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Expert Plant Picks: Eastern United States

comments (5) December 6th, 2011 in blogs

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SOUTHEAST 

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Tony Avent is the owner of Plant Delights Nursery and in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

	Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight'

1. Hosta 'Liberty'
Comments: one of the best ever. 

2. Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'

3. Arachniodes standishii 

4. Sedum 'Maestro' 

5.  Colocasia gigantea 'Thailand Giant'
Comments: For the supersized garden. 

6.  Canna 'Phasion' 

7. Iris laevigata 'Variegata' 

8. Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight'

9. Phlox 'Minnie Pearl' 

10. Sporobolus wrightii 

11. Spigelia marilandica 

 

 

 

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 Paul Cappiello is the executive director of Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in Crestwood, Kentucky.

Stewartia pseudocamellia

1. Quercus alba
Comments: Quite simply, one of the most majestic maternal beauties in the plant kingdom! 

2. Fagus sylvatica 'Asplenifolia'
Comments: Talk about a four season plant. There is not a single day during the calendar year that observers fail to be overwhelmed by the absolute stunning impact of this. 

3. Cedrus libani var. Stenocoma
Comments: Spire-like in youth, aging to a graceful broad grower, this form combines beauty and adaptability to make an unrivaled package. 

4. Abies nordmanniana

5. Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Mohawk'
Comments: Find me another shrub out there with a better combination of floral display, fragrance, summer and fall foliage, and I'll buy 1000! 

6. Aesculus parviflora 'Rogers'
Comments: Some you just grow for sentimental reasons and how can you pass on this one! 

7. Stewartia pseudocamellia
Comments: If it was easy, everyone would be growing it! But if it wasn't for the cultural challenge, this would be the perfect garden tree! 

8. Hakonechloa macra 'All Gold'
Comments: Better grower than the more common Aureola and a firstrate garden plant. 

9. Daphne X burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie'
Comments:  There may be others, but none better! 

10. Hamamelis X intermedia 'Early Bright'
Comments: Everyone should have bright, fragrant flowers in January, and this one is tough to beat! 

11. Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris 'Miranda'
Comments: One great vine! Golden variegation and great flowers and no list would be complete without at least one Hydrangea!

 

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Dwayne Jones is the superintendent of parks and  horticulture in Waynesboro, Virginia. 

	Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

1. Ginkgo biloba 

2. Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' 

3. Callicarpa dichotoma 

4. Fothergilla gardenii 

5. Taxodium distichum 

6. Ilex decidua 'Winter Red' 

7. Helleborus foetidus  

8. Acer triflorum 

9. Quercus bicolor 

10. Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' 

11. Setcreasea pallida

 

 

 

 

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Troy Marden is a garden designer, author, lecturer, and television host in Nashville, Tennessee. 

	Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

1. Hemerocallis  'Hyperion'
Comments: One of the toughest and most long-lived of all perennials, with fragrant, lemon yellow flowers for six weeks in early to midsummer. 

2. Hosta plantaginea 'Grandiflora'
Comments: One of the most vigorous and beautiful of all hostas. Solid green leaves and enormous, fragrant, pure white flowers in August. 

3. Helleborus X hybridus
Comments: A group of plants that no shade garden should be without. The nearly perfect perennial. Tough, evergreen, deer resistant, thrives in dry shade and flowers at a time when so little else is in bloom.

4. Miscanthus sinensis 'Cabaret'
Comments: My favorite of all of the variegated grasses. One of the midsize miscanthus that is suitable for gardens of any size, with clean, beautiful variegation. Does not reseed like some miscanthus. 

5. Helianthus salicifolius
Comments: A stalwart native with beautiful, willowy foliage and golden yellow, dark-eyed "daisies" in late summer and early autumn. The 'First Light' flowers at around 4 feet, instead of the 7 to 9 feet of the straight. It also flowers about a month earlier. 

