Our seasonal color nursery's first crop of 'Jolt' Dianthus is coming in and we're excited about these plants for fall.   This is our second year with 'Jolt' and our customers could not have been happier with its Gainesville landscape performance.

First, Jolt is an interspecific hybrid that is perennial locally. Basically, it survives throughout the year even though it struggles through the summer  These are taller than some Dianthus at 16"-20" tall and should be planted with 10"-14" spacing to enjoy the clusters of flowers up and down the plant.

Dianthus may be used in borders or containers, and make great bedding plants when massed together at commercial property entrances. Although this is our plant for September, our Gainesville Landscape clients should wait until October to plant. They will flower through winter and spring, only stopping when temperatures rise, usually in May.

They will do best in full sun to partial shade, and prefer rich, well-drained soil. Dianthus will not tolerate wet soil conditions, so irrigate carefully to avoid overwatering. 

What makes this plant win the ‘Gainesville Landscape Plant of the Month’?

The drift rose is a prolific bloomer throughout the year that adds bright color to any Gainesville landscape. Few plants with it’s striking color also are perennial and handle our North Florida winters well, too. Whereas many other Gainesville landscaping flowers (Lantana, Firespike, Daisies, Begonias) freeze back in the winter, the Drift Rose may not be in full bloom, but at least offers a healthy green low-growing shrub.

How big do they grow?

Drift Roses tend to grow in a spreading habit, (hence the name ‘Drift’) which is very different from Knockout and Tea Roses. They grow 2-3’ tall at maximum but spread out to 4’ wide.

Where in the landscape do they grow best?

They grow best in a full sun area of the landscape. When we use them in Gainesville landscape renovations, we use them to draw attention to a certain area such as the entry of the home or a prominent bed due to their bright colors. We typically put them in front of the bed as well, due to their low growth habit.

What are their maintenance needs?

They don’t like to be over-watered, but they certainly need regular waterings -especially when used in their best setting, which is full sun. They don’t need any deadheading to keep blooming, but pruning back their oldest branches a couple times of year allows them to regenerate new growth allowing a more full look over time.

What season are they at their best?

Drift Roses are similar to Knockouts in that they can bloom throughout the year, but their peak season is May-August. They will have the most growth and color in that late spring-summer time frame, however many of ours were still in bloom on Christmas Day!

Do any Gainesville lawn pests attack them?

Drift Roses are relatively problem free in many areas and have excellent disease resistance to rust, powdery mildew, and black spot. However, they can be susceptible to chili thrips if they aren’t cared for on a lawn pest program.

What colors and/or varieties are available?

Drift roses are available in multiple colors - popcorn, coral, white, and different shades of pink.

What makes this plant win the ‘Gainesville Landscape Plant of the Month’?

This Magnolia is a compact variety that is perfect for an accent plant or specimen for your Gainesville Landscape. It’s large leaves are glossy green on top and dark on bottom, and it is covered with blooms in the spring throughout the summer. Its large flowers are striking, larger than an average hand when open, and have a strong sweet fragrance.

How big do they grow?

Although the ‘Southern Charm’ is a dwarf variety, that is only when compared to its lineage of 30-40 ft tall trees. It typically tops out around 20’ height at maturity, making a beautiful large specimen tree for your lawn.

Where in the landscape do they grow best?

They prefer full sun and we typically design them inside of mulch beds rather than in the lawn. This is for two reasons, one being that the canopy of the tree typically hangs low and doesn’t allow enough sun for turf to grow under it. Reason two is the large leaves tend to fall throughout the year and can leave a lawn looking messy. However, leaves falling into mulch go almost completely unnoticed by the untrained eye, and leave the lawn neat and tidy.

What are their maintenance needs?

Besides cleaning up leaves that may blow into the lawn on stormy days, very little maintenance is required for these Florida Friendly trees.

Do any Gainesville lawn pests attack them?

The most common lawn insect that attacks Magnolias is the Magnolia scale. These insects have a tough outer shell, but pierce and suck the nutrients from the tree, slowly diminishing its health over time. Treatments with an organic insecticide soap or horticultural oil are sometimes effective, but the most effective treatment is a systemic treatment of insecticide that controls the insects when they uptake the tree's nutrients.

What seasons are they at their best?

The charm of this Magnolia is in the late spring when it sets its first blooms that continue throughout the season.

What makes this plant win the ‘Gainesville Landscape Plant of the Month’?

There are few plants as common in Gainesville as the Azalea, especially the ‘Formosa’ Azalea. These low-maintenance plants put on a bright show when they flower, and can rarely be beat in the amount of flowers on each plant. The bloom time can, unfortunately, be shortened some years by an untimely cold snap in February or March, but they still are unbeatable in full bloom.

How big do they grow?

