Will Hydrangeas Grow In Utah?

Yes, they will!  Hardy Hydrangeas are excellent summer-flowering shrubs.  They do best in part shade or afternoon shade and they like rich soil - lots of compost.  Add a new layer of compost and mulch every year.  One of the best choices for our area is the Oak Leaf Hydrangea and it comes in several varieties - several flower colors.  Here's a nice Oakleaf Hydrangea I spotted last summer in the Salt Lake area:

Oak Leaf Hydrangea grows in Utah!

  I have noticed other Hydrangeas around the Salt Lake City area that are well established, blooming and looking awesome.  Unfortunately, it's difficult to know the exact varieties.  Yesterday,  I was driving around the east side of salt lake and I saw this long hedge of pink and blue flowering Hydrangeas.  It was absolutely stunning:

Hydrangeas grow in Utah!

Top Seven Herbs To Grow In Utah - Herb Gardening For Beginners!

June is a great time to start an herb garden.  If you are a beginner gardener and you feel a little overwhelmed by all of the possibilities, herb gardening is a great place to start.  And, if you like to cook, you need an herb garden.  There are many herbs that will grow well in Utah - here is a list of seven of the easiest and most useful.  They are available as small plants at your local independent garden centers.  You can use these herbs in your kitchen this summer and throughout the year if you dry them!  Herb plants are beautiful;  incorporate them into your perennial beds.  They produce flowers that create food for bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Basil - Ocimum basillicum:  Basil has been cultivated for over 5000 years.  It's possible that it originated in India but it has become a major component of the cuisines of Southern Europe and Southeast Asia.   There are many flavors and varieties.   I like to grow some Thai basil for Asian dishes and lots of Italian (Genovese sweet basil) for pesto, tomato sauce and eggplant parmesan.   Experiment with several varieties to see what you like.  Basil gets 1 to 2 feet tall and wide.
TWO THINGS to remember about basil.  No, THREE THINGS.
1.  Basil is an tender annual so you need to plant it every year.  It will not survive frost.  You can buy plants or grow it from seed.
2.  Snails and slugs love basil.  Keep them away.
3.  Snip off the flower buds of basil. Don't let it flower.  Basil goes bitter when it flowers.

Sweet Basil

Mint - Mentha:  Mint is a versatile herb!  It is used in marinades, desserts, Indian dishes, Greek dishes, sauces for lamb and as a flavoring for iced tea.  A sprig of mint in an icy gin and tonic on a warm evening is awesome. There are many varieties of mint available at the nurseries.  If you want to grow a few different mints to see which ones you like best, plant them in pots and taste test them all summer.  If you grow mint in the ground - !!Caution!!  Mint plants are perennial and they will spread aggressively under ground.  This is why it's best to grow mint in large pots.

mint grows in Utah

Chives - Allium shoenoprasum:  Chives are members of the edible Allium genus like garlic, onion, shallot, leeks and scallions.  Perennial and easy to grow, chive flowers are lovely and they will bloom all summer with deadheading.  They grow in clumps reaching about 10 or 12 inches tall and the purple flowers make wonderful garnish for food or additions to floral arrangements.  The green chive leaves are delicious on potatoes, soups and salads of all kinds.  Chopped chives garnish deviled eggs perfectly.

chives grow well in Utah!

Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis:  Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb.  It's cold hardiness is borderline in Utah.  However,  there is one variety called "arp" that will survive here.  If it is planted in a sunny spot and given some mulch in the fall, chances are excellent that you will have rosemary year after year.  It can get quite large (2 - 3 feet tall and wide), so plant it where it has room to grow.  Rosemary is great in marinades for grilling pork, chicken or beef.  It also goes into the Thanksgiving turkey stuffing.  It can be easily dried and used all year.

rosemary 'arp' will grow in Utah

Thyme - Thymus vulgaris:  The Ancient Egyptians used thyme for embalming and many cultures through the centuries used thyme to promote courage.  I like to use thyme in soup or with chicken.  There are lots of varieties of thyme - some creeping and some with different colors and flavors.  For cooking,  I like just the plain English Thyme.  It's low-growing (6 or 8 inches tall and 10 or 12 inches wide).  It is perennial but it sort of wears out after a few years so you might need to replace it.

thyme grows in Utah

Parsley - Petroselinum crispum:  Parsley is native to the Mediterranean region.  It is a biennial which means that it lives for two growing seasons.  The first year, parsley grows only foliage.  The second year, parsley grows some foliage and some tall thick stems that produce flowers and seeds.  Then the plant will die.  So they need to be replaced.  I like to plant one or two every year so there are always some plants at each stage of their life cycle.  Try the curly parsley and the Italian flat-leaf parsley.  Great for garnish, salad, soups, most Italian dishes and juicing.

parsley - easy to grow in Utah

Sage - Salvia officinalis:  This handsome mediterranean herb is a perennial and will survive our cold Utah winters.  It gets large (2 - 3 feet tall and wide!), but you can trim it back all summer long.  Just don't trim it in the fall.  Use fresh in soups and stews or cut and dry the leaves  to use in your Thanksgiving stuffing.  This plant loves sun and heat.  Great for the water wise perennial bed.

