All the Dirt on Gardening

Proven Winners has definitely release a real winner with their Cherry Cheesecake Hibiscus or Mallow. Here's the PW link for all the information. It's deer resistant, matures at 5-feet tall, hardy in zones 4 through 9, and tolerates most soil conditions. I tucked it into a place where I could keep an eye on it and noticed that it was getting a fair amount of leaf damage from a chewing insect but since we don't spray it had to take care of itself. The next time I was watering and weeding, I discovered its first bloom - look at the size of it with my hand held in front! What a winner! Hibiscus Cherry Cheesecake Mallow Summerific in our garden Cherry Cheesecake flower with my hand

Lantanas have had a place in my garden for decades. This pink and yellow one has long been a favorite. New varieties have variegated leaves. For variety, here are some Spring Gardening Tips from White Flower Farm (used with permission) 1) Do prune roses! Remove blackened and weak stems. Don't prune too hard; leave healthy canes of floribundas and hybrid teas at least one foot above the ground. 2) Do prune Wisterias before they leaf out to promote flowering. 3) Do remove old foliage around the new growth of perennials. Keep mulch several inches away from the stems. This will help prevent disease or rotting. 4) Do plan to grow tomatoes in containers this year. It's easy, fun, and you'll get great tomatoes. Try 'Celebrity' tomato, which grows well in containers. 5) Do plant Geranium 'Rozanne', the 2008 Perennial Plant of the Year. DO NOT'S: 1) Don't use harsh chemicals on your lawn or gardens this year. It doesn't take any longer to use organic pr...