Perennial of the Week

Volume 1, Issue 11
June 9, 2010
*Editor’s Note: Beginning with this issue of the Lockerly Arboretum newsletter, we will feature two
new weekly articles, ‘Perennial of the Week’ and ‘Georgia Garden Destinations’.
Perennial of the Week
Echinacea purpurea
Table of Contents
Editor’s Note
pg. 1
Perennial of the
Eastern Purple Coneflower is a Week
native perennial wildflower that is always
pg. 1
one of the standouts in June gardens. This
year we have lots of them in our Lockerly
Georgia Garden
flower beds, including some interesting new
Destinations
hybrids. Given a sunny spot in well-drained
pg. 2
soil, coneflowers are dependable garden
performers that bear daisy-like flowers in
a pleasant range of colors. They are heat- tolerant and drought-tolerant once established, and they make great cut flowers. We
offer three outstanding coneflower varieties
Echinacea Big Sky™ ‘Summer Sky’
in our Garden Center. Echinacea purpurea ‘Ruby Star’ is one of the best cultivars available, and
it has been a standout in the University of Georgia trial gardens. It is compact,
growing to about 24 inches tall, and has large flowers with deep pink petals surrounding a bronze cone. See these in bloom this month in our rock garden.
The color range of Echinacea has been expanded with the development of
The Big Sky™ series of hybrids introduced by the Saul brothers of the Atlanta area. Seeking better nursery performance, they crossed Echinacea purpurea with
Echinacea paradoxa and created a stunning array
of coneflower colors. This year we have Echinacea
‘Sundown’ and ‘Summer Sky’. ‘Sundown’ features
intense, saturated orange flowers on a plant that
grows to three feet or more. ‘Summer Sky’ is the
first bi-color coneflower in the Big Sky™ series,
Echinacea purpurea ‘Ruby Star’
featuring soft peach petals with a darker, rosecolored halo around the cone. ‘Summer Sky’ is compact, growing to just over two feet
tall, and it is sweetly fragrant. We have planted both of these new cultivars in our flower beds. Coneflowers are one of the best choices for summer color in Georgia gardens. They work well with other perennials and look great in groups of three or more. Come
by and get some of these great new cultivars for your garden today!
Echinacea Big Sky™ ‘Sundown’
Page 1
Georgia Garden Destinations
Massee Lane Gardens
Massee Lane Gardens in Fort Valley, Georgia is the headquarters of the American Camellia Society and a
great Middle Georgia garden destination. This garden is known for their large collection of camellias, which has
earned them the title “A Garden of Excellence” by the International Camellia Society. Massee Lane encompasses
over 100 acres and offers a variety of settings in addition to over 1000 camellia varieties.
Originally developed as the private garden of David C. Strother in the 1930s, the 160-acre property was donated to the American Camellia Society in 1966. In 1968, the Society’s headquarters building was completed and
named after Mr. Strother, whose large collection of millstones became a signature element of the gardens. Visitors
can walk along brick paths through a number of distinct garden rooms, including the Daylily Garden, the Scheibert
Rose Garden, the Avera-Peterson Children’s Garden of Discovery, and the intimate Abendroth Japanese Garden.
An ideal location for quiet reflection, the Abendroth Japanese
Garden is a beautiful, tranquil addition to the gardens of Massee Lane. Generously donated by the Abendroth family, it was dedicated to their
children and their families on November 1, 1986. Since this time, the
Japanese Garden has inspired countless visitors with an idealization of
nature’s perfection. Enclosed within a wooden fence and the shade of the
surrounding woodland, visitors stroll along a path in a serene setting and
pass over a dramatic water feature. This is considered one of the best
examples of Japanese garden design in the region, and is an absolute must-see when making a visit to Massee Lane.
Abendroth Japanese Garden entrance
Page 2
Over the past two years a major garden restoration and expansion project has been undertaken at Massee
Lane. These renovations include replanting the rose garden
with disease-resistant varieties and adding a native plant collection to the Environmental Garden. In addition to the
gardens, the visitor center is a beautiful interpretation of
Georgian-style architecture, and the Stevens Taylor Gallery
displays a wonderful collection of porcelains. A visit to this
garden is rewarding any time of year. Although the camellias
may not be in bloom in June, there are always fresh locallygrown peaches to be had in the area!