Formosas can grow 8-10’ tall at maturity but are commonly kept trimmed in the 4-5’ range. They’re spread can be 5-7’ wide as well at maturity.

Where in the landscape do they grow best?

The Formosa is a very versatile and Florida-friendly landscape plant - able to thrive in full sun and deep shade, although it does prefer a couple hours of shade in the afternoon for best results. They also like well-drained soil too, which helps them do well in our typically sandy north Florida soil.

What are their maintenance needs?

The Formosa does best when pruned just 2 times per year, specifically between the end of bloom season (March) and end of June (when they start to bud for new blooms). This is one of the biggest differences between our Gainesville lawn maintenance crews and other companies - as our team goes through monthly horticultural training to know what to prune and when to produce the most appealing landscape throughout the year.

Do any Gainesville lawn pests attack them?

The most common Gainesville lawn pests attacking azaleas are lace bugs and thrips. Occasionally, over watering also can create a fungal disease too, but this is usually an easy fix by adjusting your irrigation settings. Thrips and Lace Bugs can be prevented with home-remedies that take multiple treatments, products sold at local home improvement stores, or by our licensed lawn and ornamental technicians.

What seasons are they at their best?

If you’re looking for color, their bloom season is early spring in North Florida - February or March. Otherwise, they are evergreen year-round for a nicely shaped shrub.

Although juniper is often planted in Gainesville, it is also one of the most frequently removed plants in clients landscapes,especially in Haile Plantation. This video shows you the life stages of juniper and helps you know when it's nearing replacement time.

What makes this plant win the ‘Gainesville Landscape Plant of the Month’?

Without a doubt, when the Camelia is in bloom you cannot question it’s splendor. The Sasanqua, in comparison to it’s sister Japonica variety, has smaller leaves and grows more densely. It’s glossy leaves shine beautifully throughout the year in landscape beds. It also tends to withstand our Florida sun better, too. It’s blooms are what gives it the prize, though.

How big do they grow?

They can grow up to 15’ tall, depending on the variety planted. It is common in Gainesville landscapes to see them kept anywhere from 5 and 15’ tall. They typically grow about 4-6’ wide at the base.

Where in the landscape do they grow best?

Sasanqua Camellias can grow in full sun to partial shade but do best if kept in a little bit of afternoon shade. Unless we are planting a dwarf variety, we typically design them toward the back of the landscape bed due to their height.

What are their maintenance needs?

Camellias need more water as a direct correlation to how much sun they’re planted in. In the deep shade, many Camellias in our Gainesville landscaping can go without irrigation after they’re fully rooted in.

Do any Gainesville lawn pests attack them?

The most common lawn pests of camellia are scales. Scale insects feed on plants by piercing plant tissue and sucking the plant’s nutrients. Scales do not look like typical insects, because they are small, immobile, and have no visible legs. They can be treated with an eco-friendly insecticide in our ornamental pest program.

What seasons are they at their best?

Sasanquas bloom from mid-winter to early spring, depending upon the weather and variety of Sasanqua that you have planted in your Gainesville lawn. They look great throughout the year though, due to their glossy leaves and dense formal growth habit.

For winter color, you can’t beat the camellia. The Camellia 'Japonica' looks gorgeously green and glossy through the winter and wows us with beautiful flowers to brighten the dull winter landscape. While many plants are losing leaves, going dormant, and suffering cold damage - the Camelia is just coming to life with white, pink, or red blooms to brighten your Gainesville landscape.

Here are some Camellia options for your Gainesville landscape!

Camellias are evergreen, long-flowering shrubs and small trees with long, dark green, glossy leaves. For show-stopping blooms look for these:

• Camellia japonica 'Lady Campbell' has large, prolific, bright red flowers from February to May.
• Camellia 'Ashton's Ballethas’ has fragrant, double-flowered pink blooms from October to December
• Camellia 'Sugar' has delicate pink blooms from November to January.

Low Maintenance Landscape

• Camellias are slow growing (about 15-20 inches per year)
• Limit pruning after flowering
• In the spring gradually increase watering as temperatures rise and day length increases.
• Keep soil moist in summer

 Useful tips

• Do not use tap water, try rainwater or softened water
• Keep you camellia out of cold winds and frost
• To protect from severe frost, cover the camellia with a horticultural fleece
• Camellia species that are not quite hardy will do extremely well in pots

Nice to know

• There are about eighty species of camellias, all from the Far East.
• Camellias will transform your garden, balcony or terrace early in the year when most plants and trees are still waiting for their leaves to appear.
• The seeds of Camellia oleifera are processed to make hugely expensive oil which is used in the Far East for cooking as well as being consumed for its cosmetic benefits.  It contains anti-oxidants that help protect the body’s cells from the processes of ageing, strengthens the immune system and keeps skin and hair healthy.