5 Cool Plants For September 2011

With so many plants available these days, its hard to bring attention to just a few. With that said, we think these are remarkable because their beauty comes not from their flowers, but from other attributes of interest.

	Hosta 'Empress Wu' This is the worlds largest Hosta. It reaches an astounding 4 1/2 feet tall, up to six feet wide with gigantic two-foot leaves. Foliage is deeply veined and of good substance. Blooms appear in early to mid summer, just above the foliage. An outstanding focal point. This plant is best in full to part shade in moist, but well drained soils. We have limited quantities available for Fall 2011, so if you want one of these specimens, call ahead or hurry in!
	Giant Zebra Grass Miscanthus giganteus 'Lottum' This grass features large clumps of downward arching foliage with yellow banding. What make it special is its size. This monster will grow up to 9 feet high and 6 feet wide. It also extremely fast growing - reaching 2 metres in a season! Its an excellent plant for a screen, seasonal hedging or as a feature specimen in large containers. Giant Zebra grass is a warm season grass meaning it performs best in the warmer months, late spring, summer and early fall. Cut it back in early spring to give it a clean appearance. Hardy to zone 4.
	Upright Japanese Plum Yew Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata' There is more to gardens than flowers. This attractive conifer features dark green, shiny, blunt-ended needlelike foliage. It is both heat and shade tolerant and will thrive in areas of morning sun and afternoon shade. It is ideally suited for temperate gardens and is known to its carefree upright growth habit. Fairly slow growing. forms a broad upright shrub up to 10 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. Hardy to zone 7.
	Tri-Colour Bud Bloomers Calluna vulgaris These summer flowering heathers are truly a treat for the garden. Three different colour bud bloomer heathers in one pot. (A bud blooming variety has colourful flower buds, but no real flowers to speak of). They bloom prolifically from Late August through the fall, and do best in full sun to part shade. They prefer a moist, but well drained, peaty-acidic soil. For best appearance, trim them to the base of the flower spike after flowering. Grows up to 12 inches high and 1-2 feet wide.
	Chinese Lanterns Physalis alkekengi Ok, we cheated, this very cool plant is renowned for its unique flowers. The Chinese Lantern or Physalis alkekengi features fall blooming brightly orange coloured papery pods that create a festive display on the front steps of patio. A very cool plant for Halloween too! Flowers can be cut and dried and used all through the winter as decorations. Grows 2-3 feet in height and does best in full to part sun. Hardy in zones 2-9.

If any of these interesting plants catch your attention, call or drop by Art's Nursery and we'll be happy to put one or more aside for you. If you have any questions or need help choosing the right plant for your garden, we're always here to help!