Sage grows in Utah!

Colorful Xeriscape Garden!

Here is an example of a water wise or xeriscape garden that is colorful and beautiful.  I see Catmint (Nepeta), Pineleaf Penstemon, Karl Foerster grass, Hardy Ice plant, Agastache rupestris, Bristlecone Pine and more.  One of the basics of xeriscaping is grouping plants with similar water needs together in order to manage water usage efficiently.  This garden is a great example of this and also the idea that we can conserve water and still have greenery and flowery color!!

colorful xeriscape in Utah

When Should I Plant Raspberries In Utah?

April and May are the best times to plant raspberries in Utah.  This is when the plants are available in the local independent garden centers and nurseries.  You will also find blackberries, boysenberries, strawberries, grapes, gooseberries, artichokes and rhubarb plants - all perennial fruit and vegetable plants.  They are best planted int the spring so their roots can become established during the cooler wet weather.

When should I plant Raspberries in Utah?

Ephedra viridis - Green Mormon Tea - Excellent Utah Native Plant For Xeriscape!

This Utah native shrub is a great choice for a water wise landscape - it requires no water other than what falls from the sky!  Green Mormon Tea, or Brigham Tea (Ephedra viridis) is a smallish green shrub found in the wild all over the West and Southwest.  The common name comes from the fact that the Mormon settlers of Utah used it to make tea.  Ephedra plants are available at local nurseries that carry native plants.  Plant in a hot sunny area of the xeric garden and please don't give it extra water or soil amendments or fertilizers.  Like many Utah native plants, Ephedra thrives in harsh conditions and will not survive if given too many nutrients or water.

Ephedra viridis - Green Mormon Tea - excellent xeriscape plant

Ephedra viridis - Green Mormon Tea;  Utah Native Plant

When Should I Plant Rhubarb?

April is the best time to plant rhubarb in Utah.  You can buy rhubarb crowns at your local independent plant nursery.  Or, if you are lucky, you have a rhubarb-growing neighbor who will let you dig up a crown or two.  Rhubarb transplants easily in the spring before the plant has grown big.  The cool wet weather of April and May will help it get established.  Wait 2 years before harvesting from newly planted rhubarb plants.  They need to get strong and well established.
Here is another blog post about rhubarb.  Rhubarb is a perennial; it will come back year after year.

plant rhubarb crowns in the spring before the plants are too big

Any Day Now!!

One of my favorite harbingers of spring is the crocus.  These sweet flowers are among the first to bloom in March.  Crocus are planted in the fall (tiny bulbs) and they are available mostly in white, purple and yellow.  They don't last long but they cheerfully announce the arrival of warmer days and the beginning of the gardening season.

Crocus Flowers

Top 10 Fall-Flowering Waterwise Perennials For Utah

Here is a list of 10 perennials that are water wise and fall-flowering.  They will provide color in your drought tolerant garden in late summer and fall.  Keep the spent flowers trimmed off (deadheading) and they will bloom right up until the first frost - sometime in October or early November.

Fall blooming Anemone

Mums

Plumbago

Gaura

Sedum

Zauschneria

Caryopteris

Buddleia

Hardy Hibiscus

Roses

Caryopteris x clandonensis - Blue Mist Spirea - Waterwise Shrub for Autumn Flowers!

If you need a small shrub that can tolerate a very hot, sunny spot in the garden, Caryopteris x clandonensis is a great choice for you.  Also known as Blue Mist Spirea (even though it is not a spirea) or Bluebeard, Caryopteris is a very easy-to-grow shrub for the xeriscape garden.  It gets about 3 or 4 feet tall and 3 or 4 feet wide.  The foliage is greenish gray and in late summer and fall it is covered with bright blue flowers.  Bees and butterflies are crazy about it as it provides food for them late in the season when other flower sources have quite blooming.  Caryopteris is hardy in Utah and only needs a deep soaking during the hottest times of July and August - about once every 10 days.   Trim back the spent flowers in late fall or early spring.

