Climate changes and new plant introductions often cause landscapers to alter their palette of preferred plants.
That’s the case with Eric Bailey, who has been doing landscape design and involved in garden center management for several decades.
“After this summer’s deluge of rain, I’m crossing daphne off my list of plants that I really like to use,” he says of the fragrant bloomer.
“I saw established plants drown this summer, and they were plants that were in the perfect spots doing well.”
He’s also crossing Flower Carpet roses, dwarf gardenias and Indian hawthorn off his plant list because they no longer perform well in our growing conditions.
In place of them, he’s excited about the new Distylium hybrid evergreens Blue Cascade and Emerald Heights, Drift roses and petite butterfly bushes Blue Heaven and Tuttti Fruitti.
Blue Cascade and Emerald Heights are good because they are for sun or shade and wet or dry, he says, and deer do not seem to like either. Blue Heaven and Tuttie Fruitti bloom early summer to fall frost and grow 24 to 30 inches tall and wide, making them great for borders, embankments and in large, mixed containers; they need little water and attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
His favorite perennials include Hellebores, purple coneflower, hostas and salvias.
Eric, who owns Landscapes by Eric Bailey in Newport News, discusses these new and other underused plants at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, during a remodeling open house 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Custom Design Works, 1101 Coventry Blvd., off Route 17 in York County. Industry experts will also discuss windows, patios and sunrooms, kitchen design and energy-efficient products; for details about the free event, call 599-0626 or visit http://www.tccustom.com.
“I’ll bring about 20 plants to show – new ones and some oldies, and hopefully teach people how to use them and what to expect from them,” says Eric. He can be reached at 890-0770.
He’s particularly excited about Drift roses because they do just that: create drifts of low-growing color.
“Flower Carpet roses have become leaf spot and mildew magnets,” he says.
“And, contrary to the name, there is nothing carpet about them. The drifts are much better with disease and are really a low-growing plant.”
Drift roses come from Star Roses, the breeder of the disease-free Knock Out roses. Like Knock Outs, the Drift family delivers flowers spring through fall with minimum care required. The flowers come in red, apricot, coral, peach, pink and yellow that fades into a creamy white, according to a company spokesman.
The miniature roses grow 2-3 feet wide and 18 inches tall, making them great for filling in spaces, creating drifts of color or adding accents to container gardens. They need minimum six hours sun daily.
Drift roses are trimmed back to six inches above ground each spring, about the time you see new shoots start growing from canes. Small hand shears or hedge trimmers will do the job. The roses are sold at independent garden centers, as well as Home Depot and Lowe’s, according to the website http://www.driftroses.com.
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