6. Canna X generalis  'Pretoria' aka 'Bengal Tiger'
Comments: The most stunningly variegated of all cannas with green and yellow striped leaves edged in red. Tangerine orange flowers appear from midsummer to fall. Unfortunately, canna virus is running rampant through nearly every canna on the market and the long-term effects are not yet known. 

7. Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue' and 'Argentine Skies'
Comments: My go-to salvia for cobalt blue color. Zone 6b and south it is mostly perennial, further north an annual that is well worth the investment each spring. 'Argentine Skies' is a little shy in its flower production, but the soft, sky blue is second to none in color. 

8. Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snowflake'
Comments: The most impressive and long flowering of all of the oak leaf hydrangeas. Magnificent, cascading heads of double white flowers begin in June and are showy through early August. 

9. Musa hybrid 'Basjoo', 'Coccinea', 'Red Jewel', 'Siam Ruby'
Comments:  One of the best plants for adding that tropical touch to any garden. Large-growing Musa basjoo is cold hardy to at least Zone 6 and possibly colder, with protection. 'Red Jewel' and 'Siam Ruby' are perfect choices for smaller gardens. 

10. Colocasia  'Black Magic', 'Nancy's Revenge', 'Elena'
Comments: More tropical favorites! 'Nancy's Revenge' for its presto-change-o variegation that streaks through the leaves from midsummer to fall, 'Elena' for its brilliant chartreuse leaves and rhubarb red flushes to the stems and 'Black Magic' for that magical, mystical black leaf that is the perfect foil for every other color in the garden. 

11. Thuja plicata 'George Washington'
Comments: My new favorite conifer, seemingly fast growing and with green and gold variegation whose patterns change throughout the seasons. Sometimes green with gold tips, at other times the gold "moves" to the center of the leaflet and the patterns change in a seemingly endless manner. 

 

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 Diane Meucci is the owner of GardensOyVey Nursery in Arlington, Tennessee.  

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snowflake'

1. Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Flake'
Comments: Sexy in all seasons....tough. 

2. Chionanthus retusus
Comments: Lovely specimen...Xeriscape plant. 

3. Rhus 'Tiger Eyes'
Comments: I have found it likes afternoon shade in zone 7. Great in containers. 

4. Cotinus 'Grace'
Comments: Tough. Sexy. Great with Tiger Eyes Sumac. 

5. Yucca 'Color Guard'
Comments: OMG! Great in containers. 

6. Camellia sassanqua and olifera hybrids
Comments: To avoid late winter freezes...killing the blossoms in zone 7. 

7. Carex 'Evergold'
Comments:  I have killed every Carex, but have not found a way to kill this one. 

8. Helleborus
Comments: Just because. 

9. Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'
Comments: Tough 'ole southern girl....Steel Magnolia. 

10. Rhododendron austrinum, prunifolium, viscosum, canescens
Comments: Cranky, slow, expensive, difficult....They take my breath away. 

11. Hosta 

 

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Hilary Nichols is senior horticulturist at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.  

	Baptisia australis

1. Osmanthus fragrans 'Fudingzhu'
Comments: Excellent fragrance, long blooming, evergreen, shrub for structure, care-free. 

2. Coreopsis auriculata 'Nana'
Comments: Early and long-blooming, supports butterflies, evergreen. 

3. Baptisia australis
Comments: Supports butterflies, unusual looking spring emergence, silver foliage, black seed pods, care-free. 

4.  Scutellaria baicalensis
Comments: Vivid color, odd-shaped flowers, long-blooming, care-free. 

5.  Eucomis pole-evansii
Comments: Bold texture, weird flower, long-blooming, care-free. 

6. Bouvardia ternifolia
Comments: Vivid color, supports hummingbirds, butterflies, long-blooming and care-free. 

7.  Helianthus salicifolius
Comments: Happy flower supports pollinators, long blooming. 

8.  Muhlenbergia capillaris
Comments: Energetic fine texture, amazing glow when blooms backlit, long-blooming, care-free. 

9.  Eupatorium purpureum 'Joe White'
Comments:  Supports many different pollinators and butterflies, structure on through the winter, very long-blooming. 

