It’s almost here….summer. And I can’t think of a more summer-like plant than Hibiscus. Its big, colorful flowers inspire one to kick off the sandals and sit back with a frosty, blended beverage. Don’t you love it?
Hibiscus love summer, too: sun and heat are welcome. And if we hit a dry spell in August, that’s no problem. Just lean into those hazy, lazy summer days…your hibiscus will be just fine. Take time to relax and watch the butterflies because they love the big, colorful flowers on this plant!
The brand-new Paraplu® rose of Sharon hybrids have exceptionally large flowers that really capture that island feeling, yet these plants are hardy to USDA 5-9.
Paraplu Violet™ (left) has intense purple flowers whose color really needs to be seen to be believed. Paraplu Pink Ink™ (right) has huge light pink-to-white flowers with a high-impact red eye.
The flowers are spectacular on these plants, but we also appreciate the outstanding habit. It’s full and well-branched, giving it an elegant form that is usually absent from rose of Sharon. They make a statement in your garden, topping out at 5-8′.
These easy-growing, adaptable plants have a place in just about any garden designed for summer living, which means just about any garden, period.
First day of summer!
There are plenty of ways to recognize the first day of summer: some might say it’s the day their Hibiscus start blooming, for others, it’s the first day with temps above 80 degrees. Maybe it’s the day you pick your first quart of fresh strawberries or the day you open the backyard pool. Meteorologically, summer began June 1, but if you go by the solstices, the first day of summer will land this Saturday, June 20.
🌞 Fun fact: An annular solar eclipse will occur on the weekend of the solstice this year, beginning just before midnight (Eastern Time) on Saturday, June 20. Annular eclipses are similar to total solar eclipses, but instead of covering the sun completely, the moon only covers most of the sun, leaving a thin, shining ring, commonly called the “ring of fire.”
Unfortunately, unless you live in Europe, Africa, Asia, or Australia, this eclipse will not be visible to you. But don’t worry! You can watch the eclipse live on YouTube starting at 1:00 AM ET on Sunday, June 21. No special glasses required. Annular Solar Eclipse Livestream.