Caryopteris x clandonensis - Blue Mist Spirea growing in Utah

fall blooming Caryopteris x clandonensis - shrub for xeriscape garden

Zauschneria garrettii (Hummingbird Trumpet) - Fall Blooming Perennial - Perfect For Xeriscape In Utah!

Zauschneria garrettii - Utah

 Zauschneria or Hummingbird Trumpet is an excellent low-growing perennial for water wise gardens.  It flowers in late summer and fall and provides food for hummingbirds and pollinators.  Native to the Intermountain West (It can even be found growing wild in Albion Basin, Alta, Utah) and California, Zauschneria does very well in the hot, dry climate of Utah and can withstand the extremes of summer and winter.  Once established, this plant doesn't need any extra water other than what falls out of the sky!  Plant it in your xeriscaped hummingbird garden for late season fiery color!  It is a great companion to Nepeta (catmint), Agastache (hyssop) and Russian Sage.

Zauschneria - Fall flowering perennial for xeriscape

Sedum - Waterwise Autumn Flowers!

Sedum is a large genus of succulent plants native to many places in the world.  Here in Utah, there are several varieties found in the wild - mostly small ground covers.  At local nurseries, there are many varieties of ground cover Sedums available as well as taller, fall-blooming perennial Sedums.  These are perfect plants for a xeriscaped garden as they only need extra water in July and August.  The tall Sedums have nice green or gray foliage all summer and then put on a show in September and October with their bright pink or red flowers.  They attract butterflies!

Sedum in Xeriscape

Sedum blooming in Utah

Fall Blooming Anemone - Flowers In September and October!

There are several perennials that will bloom in the fall and provide excellent color.  One of the best performers for autumn flowers in Utah is the fall blooming anemone (sometimes called Japanese Anemone, but they don't originate in Japan).  This is a great plant for shade or part shade, though they will tolerate sun.  In September, fall blooming anemones send up tall stems covered with large clusters of flowers - they are available in white or various shades of pink.  Give them plenty of room as they will form a clump about 1 or 2 feet wide and they will reach a height of 4 or 5 feet.  They are moderate in their water needs so give them a good soaking once or twice a week during the hottest times of summer to ensure lots of flowers during the cooler fall weather.

Fall Blooming Anemone

Fall Blooming Anemone

Gaura lindheimeri "whirling butterflies" - An Excellent Waterwise Flowering Plant For Utah!

 Gaura is a genus of plants native to North America.  Some species are annual and some are invasive.  However Gaura lindheimeri "whirling butterflies" is a favorite for water wise, drought-tolerant gardens in Utah.  It is a hardy perennial and it does not spread or  reseed.  Growing 2 or 3 feet tall and  3 or 4 feet wide, Gaura creates a mounding, shrub-like plant that will die back every winter.  The delicate white flowers are produced on long flexible frond-like stems that bounce around in the breeze creating an illusion of butterflies dancing through the garden!  And it actually attracts butterflies and bees! Gaura blooms all summer and well into the fall.   Perfect for the hot sunny perennial bed.  Gaura needs water only during the hottest parts of summer - July and August - and only a deep soaking every 7 to 10 days.

Gaura lindheimeri "whirling butterflies" growing in Utah

Gaura lindheimeri "whirling butterflies" flowers all summer and into the fall in Utah - and it's drought-tolerant!

Will Rosemary Grow In Utah?

Oh, yes, you can grow rosemary in Utah!  Rosemary is a perennial culinary herb that is native to the Mediterranean region.  Used in poultry stuffing and for grilling meats, rosemary is an essential part of  the herb garden.  It is also an attractive water wise plant - evergreen leaves, tiny blue flowers in summer and it can grow to be about 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide if left unpruned.  Rosemary likes full sun and only needs water during the hottest parts of summer, maybe a deep soaking once every 7 to 10 days.
**Many varieties of rosemary will not survive the winter in Utah, but there is one variety that will, most years.  It is called "Arp".  You can find small rosemary "Arp" plants in most local garden centers in the spring and early summer.  Harvest rosemary leaves in small amounts throughout the summer.  Use it fresh or dried.
Here is more info on rosemary.

Rosemary "Arp"  - hardy and waterwise in Utah

Fennel - A Drought-Tolerant Herb For Utah!

