Northern looks for Southern climates

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Holy moly it's been a long time since I posted! Please forgive me! I know many people get busy around the holidays, and I feel like I got wrapped up in the whirlwind earlier than most. Plus there hasn't been much going on in my own garden worth blogging about. But I'm back and I have some cool new plants to share with you.

Y'all may remember that I was in love with the phormiums that I saw in Portland. However, my friend and garden coach Erin told me that they won't grow here since our humid weather falls in the summer rather than the winter. Boo.

But Athens Select has introduced great phormium alternatives that they say are guaranteed to take the heat, humidity, and general punishment that the South serves up. Meet Pennisetum purpureum 'Prince' and P. purpureum 'Princess.' They're a cute couple, don't you think? (Zones 8-11, full sun, 2-6' tall)

Athens Select also has some great hibiscus varieties that look like Japanese maple--another plant that Northerners whine about not being able to grow once they relocate to Florida. Check out Hibiscus acetosella 'Panama Bronze' and H. acetosella 'Panama Red'. (Zones 8-11, full sun, 3-4' tall)

You can read more about these plants here (click on the links in the left sidebar once the page loads).

2 comments:

Meems said...

Hi Kim, Glad you're back. This is great information. The link to Athens was helpful and I will definitely be checking out your two suggestions...Pennisetum purpureum 'Prince' and P. purpureum 'Princess.'

I just purchased and planted 4 maple leaf hibiscus in November. They are doing well but I'm excited to see how they do this spring when they grow into a shrub. They are a great contrast in any garden.

Love the sandhill cranes too. I never tire of watching their majestic saunter and hearing their wonderful call in fly overs.

Hope you have a great weekend.
Meems

Kim Taylor Kruse said...

Thanks, Meems! Hopefully I'll be back on track with regular posts. It wouldn't hurt me to get out in the garden once in awhile either! Maybe to put in another maple-leaf hibiscus. ;-)