Clematis, Salvia, Coral Bark Maple and Deer Repellant
Clematis ‘Stand By Me’ This is a striking blue flowered bush Clematis. It only grows to 38”. ‘Stand By Me’ peak bloom time is May and June, although there is some re-bloom during summer months. After it is finished blooming, attractive cream thread-like seed heads draw the eye. Broad, green foliage completes the package of this unique perennial. New leaves have a bronze cast to the undersides. You can train it up a small trellis in the landscape or containers OR use it as a spiller or ground cover. Plant it is full to part sun. It is hardy on Zones 3 – 7.
Salvia COLOR SPIRES ‘Azure Snow’ Here is another long-lived plant with riveting blue flowers. I am a sucker for blue blooms! The flowers are actually bicolor – deep violet blue and white. ‘Azure Snow’ is a pollinator magnet and highly heat and drought tolerant. Deer and rabbit snub it. ‘Azure Snow’ needs full sun to look its best, growing to 18”-20” in hardiness Zones 3 – 8.
– If you also like ‘Blue-tiful’ flowers, check out Proven Winners recent blog on ten stunning blue flowering annuals.
Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’ Coral Bark Japanese Maple. I stopped dead in my tracks while strolling the garden displays at the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show. I was staring at a Coral bark Japanese maple that I have coveted for years! ‘Sango Kaku’ is a four-season star. It has eye-popping coral-red bark in winter and early spring (this coloration pretty much disappears with summer heat), soft green summer foliage that turns buttery-gold in fall, and small reddish-purple flowers in spring. The tree is very slow growing and has a lovely vase-shape. It can grow to 15’-20’ and handles full sun (in colder zones) to part shade. it is hardy in Zones 5 – 8 and is best sited out of the path of winter winds.
Even though deer TEND to leave Japanese maples alone – they will nibble on most anything if hungry – especially in spring. Given that the Coral bark Maple is a specimen star, I would definitely protect it with organic Plantskydd Deer and Rabbit Repellent. Now is also the time to protect other tender new spring growth, including edibles. Plantskydd is safe to use on ornamentals as well as edibles. It is OMRI approved. Save 10% on liquid or granular products when ordering online with this code Pyours2018.