GROWING
Beautiful Garden
Favorite plants for the Cape Fear region, according to local green thumbs.
Hostas
Leafy, showy plants that thrive in shade. They bloom a small stalk of purple flowers in the summer, then go dormant in winter.
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Azaleas
Dozens of types, colors and sizes, and they all thrive locally. If the only place you've seen azaleas is on TV coverage of The Masters, you're in for a treat.
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Camellias
One of the few bright spots in winter. Huge pink, red and white flowers on deep green foliage. Green year-round and they can grow into imposing shrubs.
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Lantanas
Not as many colors to choose from, but they are extremely hardy. Also, most garden pests leave them alone. The downside is that in good growing conditions, they may crowd other plants.
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Daylilies
A summer speciality in the region. Literally hundreds of types and colors that love full sun and even enjoy lousy soil conditions. Like hostas, they die back in winter.
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Vincas
In a word: hardy. They love the hot summer sun and do well with limited water. Available in shades of pink and white, they grow to about a foot tall. Deadhead for return blooms.
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Impatiens
They join hostas in the shade and put on a solid summer show. They come in a variety of colors and sizes but will spread and can reseed. They don't do well in clay but love sandy soil.
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Begonias
A wide selection of leaves and colors generally means they'll fit somewhere in the garden. They take full sun but like partial sun better. Be careful: they are a favorite of slugs and snails.
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Petunias
Perhaps the easiest to grow locally, petunias are the pack mule of the garden. They work hard so everything else can look good. They take full or partial sun and can tolerate lousy soil. A great plant for beginning gardeners and children.
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Updated: August, 2007