Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, October 6, 2011

October 6th, 2011

Bigger Bulbs Produce Better Flowers!

When it comes to bulbs size matters. Bigger bulbs produce more flowers and at David Hunter Garden Centers you can find the largest Allium, Tulip, and Daffodil bulbs. Our selection of bulbs for 2011 include the Jumbo Allium ‘Large and Purple’, three varieties of Jumbo Tulips; Red Impression, Maureen, and Big Smile and the Jumbo King Alfred Daffodils.

For the Tulips Red Impression is a deep red, Maureen is a clean white, and Big Smile is a bright yellow. The flowers on these Tulips are produced on a strong sturdy stem and will be the size of a large hand. These bulbs will bloom in May and June and each flower can last for weeks. Be sure to add Evergro Bulb Food (3-15-8) to the soil when you plant and again in the spring when the bulbs begin to emerge.

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, September 16, 2011

September 16th, 2011

Planting Bulbs is as easy as “Dig, Drop, Done”!

If you have avoided growing spring flowering bulbs in the past because you thought they were to much work you might be surprised to fin out just how easy they are to grow. All you have to do is Dig a small hole, Drop the bulb into the hole, and you’re Done! Your bulbs will grow a root system during the winter and sprout next spring. Different bulbs bloom at different times and if you plant a variety of bulbs you can have colourful blooms from February right through June. Some of the most popular varieties include Snowdrops, Crocus, Daffodils, and Tulips. But you can also choose from Alliums, Anemone, Chionodoxa, Hyacinths, Iris, Muscari, and Scilla.

The best time to plant the spring flowering bulbs is during September and October. Although it is not recommended you can plant your bulbs here on the west coast as late as January and still have them flower the following spring. 

For more information about planting bulbs visit www.digdropdone.com. Here you will find handy tips and videos to help you.

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, September 10, 2011

September 10th, 2011

Winter Pansies are Ready to Plant!

It is hard to believe that fall is here but even harder to think that it is time to plant your winter pansies. As your summer annuals finish blooming it is time to start replacing them. Pansies make a great filler for winter adding colour to your garden beds, planters, or pots. You can choose individual pansy plants in 4 inch pots or get a better value buying them in a pack of six plants.

Pansies come in a variety of colours including shades of yellow, purple, lavender, mauve, orange, and black (dark purple). When you are planting your pansies be sure to plant your fall bulbs underneath them. You can create colourful combinations with pansies and fall bulbs like yellow crocus with purple pansies. Or try white hyacinths with purple pansies. The combinations are endless.

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, September 1, 2011

September 1st, 2011

Add Fall Colour to Your Garden with Mums!

Mums are a great addition to your garden for fall. They provide colour from August to October. They are a great combination plant with Pansies, Kale, or other fall perennials. They are excellent in the garden or in pots and containers. Mums are sold as annuals but they can be left in the garden to flower again next year, just cut them back in the winter and they come up again next spring.

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, August 22, 2011

August 22nd, 2011

It is never too late for some Summer Flowering Perennials!

Although the best times to plant perennials are the spring and the fall it is never too late to plant summer flowering perennials like Rudbeckia. Rudbeckia are among the best perennials available. One of the most popular varieties is the ‘Goldsturm’. Goldsturm is a variety of one of our native North American wildflowers. The plants make a bushy, upright clump with a profuse display of brown-eyed, golden-orange daisies from midsummer through the fall. In addition to their brilliant fall colour their seed heads have good winter interest. They make a terrific choice for mass planting, combining especially well with ornamental grasses. They are excellent as a cut flower in bouquets. By removing faded flowers when the flower petals start to fall lengthens the blooming time. Rudbeckia plants can be easily divided in early spring as they start to emerge from the ground. The flowers are attractive to butterflies and make a great centerpiece to any garden bed. The ‘Goldsturm’ variety was the Perennial Plant of the Year in 1999.

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, August 15, 2011

August 15th, 2011

Add warmth to your garden with Echinacea!

