Across from Ranchito

If you have picked up topsoil, compost, river rock or mulch from KAT, you know that Ranchito is part of our growing operation and is located a couple of miles west of the holding yard. Across the street from Ranchito is a field I have driven past many times over the years. Friday was the first time I really paid attention to this property. The Rudbeckia, Monarda and Indian Grass with a backdrop of mature trees is beautiful.

Native plants work well in smaller landscapes too. Liatris has grass-like foliage and spike flower heads. It gives a nice vertical accent to the design. Callirhoe, also called Poppy Mallow and Wine Cups, is an attractive groundcover for tough sites.

Rattlesnake Master has foliage similar to the blades of yuccas and clusters of white flowers in the summer. The rosy pink flowers of Spotted Joe Pye Weed will open soon. Gateway Joe Pye Weed has pinkish purple flowers atop dark red stems. Golden Baby Goldenrod and Fireworks Goldenrod have bright yellow flowers in the summer. Asters flower late summer into fall.

We have many varieties of native plants on hand in #1 and #2 containers. If you are working with a large property requiring 100's - 1,000's of native plants in deep cell plugs and larger containers, give us a call. KAT Nurseries will custom grow the plants for your project.



Have you tried preserving native flowers and grasses? Here's an article with some tips:
Flowers and Plants for Drying

These flowers take the heat

The Mimosas have started flowering. This ornamental tree is available both single and multi-stem. The fragrant flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. E.H. Wilson Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin 'E.H. Wilson', is cold hardy and drought tolerant once established. Available 8/10' multi-stem b&b and 1.5-2" single stem in containers.



Gemo Hypericum's bright yellow flowers sway back and forth in the wind and will continue blooming through the summer. Hypericum kalmianum 'Gemo'
matures 2-3' x 2-3' and has narrow medium green foliage. Available in #3 containers.





Mariesii Balloon Flower's, Platycodon grandiflorus 'Mariesii', blue flowers are just lovely. Though it may appear delicate, Balloon Flower is a tough plant. It tolerates a wide range of conditions including salt, moisture, drought, full sun, part shade. A good choice for cut flower gardens (Mariesii matures 15" x 15") and alpine gardens. Also available at KAT are Astra, Sentimental Blue and Fuji Blue Balloon Flowers - all in #1 containers.

Big on Betony

Most every evening I sit by a garden on the west side of my house and wonder what I should plant next. Some of the plants that I really like in this sloping garden are a Shantung Maple, Kopper King Hibiscus, Little Henry Sweetspire, variegated Porcelain Vine on the south end and Prairie Dropseed, Jade Butterflies Gingko and Bearded Iris on the north end. In the middle, the problem area, there is a semi circle of Green Velvet Boxwoods and a Heptacodium. I've had a hard time trying to decide what to use as a groundcover in the middle section. Today I saw the Hummelo Stachys (Betony) flowering and decided it's the perfect plant. It is hardy in zones 4-8, works in part shade and full sun, and is drought tolerant.

A variety of coneflowers

We may not love the hot days of summer but the coneflowers do! Rocky Top is a Tennessee Echinacea. The narrow petals tilt upward and the foliage is fuzzy.

Harvest Moon is in the Big Sky series. It has large yellow flowers and deep green foliage.

Another Big Sky Echinacea, Sundown's flowers are orange-pink with large rounded petals.

Pink Double Delight has double pink flowers atop 20-24" stems.