My Favorite Things.....Plants

Here is a list of my favorite and tested plants. I've indicated the ones that are in my garden currently with an asterisk.
Sun Perennials

• Viburnum Doublefile - My all time favorite plant. I had one in my old yard. I LOVE the delicate cream flowers and the contrast with the green foliage.
• Yellow Yarrow* - a gift from a country gardener. The flat blooms are great additions to cut arragements.
• Echinacea ("Ruby Star Cone Flower")* - The pink and brown blooms can't be beat and make nice cut arrangements.
• Rudbeckia ("Black Eyed Susan")* - I have a huge bed of these and the yellow finches feast there during to July! Its a real joy to watch.
• Bee Balm*
• Lamb's Ear* - I love the silver and velvety leaves. Don't over water these plants!
• Peony (Sara Bernhart)* - Great pink blooms in Spring. Finicky about being moved and likes to be planted high. Don't let the ants scare you: they're normal.

Shade Perennials

• Digitalis, "Strawberry Floxglove"* - A self reseeding biennial with nice height and form. As a bonus the foliage stays green year round.
• Hellebore, "Lenten Rose"* - A great evergreen that has delicate blooms starting in February.
• Hosta*- A classic in the shade garden. I love the smaller and variegated varieties.
• Bleeding Heart*
• Deer Fern* - An evergreen fern that I love!
• Astibe - Colorful tall plumes of flowers, however the blooms never last quite as long as I like.

Annuals

• Impatients (for shade)
• Portulaca ("Moss Rose") - A tough little succulent-like plant that has a nice bloom and is great for pots.
• Caladium* - A plant grown for its foliage of pink, green, and white. A staple in my garden. I save the tubers year to year. (Look for a post on that this fall). Pairs great with impatients and asparagus fern.
• Lantana - Tough sprawling yellow bloomer.
• Polka Dot Plant

Shrubs

• Panicle Hydryangea (Limelight)* - I'm trying three of these for the first time this year. More to follow....
• Hydryangea Macrophylla* - Can't beat these in the South. Perform well in sun and shade. Blooms are great additions to cut arrangements and can be dried.
• Camellia Japonica - A late winter bloomer in a variety of colors (pink, white...). Prefers shade.
• Camellia Sasanqua* - A fall bloomer in a plethora of colors. Does well in the shade.
• Variegated Forsythia* - I didn't realize there was variegated variety until recently. I love these plants especially when allowed to grow in the natural form.
• Akebia ("Chocolate Vine")- A great fast growing vine for shade.
• Confederate Jasmine* - Common in Charleston and areas south of here. This plant can thrive in Eastern NC, but its needs attention during its first winter. Small star shaped blooms smell heavenly!
• Gardenia* - A lush evergreen shrub with sweet smelling cream blooms in the summer.
• Acuba - A great variegated shade shrub with red berries. Great for holiday foliage. Can get quite large, so be careful where you put it. Needs both a male and female for berrying.

Trees

• Cherokee Daybreak Dogwood
• Weeping Red Bud
• Crape Myrtle*