What Is Flowering Now In Early June

As a lifelong Horticultural professional, Vicki Smith at Lawn and Garden Search (www.LGYP.com) has news about what is flowering during early June across the eastern U.S. and guidance for growing these beautiful plants in the home garden.

Woodbine, MD (PRWEB) May 31, 2007 -- As a lifelong Horticultural professional, Vicki Smith at Lawn and Garden Search (www.LGYP.com) has news about what is flowering during early June across the eastern U.S. and guidance for growing these beautiful plants in the home garden. Since outdoor living and container gardening are areas of increasing consumer interest, these colorful trees, ornamental shrubs and evergreens will bring excitement to the landscape, patio and deck, or in raised planters.

Across much of the southeast three summer flowering trees are coming into color: Crape Myrtles (Lagerstroemia hybrids) are beginning to flower, adding much needed color all through summer; Southern Magnolias (M. grandiflora) will be continuing through June and sporadically throughout the summer and the less well-known but sturdy and drought tolerant Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) has violet-blue flowers through July. Perennial Daylilies (Hemerocallis hybrids) are as robust as ever. The last must-have addition to every garden is the Bigleaf Hydrangea (H. macrophylla). With tremendous breeding work over the last 10 years, the home gardener can now enjoy snowball and lace cap types that flower pink, blue and lavender for the next two months. There are also new varieties with gold and variegated leaves for added color and interest beyond the flowers.

Alive with color, the Mid-Atlantic region will be enjoying the later flowering Satsuki Azaleas, late-flowering Rhododendrons, wonderful Mountain-laurel (Kalmia latifolia) with their star-shaped pink, red, lavender or white flowers and Chinese or Kousa Dogwoods (Cornus kousa) that adds weeks of additional bloom time after native flowering Dogwoods are finished blooming. One of our great native trees is flowering, continuing for several weeks, White Fringetree which is also known as Grancy Gray-beard, Old-man's-beard and Chionanthus virginicus. Very beautiful as a specimen tree and excellent in groups, Fringetree's graceful appearance would be a plus for any landscape and should be more widely used especially close to the house or deck where the memorable fragrance can be appreciated the most.

Home gardeners in New England are enjoying White Fringetree and Chinese Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus and C. retusus). As beautiful as our native Fringetree is, the Chinese Fringetree is perhaps even more effective while flowering because the fleecy blooms are held right at the ends of the new shoots. Also deserving wider use are the Snowbell trees: American Snowbell (Styrax americanus), Fragrant Snowbell (S. obassia) and Japanese Snowbell (S. japonicus) all dainty, medium sized trees especially nice used near patios.

Four prominent groups of shrubs sturdy enough to handle the northeast's climate are flowering now: Roses, Rhododendrons, Lilacs and Viburnums. With incredible breeding work done lately, Roses should not be considered difficult or fussy. Along with the heirloom or antique varieties and the rugosa roses tough enough for seaside conditions are the new hardy landscape shrub roses. Blooming all the way until frost with virtually no disease or insect problems, these new shrub roses should be considered shrubs first and roses secondarily.

The Rhododendrons of merit flowering now come from three groups of native shrubs that have had a myriad of cultivars selected, mostly for color variations. Catawba Rhododendron is the most well known group, hardy to -20 degrees F. Flame Azalea or R. calendulaceum is native to the mountains of Pennsylvania south to Georgia. These brilliant deciduous shrubs add marvelous blooms in the color range of yellow, orange, pink, salmon and scarlet for a fresh look for the garden for several weeks. R. minus or Piedmont Rhododendron is flowering with large pink spotted trusses.

Species and hybrid Lilacs are being enjoyed that are vastly different from the well known, old-fashioned 'Common Lilac' (Syringa vulgaris). Mixing more species adds different heights and textures and some of the new hybrids, such as the Preston hybrids (Syringa x prestoniae) extend bloom times by several weeks. This is a group of tough plants, many originating in the colder regions of Europe, Hungary and northern China.

Viburnums are growing in popularity for their hardy, multi-season accents. Flowering now are the native Arrowwood (V. dentatum), Blackhaw (V. prunifolium) and Witherod Viburnum (V. cassinoides) which all have pretty flowers, lovely fruit set, good fall color and no insect or disease problems of any consequence. Also blooming, originating from Europe and Asia are Linden Viburnum (V. dilatatum) and European Cranberry Viburnum (V. opulus) with showy flower and fruit display.

With the warmer weather allowing families to spend additional time outside in the garden this time of year, taking just a few minutes to add a few new features to the landscape will pay dividends for years with added late spring beauty and increased home values.

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