Hummingbird
Garden
To design the shape of the flower bed, arrange a hose and adjust it until
it outlines a shape for a bed that is attractive. Mark the outlined edge
with a sprinkling of flour. Remove sod and weeds, add compost, digging to
a depth of 1 foot.
Gladiolus to be planted at the back of the bed. A genus of corms, each producing a spike of funnel shaped flowers and a fan of erect, sword shaped leaves on basal part of the flower stem. Suitable for cutting or for planting in mixed borders. Frost to half hardy. Likes sunny, well drained site. Spread 6 inches, height 3 1/2 feet. Plant 4 to 6 inches ( 10-15cm) deep and the same distance apart in spring. Water well in summer and support tall cultivators with canes. In autumn, lift half hardy types, cut off stems and dry corms in frost free, but cool place. Propagate by seed or by cormlets removed from plant. Sow seed in early spring in green house, will take 2 to 3 years to flower and may not breed true to type. Cormlets should be planted 2 inches ( 5cm ) deep in spring. They will flower in 1 to 2 years. While in store cormlets may be attached by various rots. Protect sound, healthy corms by dusting with a fungicide or stocking in a fungicide solution before drying. Store in a cool, airy, dry place. Gladious scab causes blothces on leaves; gladious yellow shows a yellowing stripes, then death of leaves; in both cases destory the affected corms and plant healthy ones in new site next year.
Zinnia's to be planted in front of gladious. With a height of 1 to 3 feet and spread of 6 to 12 inches zinnias come in pratically every color. Leaves and stems are course like sandpaper. Zinnias need rich, fertile soil, high in organic matter. Powdery mildew can be a problem in humid climates. Avoid watering from the top and plant where there is good air movement. Plant after last frost when ground is warm, 6 to 12 inches apart. Propagate by seed directly into the ground or indoors 4 to 6 weeks before last frost. Seeds need 5 to 7 days to germinate at 70 to 75 degrees F,
Black-eyed Susan is a native American wildflower also known as the yellow cornflower. Black-eyed Susans have hairy 2 to 3 ft. stems with simple saw-toothed edges. They bear daisies with yellow ray flowers, slightly orange at base and purple brown disk flowers, blooming in July through frost. Adapt to any garden soil although they prefer moist. Propagate by seed or division. Uses: Good for naturalizing a meadow garden, in a formal bed, borders or drifts.
Garden Phlox to be planted in the center of the bed. This late spring, early summer flowering annual grown for their profussion of bright colored flowers does best in full sun and semi-shade with fertile, moist, well drained soil. Propagate by seed sown in autumn or spring. Fully to half hardy.
Blue Vervain to be planted in the middle of the bed. These graceful wands of lavender/blue flowers with lance like leaves, reach a height and spread of 2 to 3 feet. These flowers that bloom in mid-summer prefer fertile, well drained soil with full sun and plenty of air. Plant after last danger of frost has passed, spacing plants 12 inches apart. Propagate by seed or cuttings. Sow seeds indoors 12 to 14 weeks before planting in garden, cover with black plastic and refrigerate 7 days before sowing outdoors, since seeds need dark to germinate.Wet seed flat 24 hours before sowing.
Spiked Speedwell to be planted toward front of the garden bed. This clump forming perennial reaches 12 to 24 (30 to 60 cm) inches in height and has a spread of 18 inches (45 cm). With spikes of small star shaped, bright flowers on narrowly, oval, toothed, green leaves this plant likes sun and well drained soil. Fully to frost hardy. Propagate by division in spring or autumn, semi-ripe cuttings in summer or by seed in autumn.
Houttuynia Cordata " Chameleon" This ground cover perennial is to be planted at the front of the bed. While this plant reaches only 4 to 6 inches in height, it has a spread of 3 to 5 feet and become very invasive unless watched. Resemeling English Ivy with red stems and blue/green leaves, somewhat metallic in appearence, it produces small white flowers in summer that resemble begonia blossoms. When brusied the plants smell of Seville oranges. The plants like sun or shade, but must have moist, well drained soil. Huttuynia's will also grow in shallow water. Propagate by seed or division. Uses: ground cover and at the edge of water gardens.
Petunia, plant around front of the garden bed. This perennial that is often grown as a annual has trumpet shaped flowers that come in a variety of wonderful colors. While considered an annual in most areas it will flower nearly all winter in frost free climates. Needs well drained soil with full sun. Incoperate a slow release fertlizer in the soil before planting and space plants 12 inches apart. To promote more branching and increase bloom shear plants back half way in mid summer. Deadheading is extremely important - as plants start to set seed, flowering decreases. Propagate by seed. Seeds can be started indoors 10 to 12 weeks before planting outdoors. DO NOT COVER SEEDS! Seeds need light to germinate. Seeds will germinate in 10 to 12 days at 70 to 75 degrees F. Good used in containers, beds, borders, pathways ect....
More plants for a Hummingbird Garden: Scarlet Sage is a slow growing, bushy perennial or evergreen shrub grown as a annual. Frost tender, this plant reaches a height of 12 inches ( 30cm) and a spread of 8 to 12 inches ( 20 to 30 cm). Scarlet Sage has dense rancemes of scarlet flowers in summer and early autumn surrounded by oval. serrated, fresh green leaves. Needs fertile, well drained soil. Propagate by division in spring. Nasturtuim a genus of evergreen shrubs with red or yellow flowers on round leaves that grow 8 inches tall and are grown for their nodding flower spikes. Frost hardy to frost tender minus 45 degrees F. ( 7C.) Needs sun and moist, well drained, peaty, sandy soil. Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings in summer.
