rose and mosaic varieties. It is a large plant, with one leaf big enough to cover a face.
April 6, 2006 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Five years ago, I would have predicted coleus' days of popularity were over, but I have changed my mind. The Mississippi Plant Selections Committee chose the monolithic Kong coleus as a Mississippi Medallion award winner.

The Cloud Nine ageratum is a new vegatively propagated series. They are large plants with big flowers that work well in mixed containers.
April 13, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

I have always loved the ageratum for its rare blue color, but I have never thought of it as a tough plant. Now thanks to new breeding, there are varieties we can count on for just about the entire growing season.

Tapien verbenas offer equally impressive toughness and beauty. They may be the ultimate groundcover with their dense carpet of green foliage topped off by gorgeous flowers most of the summer.
April 20, 2006 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The perennial verbena truly has come of age in the landscape during the last decade. Homestead Purple, Biloxi Blue and Port Gibson Pink have all been recognized for their outstanding performance.

The Goldilocks variety of Creeping Jenny is an excellent accent in mixed containers. With leaves that resemble small discs, Goldilocks will it serve as a colorful filler plant, then climb over and plummet down the container. The leaves have a lime green color that will turn an iridescent yellow given more sun.
April 27, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

If blondes really have more fun, then Goldilocks should be the key to a fabulous time in this summer's gardens.

Goldilocks is known botanically as Lysimachia nummulari, which also has the common names of Creeping Jenny and Moneywort. This Lysimachia is native to Europe and is perennial from zones 3 through 11. It's a pretty tough plant that can survive those extremes in temperatures.

Fusion Glow impatiens have blossoms that are yellow with an orange and yellow bi-colored center. They look beautiful here with Aztec Violet verbena and Galleria Deep Rose geranium.
May 4, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Most of us first encountered the word fusion in physics or chemistry classes, but now we see it everywhere. Fusion is a Ford car, razor blades and also one of the hottest new impatiens varieties.

The Picante salmon salvia is part of a series that sends up multiple branches at a record pace. Salvias bloom from spring through frost, making this annual an exceptional buy. Its spiky texture is most welcome in a garden world dominated by round flowers.
May 11, 2006 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Scarlet sage is an old-fashioned plant has come out this year with new colors and varieties that will ensure its popularity for years to come.

Scarlet sage is an annual salvia known botanically as Salvia splendens. One new group that has caught my attention is the Picante series. This one seems to send up multiple branches at a record pace. It also comes in some weird colors that make the term “scarlet” seem obsolete.

Powis Castle artemisia partners well with Purple Heart. Powis Castle has feathery gray foliage and is very showy against the deep, dark purple-leafed Setcreasea.
May 18, 2006 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

One of the most beautiful plants for the spring and summer garden is the artemisia, and I am convinced it is not being used enough, especially the hybrid known as Powis Castle.

We filmed an upcoming Southern Gardening TV segment at the garden of Rhonda and Tracy Simpson in Sumner. Rhonda uses artemisias to perfection throughout her garden.

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