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Venus Flytraps, Carnivorous Plants and More at Meanplants.com	Trees Autumn Purple Ash The Autumn Purple White Ash, Fraxinus americana, 'Autumn Purple', is a seedless male tree and is a cultivar of the species which is native to moist areas. This fast growing White Ash tree grows 2/3 feet per year. It is almost pyramidal with a round top when young, but gradually slows down and develops an oval shape. Autumn Purple Ash trees prefer a sunny location. The Autumn Puple Ash tree makes a great tall shade tree. $37.95 More Information!	Ah, the HoneyCrisp Apple Tree. Is there an apple more juicy or sweet then the HoneyCrisp? The HoneyCrisp has gained a true following, especially with children. With it's sweet honey taste and crisp flesh the HoneyCrisp has quickly become one of America's favorite apples. Not only is the HoneyCrisp an absolutely flavorfull apple but the HoneyCrist can last in common storage for 5-6 months (not that your family will let them last that long). The HoneyCrisp apple is an exceptional apple and a hardy apple tree. The Liriope 'Big Blue', Lirope muscari 'Big Blue', also known as Lirope, is a grass-like foliage set with tall spikes of lavender-blue, hyacinth-like blooms in late summer. The Lirope 'Big Blue' is slow spreading and very easy to care for. It is a very versatile ornamental grass that can be used as a groundcover or garden accent or even in a container. Place in location that is well drained. Big Blue adds texture, vibrance and a naturalizing effect to your garden. The Hibiscus 'Plum Crazy', is one of the Fleming's most colorful varieties of Hibiscus. The plum shaded flowers have a 10" bloom with a plant height of 4'. The dark purple, maple-cut leaves make a great contrast. Named by Dave Fleming himself, 'Plum Crazy' took over 20 years to develop and refine the species and one can see why. It is best to plant this Hibiscus in a full sun area and it will tolerate most soil types. Plum Crazy looks wonderful with grasses, as a background plant or with Hibiscus 'Fantasia' and Hibiscus 'Old Yella'. The Hibiscus can been seen in beautiful photographs of Hawaii, but you don't have to live in Hawaii to grow Plum Crazy.

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When Should I Plant My Roses & How Should I Plant Them?

When spring comes and the ground is thawed, it is time to start planting your rose garden. Roses have been a cherished aphrodisiac since biblical times. They have been around for over 3000 years, yet they still hold a particular mystery and fascination, not to mention the fact that they just look and smell good!

One of the most important rules of growing roses is to plant the rose bush in an area that receives around 4 to 6 hours of sunlight every day.

It is preferable not to plant too many trees or other plants around the rose bush because most of these are likely to either mix with the rose or stifle it's growth. If you are replacing an old rose bush, approximately 1 1/2 cubic feet of old soil should be removed, and fresh soil added to replace it. When positioning your rose in the garden or landscape, consider the growth habit of the rose.

For example, place climbers and ramblers along fences, trellises, or next to arches or pergolas. This location offers them free range of growth, and optimal potential for the showiest blooms.

Roses also look beautiful in island beds interplanted with perennials. Miniature roses make great edging plants in front of their taller cousins. Planted singly, shrub roses make excellent specimen plants or they can be clustered to make a flowering hedge. You can also use them to camouflage unsightly garden objects.

Dig a hole large enough for the root mass and loosen the bottom of the hole. You should add bone meal, which is a slow acting source of phosphorus that leads to healthy root growth in the rose plant.

Then the plant should be placed in the hole carefully and the hole refilled with soil, covering the roots properly. Before making the final covering, water the rose plant and let it absorb the water. After this, water the plant more and mound the soil about 6 inches high. The dome will keep the stems from drying out until the plant is rooted. Gradually remove the excess soil as the leaves open.

Special care should be taken with the planting depth. It varies according to the climate you live in.

If you live in a colder area, plant a bit deeper and consult with the people growing roses in your area. If you are buying potted roses, you should plant them about 1 inch deeper than their potted level.

The best time to plant roses varies depending on the winter temperature. Where temperatures don't drop below -10 degrees F; either fall or spring planting is satisfactory. If you live in an area where winter temperatures go below -10 degrees F, spring planting is preferred. Plants should be planted in a dormant condition if purchased bare root, but container grown plants may be planted throughout the growing season.

Spacing of the rose plant is highly influenced by the temperature. In regions where winters are severe, the rose plant does not grow as large as in mild climates. Taking this into consideration, hybrid tea roses should be spaced 1 1/2 to 3 feet apart. Large vigorous growers, such as hybrid perpetuals need 3 to 5 feet of space, and the climbers need from 8 to 10 feet of space.

If the winter temperature is below 10 degrees F, roses can grow healthy if proper care is taken. The gardener must prepare for that cold, wet reality as he revels in the summer air conditioning.

In zones 7 and colder, the roses enjoy their last fertilization of the season by August 15th to limit the emergence of new rose canes, which will almost certainly not survive the winter.