Bedding Begonias: Brightly colored blossoms on a mound of closely packed waxy leaves. Begonias do well in rich, well drained soil, But the soil MUST be allowed to dry out between waterings. Most have a height and spread of 6 to 9 inches. Propagate by seed or cuttings. Seeds need light to germinate and should be covered in a glass starting container to maintain high humidy during germination. Germination temp is 70 to 85 degrees F. and requires 14 to 21 days. Cuttings also root easily. Good for formal containers and sunny borders.
Penstemon also known as bearded tongue is a North American native, most varieties are perennial, but many are grown as summer annuals. The name alludes to the fuzzy insect attracting stamens protruding from the open faced flowers. A native of California this plant is a shrub that grows up to 2 feet tall and has many flowers of dark blue, purple and lilac. The long narrow flowers are slightly over 1 inch long. Penstemons will grow in full sun or light shade in hot summer areas needing slightly acid soil enriched with compost or leaf mold. Grows best in cool, mild climates. Set plants 12 to 18 inches apart. In zones 8, 9, and 10 plants may be started in summer to bloom the next season. Elsewhere seeds should be sown in mid-winter 12 to 24 weeks before flowering the same season. Propagation by seeds, cuttings or division. Seed germination takes 10 to 15 days at a temp of 55 degrees F. Cuttings or division are often used for choice named varities. Cuttings may be taken in spring and root readily. Uses: mid-border, mixed plantings and cottage gardens. Plant them in beds combined with other plants or use them as a transition point between gardens and woodlands. They make attractive cut flowers.
Pinks know for their blossoms and for their marvalous sweet and spicey scent that many produce. Plants have narrow leaves on jointed stems that end with 5 petaled flowers with fringed edges, often having a distinct odor. Needs full sun and a good well drained garden soil. These plants are short lived perennials and benifit from divison every 2 to 3 years. Propagate by division, cuttings or seed. Excellent choice for a rock garden, hanging over the edge of a wall or in the front of a garden, especially as edging plants. Makes wonderful cut flowers and will bloom all summer if dead flowers are removed. Cardinal Flower a clump forming perennial that grows 3 feet high with a spread of 9 inches. Frost hardy in zones 3-9 this plant bears racemens of 2 lipped, brillant scarlet flowers from mid to late summer. Lance shaped leaves may be fresh green or bronze. Needs full sun and well drained soil. Propagate by seed or stem cuttings from spring - autumn. Canada Lily a summer flowering bulb with stem roots that can reach 5 feet tall. Narrowly to broadly lance-shaped leaves are mainly in whirles. Bears about 10 nodding, bell-shaped yellow or red flowers; each petal is 2 to 3 inches ( 5-8cm ) long with dark red or purple spots on the lower part. Needs sun and well drained, average garden soil.
Weigela: This Asian shrub came to popularity during the victorian era and is still in style, rapidly regaining any popularity that it may have lost. A dense, spreading, rounded shrub with branches that eventually arch to the ground. It's leaves are elliptic, pointed and medium green. The pink funnel shaped flowers appear in spring, seemily at every axile. After the flush of bloom is over, most weigela's bloom again, although sporadiacally throughout the rest of summer. Grow in full sun and well drained soil. For best results, prune off any winter damage in spring. Ideal for borders, accent plant or informal hedge.
Azalea: This native American plant ranges from low growing to tall tree like shrubs. Flowers are generally cup or funnel shaped and appear singly or in clusters at the ends of the branches. They are often brightly colored, white, pink, mauve, purple and other colors. Most are spring bloomer. Although there are several summer bloomers and even a few fall ones. Plant in rich, organic, well drained soils and protect their root system with mulch. Best if planted in dapple or light shade. Will do well in full sun, but need protection from winter winds. They are slow growing and need little pruning.
Hawthorne a small tree or tall shrub that grows about 25 feet tall. Grownth at first is rather columnar, gradually becoming rounded. The Hawthorne has a thorny branched crown clothed in a dense mass of dark green, lustrous foliage topped with masses of clustered white spring flowers. Leaves turn orange-red in fall nad drop to reveal a crop of bright red berries. Likes full sun and moist conditions, but does not do well in dry soils.
Excellent city tree, if you prune away the thorney lower branches.
Beauty bush: Rhizomatous perennial with a height of 3 to 6 inches and a spread of 2 feet. Zone 10. Oval, hairy leaves up to 3 inches long, often marked with silver and brown above. Produces small, nodding, tubular pink flowers with red marked lobes that appear in summer. Frost tender to minus 59 degrees F. ( 15 C.), grow in moist, well drained soil, in full sun or semi-shade. Water spareingly in winter, over watering can cause rhizomes to rot. Propagate by division or rhimesomes in spring or seed if avalible. Good in hanging baskets.
Cardinal Climber, a annual twining climber that reaches a height of 10 feet (3cm) with triangular, oval leaves that are divided into 7 to 15 segmenets. This plant has tuberous, wide-mouthed, crimson flowers that appear with white eyes in the summer. Frost tender minus 50 degrees F. (10C.)
Trumpet Honeysuckle a twining vine native to the south centeral U.S. can grow up to 50 feet if it has something to cling to. Usually reaches around 20 feet at most homes. The oppoisite blue/green leaves are variable even on the same branch, flowers are produced in clusters at the tip of each branch thoughout the summer. Unlike many flowering vines they are scentless. Bright red berries appear at the end of summer and thoughout much of fall. Grow in full sun to partial shade in average, well drained soil. While this plant does prefer to keep it's roots moist, it is fairly drought resistanct. Requires a strong support on which to grow. Harsh pruning tends to promote a more controled plant and attractive enviroment. Cypress Vine is a twining annual climber with oval, bright green leaves cut into many thread like segments. Slender, tubular, orange or scarlet flowers are carried in summer-autumn. Grows 6 to 12 feet ( 2-4m ) tall and likes full sun, prefers well drained soil.