One of the most beautiful summer blooming shrubs is the Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus). Also called Althea, it actually isn’t a rose at all, but rather a hardy deciduous type of hibiscus. From summer until mid-autumn it produces large, colorful blooms in shades that include blue, pink, purple, red and white. It blooms so prolifically it's no wonder it is the national flower of Korea and prized throughout the world.

Left alone, it grows into a natural vase shaped shrub or tree 6-12' tall and half as wide, but with a small amount of pruning each season, it can easily be shaped into a rounded shrub or tree. Prune in early spring, before leaves come out, so you don't interfere with budding. (The leaves don’t come out until late spring, often causing false alarms in gardeners who think their plants may have died.)

The lush green foliage provides a perfect backdrop for the blooms, which may be single or double by nature. Many of the blooms come in a combination of colors so bright they are a perfect magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds.

These plants are fairly easy to take care of. They prefer full sun locations but also do well in partial shade. They are reasonably fast growing and enjoy regular watering and fertilizing throughout the growing season. In cold climates, all that is needed is to add a good layer of mulch over the roots the first two winters; after that no extra protection is necessary.

We have a great selection of eautiful Roses of Sharon--and they are blooming right now. Drop by and choose one. These delightful plants will give you years of charming flowers just when other plants' blooms are starting to wane.

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Daylilies 25% off from July 15 to July 22.

Lawns are put to the test this time of year. Any weakness in water coverage, soil nutrition, or weed control shows up in the heat of summer. Now is the time to recheck your sprinkler system. Plugged or broken heads need to be fixed or replaced. Brown patterned circles in your lawn generally indicate a sprinkler head has been plugged by a grain of sand or has become a victim of a vicious lawn mower attack.

The irrigation system in flower beds should also be inspected. Many times we plant in front of a sprinkler. This is not a problem when the plant is small, but it can result in disaster for other plants in the bed as the new guy grows and blocks the water for the others. Make the necessary adjustment and watch your plants flourish.

With summer here, garden herbs are kicking into high gear, producing lots of pleasing, aromatic foliage that is great for cooking and potpourris. Freshly harvested leaves are wonderful for cooking, but you might want to preserve some to use later in the year or to create sachets that will fill your home with wonderful scents.

There are two ways to air-dry your crop. The first is to hang it up. With large-leafed herbs such as basil, rosemary, and sage, snip off the leafy stems, then tie the cut ends together with string and hang the bundle upside down in a warm, dry place (out of direct sunlight) with good air circulation. The herbs should be dry and crisp in two to three weeks. You can then strip the leaves off the stems and store them in airtight container for later use. This method is also a great way to dry lavender.

The second way to dry herbs is to spread them out to dry. With fine-leafed herbs such as oregano and thyme, simply remove the foliage from stems and spread the leaves on a cookie sheet or piece of clean window screen and set in a warm, dry, airy place away from direct sun. Stir them up every few days to turn them over. Once the leaves feel crisp, you can store them in an airtight container for later use.