Fennel Plants - Waterwise Herbs for Utah

 There are quite a few perennial herbs that are water wise and will grow well in Utah.  Fennel is a favorite for its ferny foliage and yellow flower heads in early summer.  Aside from being an awesome culinary herb (seeds used for Indian cooking, sausages, on pizza or in pickling;  foliage for flavoring salads or tea), fennel is an excellent ornamental plant for a spot where you need some height and greenery.  It's also a must-have for a butterfly garden.  Native to the Mediterranean region, fennel can withstand drought and heat when grown on the Wasatch Front.  It dies back in the winter but returns in the spring.  Here are some things to know about growing fennel:
 * It will re-seed readily if some of the flower stalks are left on the plant in the fall.  I see this as a good thing, but just know that it might sprout up all over.  It's easy to pull out if it gets out of hand.
 * Harvest fennel foliage anytime.  Harvest fennel seeds when they are green and plump.
 * Fennel attracts pollinators, ladybugs and is a host plant for butterflies!
 * Regular fennel is grown for the seeds and foliage.  Florence fennel is the variety that is grown for the bulb that is used as a vegetable.
Here is a link for more info on fennel.

Fennel Grows Well In Utah!

Ground Cover Thymes For Utah

ground cover thymes in a park strip in Salt Lake City, Utah

Ground cover thymes can be a great choice for water wise park strips, patios and pathways.  Regular thymes are like tiny shrubs and are used for culinary or ornamental purposes.  Ground cover thymes are fragrant like regular thymes, but they creep and spread out and can fill the spaces between stepping stones and pavers.  While they can tolerate some foot traffic, they are not as durable as turf grass so they are not recommended as a lawn substitute unless you can guarantee that no people or dogs are going to run and play on it.  Some varieties will bloom in spring and summer and will create stunning carpets of TINY pink flowers.  Ground cover thymes stay almost flat on the ground and will continue to spread year after year.  They need water only during the hottest times of summer; June through August, maybe once a week.  Plant them in full sun or part shade.  Sometimes the older parts of the plants die out and need to be replaced.  There are many varieties of ground cover thyme to choose from and your local independent garden center should carry several:  woolly thyme, elfin thyme, pink chintz thyme, etc.

Blue Plumbago - Ceratostigma plumbaginoides . . . excellent water wise ground cover for Utah!

Blue Plumbago (sometimes called leadwort) is an awesome ground cover for the water wise Utah garden.  In late summer and fall it is covered with deep blue flowers and as the weather turns cooler in September, the foliage turns red.  It grows 8 - 12 inches tall and spreads 3 or 4 feet wide.  Plumbago tolerates full sun or part shade and only needs supplemental water once a week during the hottest parts of summer, June through August.  This is a perfect choice for a water wise parkstrip.  Great in combination with hardy ice plant and silver tansy.

Blue Plumbago - water wise grouncover for Utah

Blue Plumbago  - water wise ground cover for Utah

Silver Tansy - Tanacetum haradjanii - Waterwise Ground cover For Utah

Silver Tansy isn't really a ground cover but it stays low, so if you plant a bunch of them together, they will look like ground cover.  Native to Syria, Silver Tansy has beautiful blue/gray leaves and little yellow flowers.  It grows about 12" tall and 24" wide.  It is heat tolerant but moderate in it's water needs.  You can plant it in full sun and it will need water about once a week during the hottest times of summer - June through August.  This is a great plant for a water wise parking strip and will look great with other low-growing plants like Hardy Ice Plant.

Silver Tansy (Tanacetum Haradjanii) - water wise ground cover for Utah

Fall-Blooming Mums! Hardy, Colorful and Waterwise!

September and October are great months for color in the flower garden.  The summer annuals catch a second wind and the fall-blooming hardy Mums (chrysanthemums) start their spectacular show!  Fortunately, for those of us living in Utah, Mums are waterwise perennials!  They do well near other plants with similar moderate water needs - like daylilies and roses and lavender.

Things You Should Know About Mums:
- moderate water;  deep soaking once a week from the middle of June to the end of August
- trim Mums down to half their size in July to keep them from flopping over when they bloom later
- purchase them in late summer from your local garden center - look for hardy, fall-blooming Mums

Fall-blooming Hardy Mums

Fall-bloooming Mums and Ornamental Peppers

Hardy Ice Plant - Waterwise Groundcover for Utah

Hardy Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi - pink flowers or Delosperma nubigenum - yellow flowers)- is an excellent ground cover for sunny areas; rock gardens, parking strips, waterwise perennial beds, in between stepping stones or along pathways.  It grows well in Utah and needs water only during the hottest parts of summer and it blooms in June and July.  It is low growing and it spreads slowly and is easy to pull out if it goes too far.  Hardy Ice Plant is a great performer with green foliage and bright flowers!

Delosperma nubigenum 

Delosperma cooperi - in a Utah parking strip

Delosperma cooperi - grows well in Utah