Question
QUESTION: I live in Connecticut.  I am planning flower boxes for windows on the south side of the house.  Besides Geraniums and Marigolds (which attract bees) what hardy flowers and greens can take that kind of heat?  Thank you.
ANSWER: Joanie,
Other plants you can use include Scaevola (fan flower) and the trailing Verbenas - perhaps mixed with Dicondra 'Silver Falls' which has metalic gray foliage and cascades.  Trailing Verbena takes ALOT of heat!  (Don't buy upright verbena that is sold in six-packs, however - it's not the same...it gets mildew and doesn't bloom all summer)

If you want to do something unusual, plant a selection of succulents!  Look for Echeverias, sedums and hens and chicks - all come in a variety of foliage colors and some even bloom!  You could plant Portulaca thickly in between them to spill over the sides - this very drought tolerant plant comes in assorted bright colors.

Finially, if you can find small pots of 'Red Riding Hood' Mandevilla, it stays pretty short and blooms beautiful bright pink trumpet flowers all summer.

I hope this helps!
C.L.
www.gardenlady.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: "I know your listed for annuals...but the other guys couldn't answer this.  I'd like to give it a try with you.  I bought a home and moved in during the month of August.  The Hydrangea Plant in the yard (south side) had beautiful blue blooms.  The following year, the plant was huge and gorgeous but no blooms.  I did not cut the sticks (during the fall) and then in spring cut the bush back to the ground.  The leaves were great but no flowers.  I did fertilize the lawn did that prevent blooming?  I did not fertilize the plant.  Any tips?  Thank you.


Answer
Joanie,
Well, I live on Cape Cod where Hydrangeas are the shrub of choice...in fact, many people think that my radio program should be called HydrangeaLine instead of GardenLine!  One of my most frequent questions is "Why aren't my hydrangeas blooming?"

Hydrangeas don't bloom for the following reasons - read through these and decide which one applies to your situation.
1. Since most hydrangeas bloom on second year growth, if the plant is cut down AT ANY TIME you will cut the flowers off for next year.  The way to prune hydrangeas so that they will bloom is to cut out all dead wood to the ground, cut out anything that looks weak or curvy/funky, and then to cut from the top down to just above the first or second pair of living buds/leaves that you come to.  On some canes you will not cut them at all if the top bud is alive, and on others you may cut just a bit or way down to the first living leaves you come to.
2. Too much shade - if Hydrangeas get LITTLE OR NO direct sun they won't bloom. The ideal is morning sun and afternoon shade, or at least 4-5 hours of sun is perfect.
3. Exposed location - cold winds in winter or spring.  A hydrangea has the germ of next years flowers from August on, and if those buds are in an exposed location where cold winds can zap them in the winter or early spring, this can kill the flowers.  Plants that will have flowers should show leaves and green growth on the canes in May - if your buds on those canes are black, and they never grow, your plant won't bloom because the buds have been killed by cold winds.
5. Too much nitrogen, which encourages the growth of leaves but not flowers.  The most common source of nitrogen is from lawn fertilizer.  Sometimes this, in combination with other factors such as cold wind or drought can cause no flowers the following year.
6. Drought in the fall or spring - if the buds for next year's flowers dry up in the fall or early spring then they won't develop into flowers.  Keep these plants deeply watered twice a week in the heat of the summer and once a week in other times.  Mulch with compost or composted cow manure topped by bark mulch.

I hope this helps!

all the best,
C.L.
www.gardenlady.com