Echinacea, or Coneflower, are one of the most popular perennials. Echinacea love full sun and lots of heat. They have large, showy flower heads, blooming from early to late summer. Many varieties bloom until frosts in the fall. Some varieties can be used for herbal or medicinal purposes. They work well at attracting butterflies to your garden. There are many varieties for you to choose from including:

purpurea

This is the most common form of Echinacea which has large purple flowers and grows to 24 to 36 inches high. Click here for more information.

purpurea ‘Double Decker’

This is a unique form of Echinacea. In their second-year plants produce a large magenta-pink daisies with a second smaller flower produced on top of each dark brown central cone. In their first-year plants usually produce only single blooms before becoming double in the second year.

purpurea ‘Magnus’

This is a classic purple coneflower. Beautiful rose-pink ray petals with a coppery-brown, spiky central cone comprise the huge, flat flower heads. They flower from midsummer thru fall. Click here for more information.

purpurea ‘Ruby Star’

This variety has larger, more vibrantly coloured flowers than the regular purpurea species. From a central brown cone the deep carmine-pink petals are held flat, rather than drooping. Click here for more information.

purpurea ‘Coconut Lime’

This variety is the first ever double-flowered, white Echinacea. The flower heads feature a ring of white petals surrounding a large pom-pom of pale green florets. These blooms are big, but the stems are strong enough to hold them. ‘Coconut Lime’ not only looks great in the border but also is a distinctive and very long-lasting cut flower. It’s as easy to grow as any traditional Coneflower. Click here for more information.

‘Pixie Meadowbrite’

This hybrid is a vast improvement over other dwarf Coneflowers on the market. Flowers are midsized, with flat medium-pink petals surrounding a cone that begins greenish-pink, maturing to deep crimson. Deadhead regularly for continual blooming into the autumn. Click here for more information.

‘Maui Sunshine’

This variety has large bright yellow flowers, that are sweetly scented. This variety is well-branched with strong, upright stems. Showy orange cones with green backgrounds (great for cutting and drying). Click here for more information.

‘Tomato Soup’

This variety has warm, tomato-red flowers that grow to 6″ wide. It grows to 32” tall and nearly as wide. Flowers cover the plant till frost. Plants are well branched and show excellent vigor. Click here for more information.

‘Big Sky’ – series

There are many new varieties including a group of new Echinaceas that belong to the Big Sky™ series. The Big Sky™ series currently has five members, all of which are sweetly scented. The varieties include; ‘Sunrise’, ‘Sunset’, ‘Twilight’, ‘Matthew Saul’ (Harvest Moon™), and ‘Evan Saul’ (Sundown™). These varieties all have large green leaves, strong branching stems, wide flower petals, and profuse blooming tendencies.

All photos courtesy of www.perennials.com.

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, August 8, 2011

August 8th, 2011

Enjoy the summer blooms of Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’

Crocosmia are one of the best summer flowering perennials to have in your garden. They produce clumps of sword-shaped leaves. These leaves are topped with tall, arching spikes of tubular funnel-shaped blossoms in mid to late summer. There are several named varieties are now available, in a range of hot colours. The most popular variety is the ‘Lucifer’. Lucifer has brilliant flame-red flowers, and a tall habit. They attract butterflies and hummingbirds and make an outstanding cut flower in a bouquet. Every garden should have at least one variety of Crocosmia in it and Lucifer is by far the most popular variety.

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, July 6, 2011

July 6th, 2011

Delight Your Senses with Dianthus!

Dianthus, or Sweet William, are a beautiful flower that lasts all summer long. There are annual and perennial varieties of Dianthus available for your garden. These are also known as “pinks” and the colour pink may have come from these flowers (See Here).

There are many new varieties of Dianthus and one of the best new series are the Scent First series. This includes three varieties; Candy Floss, Passion, and Tickled Pink. These varieties are incredibly fragrant and they bloom continuously all summer long.

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, June 6, 2011

June 6th, 2011

Enjoy the Sweet Fragrance of Lilacs!

Aside from Roses, there are no flowers as beautiful and aromatic as Lilacs. Lilacs have a strong fragrance that you can enjoy throughout your garden. Unfortunately, Lilacs bloom for only a few weeks in the late spring.

Weather has a lot to do with how long your blooms last. Cool dry weather helps your flowers last longer if only we could control that. Once the blooms have finished, you still have a nice shade bush, but you have to wait until next year to enjoy the blooms again.

You can choose from a variety of Lilacs including:

• Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’ (Korean Lilac)
• Syringa vulgaris ‘Katherine Havemeyer’
• Syringa vulgaris ‘Charles Joly’

Comments (0)

By Miles Hunter, May 18, 2011

May 17th, 2011

Make Your Summer Bloom!

If you want your summer to burst into bloom try the Supertunia ‘Priscilla’. This beautiful petunia has a double lavender flower with striking purple veins. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Unlike the traditional petunias the supertunias do not require deadheading (removing dead flowers) which means that they can bloom continuously all summer long. The flowers are fragrant and heat tolerant. They make a great landscape plant but are also great in hanging baskets and window boxes.