10.  Aster oblongifolius 'Raydon's Favorite'
Comments:  Supports pollinators and butterflies, profuse and long-blooming. 

11.  Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'
Comments:  Relaxed fine texture, always a bright spot, evergreen and care-free 

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Contributing editor Jason Reeves is an ornamental horticulture research associate at University of Tennessee's West Tennessee Research and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee.

	Jasminum officinalis 'Frojas'

1. Chionanthus retusus
Comments: Good bark, great flowers, shinny leaves, attractive fruit on female 

2. Lagerstroemia indica X fauriei 'Natchez'
Comments: Beautiful cinnamon-color bark, flowers profusely, fall color, tough as nails 

3. Hydrangea quercifolia
Comments: Attractive peeling bark, large dependable flowers, nice coarse texture, fall color 

4. Thuja (Platycladus) orientalis 'Morgan'
Comments: Matures to a manageable size, great summer and a glowing copper winter color, great replacement for dwarf Alberta spruce in the South 

5. Jasminum officinalis 'Fiona Sunrise' and 'Frojas'
Comments: Bright foliage and winter stem color, nice leaf texture. 

6.  Cryptomeria japonica 'Globosa Nana'
Comments: Good foliage color and texture, naturally globose in nature, good replacement for boxwoods, and Japanese and dwarf yaupon hollies, a plant you just want to hug. 

7. Zinnia 'Profusion' and 'Zahara'
Comments: Nonstop flowers, disease resistant, no deadheading needed, compact. 

8. Lantana
Comments: Nonstop flowers, drought tolerant, no deadheading needed. 

9. Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'
Comments: Graceful upright arching form, attractive for a long period of time, winter interest, movement in the garden. 

10. Edgeworthia chrysantha
Comments: Late winter fragrant flowers, great foliage, love the way water/due bubbles on the foliage term, attractive winter flower buds and over all interesting winter texture. 

11. Helleborus X hybridus
Comments:  What a hard choice. Helleborus beat out Thuja (Platycladus) orientalis 'Franky Boy' due to being so new and hard to find. Helleborus flowers early, and the bracts last for a long time. It's evergreen, rodent resistant, tough, and drought tolerant. 

 

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Helen Yoest tends to her half-acre wildlife habitat garden, Helen's Haven, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is also a garden speaker, writer and garden stylist. 

	Paeonia 'Red Charm'

1. Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Flake'
Comments: Sweet spring green, gentle long-lasting large flowers, fabulous fall color. Can be sheared or left natural. Makes a great specimen plant or hedge. 

2. Amsonia hubrichtii
Comments: Three solid seasons with cornflower blue flowers in spring, nice structure in summer and bronzy yellow fall foliage. 

3. Paeonia 'Red Charm'
Comments:  Peony flowers may only last a couple of weeks (at most) but they artist's inspiration allowing painters to paint and poets to pontificate. 

4. Prunus mume 'Peggy Clarke'
Comments: I really like them all...can't imagine my winter garden without one. I first learned about these beauties from the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, NC. 

5. Helleborus orientalis

6. Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane'
Comments: Accept no substitute. Order from Old House Gardens. 

7. Daphne cneorum 'Ruby Glow'
Comments: Get on your knees, baby, to see or plant on a berm...perfect addition to your rock garden. 

8. Edgeworthia chrysantha
Comments: Four solid seasons. Beautiful summer shrub. But what really jazzes me about this beauty is how the flower heads form before the leaves even fall. Then they just hang there, slowly opening, revealing some yellow and wafting its scent. 

9. Ilex vomitoria 'Pendula'
Comments: Great native with sexy curves and beaming berries. Great for food and cover for wildlife. 

10. Echineaca purpurea
Comments: Yep, just the pure native. Remember that? Great flower, seed loved my many birds, particularly the yellow finch. 

11. Distylium myricoides
Comments: This is a fun and funky feature in my mixed border that really stands out in the winter garden. 

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