Green Thumb Corner

Northern Gold Forsythia, Forsythia 'Northern Gold', is an upright growing shrub that produces its showy golden yellow flowers in early spring with spectacular flower color and bud hardiness. Its beautiful dark green summer foliage creates an outstanding plant that is reliably hardy in the North. So you in the northern zones can now have these harbingers of spring grace your landscapes! Northern Gold requires full sun, decent soil and lots of room to grow. They can be successfully used as solitary accents, in groups of three, or massed together as a tall hedge or barrier. Place them in the landscape where they will command attention with their golden flowers. Prune after flowering to maintain a better form and shape. It grows 6 to 8 feet and have a width of 5 to 7 feet.

Holly - Blue Prince, Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Prince', has shiny, deep lustrous hardy blue-green leaves that contribute to this variety's excellent form all season. Use as a pollinator for 'Blue Princess'. 'Blue Prince' and 'Blue Princess' need to be plan

Holly - Blue Princess, Ilex x meserveae 'Blue Princess', is a broad, upright, evergreen shrub which eventually matures to 10' to 15' tall by 8' to 10' wide. It features dark purplish stems and glossy, blue-green leaves that have spiny-toothed margins. Ti

Butterfly Bush Honeysuckle, Diervilla sessilifolia 'Butterfly' is a new, long blooming Dutch selection with rich yellow flowers held upright from May to July. The habit is neat, well branched and not floppy like other species. Prefers sunny, moist sites, but can adapt to dry shady locations. It is drought tolerant; spreads by suckers; and a very tough plant. It prefers sun to partial shade and is a rapid grower that gets to 3 to 5 feet in height and width.

Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle, 'Diervilla lonicera', is a vigorous, spreading plant that exhibits an abundance of small, tube shaped, yellow flowers in late spring to early summer. This low mounding shrub is great for drier sites and well-drained areas in partial shade. Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle makes nice mass plantings because of its short height and quick growth rate. The red, orange, and yellow colors of the bronze tinted foliage becomes bright and very welcome in the fall. This shrub is excellent for bank plantings because its roots will help retain the soil. It is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds.

Emerald Mound Honeysuckle, Lonicera xylosteum 'Emerald Mound', is one of the earliest plants to leaf out in the spring with refreshing light green foliage. The summer blooming flowers are yellow-white and produce dark red berries in fall. It has an attractive mounding form. Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade, Emerald Mound prefers moist, loamy soils. It can be intolerant of hot and humid summers. Prune to shape after flowering. It typically grows to 3' tall with a slightly larger spread. Honeysuckles are easy to grow, vigorous, and nearly indestructible. The flashy and fragrant flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all summer long. Many honeysuckles will thrive in containers as well.

The Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle, Lonicera tatarica, originated in Southern Russia and Turkistan. Tatarian Honeysuckle is a tolerant, reliable shrub with good flowering and fruiting habits. It grows in sun or partial shade and any garden soil. The fragrant pink flowers are produced in mid-spring. The red, orange or yellow fruit is most ornamental during the summer. Fruit and flower colors vary with the cultivar. Tartarian Honeysuckle is widely distributed throughout the US. Neat appearing shrub for screens and windbreaks. Dependable and hardy. Pale pink buds open to masses of white blooms.

The Hydrangea Annabelle, 'Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle', is a wonderful hydrangea that produces white flowers up to 12 inches across. Annabelle blooms every year even after severe pruning or intensely cold winters. The huge, white blooms appear in profusion every year without fail in early to late summer. It is perhaps the most popular old-fashioned shrub grown in American gardens today. The flower size increases as the season continues, so that the final flush is an extraordinary show! Use Annabelle in borders, hedges, foundation, or accent plantings.

All Summer Beauty Bigleaf Hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla 'All Summer Beauty', is a prolific flowering, compact shrub that bears flowers of pink/blue shades in neutral soil and rich blue flowers in an acid soil. Aluminum sulfate will change a neutral soil to an acid one. The foliage is a rich green color and yellows in the fall. It is one of the most winter hardy cultivars of bigleaf hydrangea. The easiest pruning is to simply remove any dead canes after the hydrangea sprouts in the spring. All Summer Beauty can be used as a group planting and grows 3 to 4 feet in height and width. It requires average water needs; only water regularly; do not overwater.

Glowing Embers Hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla 'Glowing Embers', displays large round clusters of bright pink blossoms from mid-summer to fall. It is an attractive companion plant to evergreens in a foundation planting or massed under tall trees. A compact growing plant with shiny, dark green leaves and glowing red blooms make this a winner. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. It requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings. Glowing Embers prefers full sun and grows 3 feet in height and width. Hydrangeas bloom on large buds formed on previous season's growth, any pruning should be done immediately after flowering. The flowers are good for cutting and drying.

The Grandiflora Hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata, is a common American garden plant and highly valued for its vigor and bloom dependability. Sterile flowers appear in August and remain on the plant until the first hard frost. The large conical shaped white flower heads turn to pink in the fall with gray-green leaves. Sent to America from Japan in 1861, this continues to be one of the best loved varieties. The blooms can easily be used for drying. 6+ foot height at maturity.

Pink Diamond Hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata 'Pink Diamond', is an upright rounded Hydrangea with incredibly large flowers. The panicles open in late summer with valuable shades of color. It is first a cream color which gradually turns a rich shade of pink. The panicles are held upright, and this large upright habit makes a good background, or it can easily be trained as a small tree. It produces both sterile and fertile flowers. This a rugged, reliable plant and is considered the most cold hardy of this clan. Cut blossoms are suitable for drying, or prune off in late winter or early spring. Pink Diamond thrives in moist, acidic well drained soils. This deciduous plant prefers sun or part shade in dry climates. It has a moderate growth to 6 feet tall and as wide.