Pink swamp azalea 'Betty Cummins'

The Green Man planned to do a post on the delights of our native swamp azalea, which is white. Then, he spotted a pink variation at Rare Find Nursery, who have a few left. Don't hesitate, get this. Or get some white swamp azaleas, too. http://www.rarefindnursery.com/index.php/azaleas/r-azalea-deciduous/r-azalea-deciduous-viscosum-betty-cummins.html

The "dove tree" makes a spectacular specimen in your landscape

Saint John's Eve 2015 The dove tree is a small but visually striking specimen tree for poetic spaces in the landscape. Besides the remarkable dove-like bracts produced by the tree, it also features magnificent exfoliating bark for year 'round interest.

Available from http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/3723/dove-tree/

Daylily special on sale at Smokey's

Hemerocallis 'Yuulong' Smokey's is featuring an array of choice plants at 10 for $14.95. Take a look here: smokeysdaylilygardens.com

Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' adds size variety

The Green Man picked up hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'a week or so ago to add to a hosta bed. Besides being a charming addition, this variety adds to scale. Often hosta beds lack variation in the size of the plants. Utilizng 'Blue Mouse Ears" is one way of providing greater interest by varying the size of your plants in dramatic ways. For example, hosta 'Empress Wu' also makes a statement about size variation in the genus.

"A delightful miniature variety reaching to about 8in in height, but it's as tough and resilient as any. This dainty charmer makes a neat, symmetrical clump of silvery blue leaves which roll up endearingly at the edges. Derived from the excellent 'Blue Cadet', and one of the best dwarf Hostas." Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' is avaible here: www.whiteflowerfarm.com

Wisteria 'Texas White' from White Flower Farm

Order this stunningly beautiful selection now.

Wisteria 'Texas White' www.whiteflowerfarm.com

"Mini-scaping": A few odds and ends worth cultivating

"All you need is one." With time, care, and nurturing, small cuttings and tiny plants will grow and prosper. They will reach a point at which they can be divided, if perennials. The key to "mini-scaping" is really patience, good soil, and care. "Mini-scaping" is the incorporation of much smaller plants into the landscape with the anticipation that they will grow to a mature size to fit the space. For example, you might use a 3 or 5 gallon plant in a bed, but surround it with much smaller plants at a much lower cost. This method works for everything, even your home-made cuttings. Protect and label well what you use. Some small, mail-order firms offer low-prices and interesting items. The knack is to order only those plants that are unusual and hard to find. For more common plants, get stock from a garden center to get your money's worth. The following are some unusual items worth cultivating over time: Hosta 'Empress Wu' This mammoth hosta makes a spectacular specimen in woodland gardens along walkways. One is usually enough, but if you have to space, use three plants, disequally triangulated. Additional specimens dilute the effect. Go with one or three. Make sure to plant for mature size!

"Measures an impressive 4' high and 6' wide with huge leaves that can measure more than 1 1/2' wide and long! This hosta is named in honor of the only female emperor to rule China. A stunning specimen for a shade area! Pale reddish violet flowers in early to mid-summer." www.direct gardening.com Another item to consider is Dicentra spectibilis 'Alba' or white bleeding hearts. This wonderful shade plant is common in red and pink whereas the white and yellow varieties are harder to find. "Old-Fashioned Bleeding Hearts (White)

Traditional Favorite MARCH SPECIAL: FREE $20.00 Off Any Order Of $40 Or More! Offer Expires March 31, 2015. Nature's only heart-shaped blooms trail from arching stems in early to mid spring. Fern-like leaves add an elegant touch. Product Information: Light: Full to partial shade Height: Up to 3' Deer Resistant Bloom Time: Spring Size: Bareroot Zones: 2 to 9" from www.michiganbulb.com The Dorothy Rose columbine is available at other nurseries at higher prices. Small plants are availaable from InterState Nurseries at $2.89 each.

Dorothy Rose Columbine Aquilegia 'Dorothy Rose' Unique flowers! A columbine unlike any other! The Dorothy Rose Columbine has lovely, luminescent, light rose-pink flowers that make this an excellent specimen plant. Blooms are quite distinctive as each one has several blooms set inside one another. www.directgardening.com It is important to remember that the low-price mail order firms send small plants with great potential. They ought to be ready to plant immediately upon arrival. In other words, have the plant hole and prepped soil ready to go. These firms will also send you color catalogs upon request.

Beautyberry: an old-fashioned garden favorite makes a come-back

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) American and Japanese beautyberry have a surprise element in that these plants' berries show a remarkable coloration. Depending on the variety, some beautyberries show an opalescent white or light violet fruit in late summer. Guerneys is offering starter plants at a low-cost, but these shrubs ought to be available at larger, independent garden centers. The white variety may be harder to locate, but both are worth having. Makes a good companion plant for hydrangeas and viburnums.