Heuchera ‘Midnight Rose’ is a  sport of  Heuchera ‘Obsidian’. This selection has the same deep black-purple leaves as ‘Obsidian’ but with bright pink variegation that emerges in spring. As the season progresses the variegation increases in surface area and then lightens to a pale creamy pink. As with all Heuchera they are easy to grow and fit well into any perennial planting. Low growing with a mounded habit.

I took this picture at the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. If you ever have a chance to tour the Oregon Garden take the opportunity.

Perennial. Low growing, (4 to 6in.) spreading, succulents with rosettes of fleshy leaves in shades of crimson and green. Grown for the interesting plant appearance since flowers are inconspicuous. Used primarily in rock gardens and containers. Numerous varieties are propagated primarily by offsets. Easy to grow in full sun. Drought tolerant once established. Hardy to zone 4.

DIY Project: Making a Hen and Chicks Wreath (myflowerland.com)

Montezuma Pine, is a species of conifer that is native to Mexico and Central America, where it is commonly known as Ocote. The tree grows about 100 feet high and its canopy can reach 35-40 feet wide; occasionally it may reach a height of 130 feet.

Its rounded crown is complimented by the slightly drooping needles. The needles are born in fascicles of 5 with occasionally 4-6 and are quite irregular in thickness with some rather thick and others thin. The bark is dark brown-grayish, deeply fissured. Bark on young trees is a reddish brown rough and scaly.

The cones on this pine are also quite variable in size , usually slightly curved 4-6inches long and 3-4 inches wide when they have fully opened.

The specimen pictured in these photos is located at the Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle. (GPS: +47° 38′ 16.84″, -122° 17′ 37.19″)

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‘Satomi’ Dogwood is a pink-flowered variety of the Korean Dogwood.

This slow growing deciduous tree has a rounded form with beautiful horizontal branching. Deep pink bracts surround inconspicuous flowers and emerge in late spring, often later than other dogwood varieties and are followed by large red fruit. Fall color is orange-red. The deep green leaves often have a purplish tinge and are resistant to anthracnose.

Hardy in zones 4-8 the Green Giant Arborvitae has rapidly become a viable substitution for the Leyland Cypress, which has been used in similar situations but has more susceptibility to disease. Once the root system becomes established in the first growing season rapid growth will be the result in subsequent seasons. In some cases you can expect 24″ inches of growth in a single season and in some cases even more. Deer resistant.

Green Giant is propagated by cuttings with relative ease, and is regularly available in the nursery trade. Follow recommended planting instructions to ensure the success of your new planting.

Purchase a Green Giant Arborvitae from Nature Hills Nursery.

Of their notable characteristics is the tough outer skin which ripen in a wide range of colors: bronze to black and even purple. A rather versatile variety of grape it is grown to produce wine, juice, jellies and even eaten fresh.

There are hundreds of muscacdine grape cultivars, all requiring a pollenizer in order to set fruit. Muscadines grow best in fertile sandy loam and alluvial soils. Rather resistant to pests and diseases, including Pierce’s disease, which is a major contributor to the death of many grape species.

Muscadine Grape Cultivars for Fresh Consumption

• Black Beauty
• Black Fry
• Granny Val
• Farrer
• Pam
• Pineapple
• Southern Home
• Sweet Jenny

Muscadine Grape Cultivars for Wine, Juice and Jellies Preservation

• Alachua
• Carlos
• Noble
• Welder

Planting Muscadine Grapes

Muscadine grapes are adapted to a wide range of soil types, success can be found if the preparation of the planting site. Sites with well draining conditions are to be selected. When planting bare-root vines care should be given to dig a trench that will accommodate the vines root system without the need to coil the roots. Dig a trench that is about three feet long and at least a foot deep. Bare-root planting should be done in the dormant season. When planting containerized vines be sure to score the root system to help the roots grow outward into the surrounding soil.

In addition to providing a grape that is rather versatile, the muscadine vine provides great habitat for wildlife.

For a more detailed look at the muscadine visit the University of Florida’s Extension publication here. (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/document_hs100)

Susceptible to leaf spot, powdery mildew and leafhoppers to minor degrees. Growing 2-3′ tall this perennial has an impressive 3-4″ flower head and is hardy in Zones 3-10. A great choice for areas that have high summer temps and dry soils.

A few notable cultivars:

• ‘Baby Cole’ – Dwarf. Less than 8″. Red flowers with yellow margins.
• ‘Burgundy’ – Large 24-30″. Burgundy red flowers.
• ‘Dazzler’ – 24-36″, Yellow flowers with maroon centers.
• ‘Kobold’ – also referred to as ‘Goblin’. 9-12″. Red flowers with yellow margins.

The three plants he references in the video are:

• Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
• Mother-in-Law’s Tongue or Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
• Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum)

For a more exhaustive list of air-filtering soil and plants check out this Wikipedia entry. The list was compiled by NASA as part of the NASA Clean Air Study, which researched ways to clean air in space stations.

When planted in well drained moist soils this evergreen will slowly spread by stoloniferous growth.  In winter it bears clusters of fragrant, inconspicuous, pink tinged white flowers; male flowers (towards shoot tips) have pink anthers, female flowers with 2 styles. When planted in mass the fragrance can be quite strong. The fruit is dark blue to black and 1/4 inch in size. The variety humilis is smaller and more cold-hardy than the species.

As the tree matures the reddish brown bark becomes quite the feature for this tree, peeling off in long strips. The medium green foliage will develop into a bronze color in the winter and returning to green in the spring.

Best used in large open areas and will tolerate urban conditions such as compacted soils, poor drainage and air pollution.

This tree has many cultivated varieties, from the dwarf to the variegated you’ll likely fine a Japanese Cedar to fit your unique conifer needs.

A few varieties of note:

• Cryptomeria japonica ‘Black Dragon’ (Very dark green summer foliage)
• Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan sugi’ (Variegated)
• Cryptomeria japonica ‘Tansu’ (Dwarf)