If you live in zone eight, but don’t want to give up your fruit trees, try growing some of these fruit trees in your garden. If you’re not sure which fruit trees to grow, you can also check out zone 8b, where the temperatures are just right for this type of planting. If you’d like a beautiful winter flower, lilies are a popular choice. You can gift lilies as potted plants, bulbs, or even bouquets.
Reticulated iris
Reticulated irises grow well in zone 8 and need good soil conditions to bloom in full bloom. Irises like well-drained soil, but they can tolerate chalky, clay, or sandy soil. They will benefit from annual division and should be divided every three or four years. The old central plant can be removed and the remaining bulbs can be planted in a new location.
Reticulated irises are best plants for zone 8. In zones 8 and 9 irises bloom early and are fragrant. Reticulated irises are not as hardy as the other three zones, but a few irise varieties can be grown here. The Harmony reticulated iris grows to about 18 inches in height when blooming, and stays compact when not in bloom. The plant is also a shade plant.
The flower of a Reticulated irise is characteristic. It has three outer tepals and three inner tepals. The flowers have a yellow or orange ridge on them. The petals of these flowers are narrow and slender. The iris also has a fragrant scent and emits a beautiful perfume. The flowers of the Reticulated irises are fragrant and beautiful.
Reticulated irises can grow in poor soil. It prefers a neutral to slightly acidic soil and well-drained soil. You can plant it in spring or fall and it will bloom in the spring. It spreads through offsets, so you can divide it once it has bloomed. They can also be propagated by splitting the rhizomes. You can divide rhizomes during the fall, but it will take a few years for the bulbs to grow and produce flowers.
Hydrangeas
There are many benefits of hydrangeas, but it is important to consider their specific growing conditions before planting. The flowers of hydrangeas will vary in color depending on the pH of their soil. They prefer slightly shaded conditions where they are under the shade of a larger tree or shrub. They also require rich soil, including leaf mold and compost. They require a good deal of water, as well. Hydrangeas are also greedy feeders, so make sure to fertilize them regularly. They also require a specialized hydrangea food.
The best time to plant hydrangeas in zone eight is in the fall or early spring. It is equally appropriate to plant them in pots, as their growth cycle is similar. If you want to plant hydrangeas in containers, the fall and spring are the best times. For more information, visit your local gardening center or agricultural extension office. The soils in zone 8 are not all the same, so check with your local extension office to learn more about your local conditions.
The most common form of hydrangea is the arborescens, which produces clusters of white flowers throughout the summer. These flowers are large and bloom on both old and new wood. This variety has been a staple in garden centers and nurseries since the 1800s. It also grows up to four feet tall. However, it does not grow well in zone 4 because it is unreliable. A variety of hydrangeas that is hardy in zones four and eight can also be found in the South.
Lilies
There are a number of varieties of lilies to choose from in your garden. Many people grow them for their beauty, while others choose to enjoy them for their fragrance. If you are unsure of which variety is best for your garden, consider planting a few to get you started. Lilies don’t bloom every year, so you can expect to cut them once per season. But you can easily cut the stems and flower heads to make bouquets. You can also cut the leaves off of your lilies in late fall or early spring.
To make lilies bloom all summer long, try planting them in containers. The Asian lily, or lilium’stargazer,’ grows four feet high. It features large, vibrant pink flowers. Lilies thrive in moist soil and partial shade, so you can grow this plant in containers. It produces multiple flowers per bulb. It also has a sweet, delicate scent. So, if you’re in Zone 8, consider planting some lilies.
If you choose to grow lilies as an annual, you can expect to care for them minimally. Once they’re established, you can stake them with a lily support or hardwood stake. After the blooms have faded, you’ll want to cut the lily bulb to the top third of the plant. This will allow the bulb to store energy to fuel blooms next year. You’ll also want to water your lilies in late summer and fall.
Perennial grasses
In zones 8 and higher, the following warm season grasses are the best choices for your landscape: Purple Moorgrass, Hakone Grass, Blue Heaven, and Savoy Grass. Each of these perennials has the potential to grow tall and lush, producing brightly colored seed heads. Generally, these grasses are hardy to zone 4, but the plant’s height can vary from twelve to twenty inches. Despite this, the plants are well suited for warm, dry locations.
Purple Fountain Grass is a lovely choice for your garden as its striking purple foliage will make any space pop. However, it isn’t as hardy as many other perennial grasses, so it won’t survive freezing temperatures. Another exceptional choice in many hardiness zones is Northern Sea Oats, which has flowy, delicate foliage and withstands harsh conditions. Northern Sea Oats also produces blue berries.
Japanese Silver Grass, also known as Golden Japanese Forest Grass, is a hardy grass native to Japan. Hardy in zones five to nine, this plant tolerates dry and semi-wet soil. Its yellow and green stripes make it a wonderful groundcover plant, and it is pest and disease-resistant. And the bluestem makes a dramatic backdrop for flowering plants.
Daylilies
If you’re trying to decide which daylilies to grow, you’ll want to pay attention to the blooming time. The most common daylilies bloom for just one day. Other types, known as rebloomers, open several times a year and bloom all summer. You can even combine two types, rebloomers and everbloomers, to create an impressive display of color.
When growing daylilies, don’t be alarmed by the fact that they’re very drought-tolerant. Daylilies typically need only about an inch of water a week, and this is provided by the normal rainfall. Even if you do decide to water your daylilies frequently, they’ll reward you with a lot of blooms. Another tip is to mulch newly planted daylilies in late fall. Mulching will help keep them moist and reduce weed growth.
While many daylilies grow slowly, a good landscape variety will triple in size every year. You can divide a rapidly growing variety every year to get a bigger plant. Some daylilies roll up like cigarettes when they’ve flowered, while others fall off to the ground in a matter of hours. You can decide whether or not you want to grow daylilies in your garden based on the time of day and the amount of sun it gets.
To increase the chances of success with your new daylilies, divide them every year. Daylilies need a minimum of six weeks to establish themselves before wintertime, so divide them once a year. Daylilies are easy to grow but do need to be divided every five years to increase their flowering. A clump of daylilies should be divided every three to six years. If you want to extend your daylilies’ flowering season, consider planting repeat bloomers.
Ornamental grasses
Ornamental grasses are valuable for their texture, architecture and motion. Many varieties are mounded or planted as low mounds or fountains. The flowers of these plants can vary in size and color. These plants also have attractive foliage that provides interest throughout the winter. The foliage is usually deep green and is available in upright and softly arching forms. They are suited for many types of gardens and provide a natural look.
If you have a hot climate, you may want to consider ornamental grasses that thrive in a warmer climate. Warm season grasses begin to grow in mid-late spring and continue growing into the fall. They grow best in warm climates, and can tolerate dry soil. If you live in a transition zone, warm season ornamental grasses can grow in this zone. They will remain beautiful through late fall and winter, and will produce growth all season.
You can divide your ornamental grasses at any time of year, but the best time is late winter or early spring. When you divide the grass, make sure to reset the clumps at the same level as before. After planting, fertilize the newly set sections with a lawn fertilizer. It is recommended that you fertilize once a year, and repeat the process every two weeks or so.