What's Blooming 8.8.19

What’s Blooming 8.8.19

It’s hard to believe it’s been 2 months since the last post about What’s Blooming at Natural Plus Nursery.

I love these posts, because who doesn’t love to look at photos of beautiful blooms?!

I also love to use these posts to help me plan my landscape to ensure blooms in my yard all season long. Just simply look back on the previous months to help you decide what to plant to get blooms in May and June.

Many varieties of daylilies available at Natural Plus Nursery

CINDERELLA MILKWEED: A favorite of butterflies

CONEFLOWERS

BLACK EYED SUSAN or RUDBECKIA

Read about more Prairie Plants favorites HERE

AUTUMN JOY SEDUM: A butterfly and bee favorite

GLOBE THISTLE

Previous What’s Blooming Posts:

6.20.19

5.22.19

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HYDRANGEAS

HYDRANGEAS

Hydrangeas bloom in July and August and many varieties will continue to give beauty clear in to fall. There are many hydrangeas to choose from and they are easy to grow.  Here are some of our favorites.

Tree Hydrangeas :  Tree hydrangeas offer a small tree for those spots where you need something smaller in size. Most grow 8-12 feet tall and 6-12 feet wide. Some common varieties include Limelight (mint green blooms), Pee Gee (white/pink), and Strawberry Sundae (white/pink). Most require part to full sun.

An annabelle hydrangea bloom

Bush Hydrangeas:

·      Annabelles – Annabelles are a favorite because they grow in sun or shade. They have prolific large round white blooms and are easy to grow.  They grow 4-5’ tall. (SEE ABOVE PHOTO)

An endless summer hydrangea bloom

·      Endless Summer Varieties: These hydrangeas have beautiful large powder blue blooms. Most varieties grow 3-4 feet. They prefer part shade. Fertilize with a miracid fertilizer to keep blooms blue. If you forget to fertilize they will still bloom but blooms will be pink in color instead of blue.

Hydrangea bloom

·      Other bush hydrangeas: There are many varieties to choose from. Some include PeeGee, Strawberry Sundae, Angels Blush, and Quick Fire. These hydrangeas grow from app. 5-8 feet tall and bloom with large blooms that usually open white and fade to light pink or deep pink/red as they mature. Most prefer full sun. Blooms can be dried for fall arrangements.

·      Dwarf Hydrangeas: Many of the older larger varieties of hydrangea now come in dwarf sizes of 3-5 feet. Some varieties include Baby Lace, Bar Harbor, Bobo, and Hamptons. If you are short on space or need a smaller plant these are a good choice. Most prefer full or part sun.

Hydrangeas can add dramatic beautiful color to your landscaping. After planting they are low maintenance. Trim in the spring to shape them and trim in the fall to remove spent blooms. Be sure to choose the right size and variety for your spot. At Natural Plus we can advise you which varieties will work best for your spot or get started HERE.

Enjoy your summer garden

5 Must-Have Prairie Plants

5 MUST HAVE PRAIRIE PLANTS

You may have noticed the colorful blooms along the highways and in many ditches around North Iowa right now. Native prairie plants are really putting on a show, each week adding more beautiful blooms to the mix. it’s easy to add these to your yard, so you can enjoy these showy blooms without leaving home.

Here are 5 Must Have prairie plants to add to your landscape.

1. Blazing Star, Gayfeather or Liatris

   Blooms mid to late July, easy to care for, a bee and butterfly favorite, and makes an interesting cut flower

2. Yarrow or Achillea

Commonly used in butterfly gardens, drought resistant, colors vary from pinks, reds, to yellow

3. Coneflower or Echinacea

prolific bloomers from midsummer into fall, grow 2-4’ high and available in many colors

4. Bee balm or Monarda

attracts hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, blooms look like a firework, blooms around the 4th of July each year

5. Black eyed Susan or Rudbeckia

attracts butterflies, bees, and other insects, great as cut flowers, blooms from June to fall

These are just a few of the amazing native prairie plants that we see growing around North Iowa.

READ MORE

More about planting to attract butterflies HERE

More about planting to attract birds HERE

More on Summer Perennials HERE

Tips for Summer planting HERE

What's Blooming: 5/22/19

I know the weather hasn’t been feeling like spring, but the blooms at the nursery and around town are telling us otherwise!

Here’s a round up of some of the things that are blooming at the nursery, in my yard, and around town!

First up, creeping phlox. The top left picture was taken on Main Street in Clear Lake. They are putting on quite the show right now!

I’m sure we’ve all noticed the Crab trees around town in all their glory. I just wish they would last longer!

Lilacs are blooming! And they smell so good! Want to add some fragrance to your landscape? Here’s an article to get you started HERE

Daffodils and irises make a lovely combination.

And an old classic, the bleeding heart, pic taken from my yard.

So many beautiful blooms right now and we are just getting started!

What’s blooming in your yard?