Pink cosmos, Cosmos bipinnatus, is a sun loving annual that's easy to grow from seed.
Garden Chores for August
Tropical Lightning climbing rose.
In This Issue
Jill is a pompom dahlia.
- Stage 2 Water Restrictions
- Drought Tips & Techniques
- Rock Mulch
- Remember Your Trees
- In the Veggie Garden
- It's Tomato Season
- A Wee Bit o' Prunin'
- Harvest
- Fellow Gardeners
- August's Plant Combo
- Plant Police
- August's Garden Stars
- August's Garden Chores
- August Lawns
- August's Flower Arrangement
- Plant of the Month: Shrubby Cinquefoil
Since garden cosmos, C. bipinnate, is an annual, save the seeds to plant next year.
Fellow Gardeners..
My daughter took this picture of a forest fire just outside of Osoyoos last month. Scary stuff.
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
Where’s the rain? Here in British Columbia, we are in desperate need of rain. Our rivers and streams are at all-time lows. Even the mighty Fraser River flow rate has been reduced to almost 60 percent. That two days of rain last month helped a wee bit, but it was just a drop in the bucket. BC has had a 40 to 85 per cent reduction of precipitation this year, which explains why our lush green landscape is turning crispy and brown. To add fuel to the fire, temperatures keep on rising. I shouldn’t complain; at least our temperatures are livable compared to most parts of the world with their record-breaking heat. Poor Phoenix, Arizona is one of the many places dealing with extreme heat. Today it was 105.8F (41C)! It certainly is not fit for man, nor beast, nor plants! The lack of rain has been an issue for a few years. We never recovered from the lack of rain from last year. To make matters worse, we had an unusually hot, dry May that prematurely melted the mountains’ ice caps. Not since 1988 have the snowpacks melted so early in the year. It’s no wonder the forest fire season started in May instead of mid-July. To add insult to injury, it has been the worst year for forest fires in Canadian history. The smoke from our forest fires is at the highest level ever recorded. It’s so bad that the smoke affected countries around the globe. In June, New York, Chicago and Detroit experience the worst air quality of the world, due to the fires that raged through British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwestern Territories, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. It's no surprise that Metro Vancouver water restrictions have progressed to level 2. It was inevitable. I’ve been doing my best conserving water by using grey water on my plants. It’s a bit more work than turning on the garden hose of course, but every little bit counts. Unless we get some substantial rain, not too much at once of course, then it is going to be a tough month for all living things. Due to the drought and water restrictions, I have included some tips, tricks and techniques this month to help deal with the heat and lack of water. I hope it helps make gardening less stressful. While we wait patiently and earnestly for rain, I leave you with a poem called ‘Rain’ by Raymond Garfield Dandridge. The clouds are shedding tears of joy, They fall with rhythmic beat, Upon the earth, and soon destroy, Dust dunes and waves of heat. Cheers, Amanda August PLANT COMBO
Black-eyed-Susan's, red salvia and white impatiens are a good combo for a sunny to a lightly shaded location.
Under dappled shade of a weeping flowering cherry tree, a black eyed susan provides a splash of yellow. In the foreground are red salvias and white impatiens. The black eyed susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm') is an easy perennial and the salvia (Salvia splendens) is an annual. Both plants need 6 hours of direct light in order to flower. Although this area looks shady, they receive full sun in the morning into the afternoon. On the other hand, the shade loving white impatiens on the lower left, are sitting pretty as they receive shade during the heat of the afternoon.
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Stage 2
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August Garden Stars
Peachie Keen agastache, A. 'Peachie Keen', herbaceous perennial, 2’x2’, sun, light shade, hummingbirds, bees, butterflies. Zones 5 to 9.
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Pampass grass, Cortaderia selloana, herbaceous perennial, ornamental grass, 8-10' x 4-6', leaves have sharp edges, sun, drought tolerant. Zones 8 to 10.
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Gladiolus, summer bulb, 2’-6’, fragrant blooms August, Sept., sun. Zones 7 to 10, use as annual or store over winter.
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Mountain ash, Sorbus aucuparia, deciduous tree, 20-40' x 10- 20', white flower clusters, orange berries, birds, bees, sun. Zones 5 to 6. Click on pic for more.
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Garden phlox, Phlox panicula 'Bright Eyes', herbaceous perennial, fragrant blooms July - Sept, sun to part shade, 2’ to 4’, equal spread, attracts butterflies, hummingbirds. Zones 4 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Tiger lily, Lilium lancifolium ‘Splendens’, perennial summer bulb, 3-4’, fragrant flowers, sun, part shade. Zones 3-9
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Violet Queen bee balm, Monarda didyma x fistulosa 'Violet Queen', herbaceous perennial, 2'-4' x 3', sun, light shade, hummingbirds, butterflies. Zones 4 to 9.
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Pink Japanese anemone, Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’, herbaceous perennial, 4ft, sun, part shade. Zones 5 to 9
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‘Bearded Dusk’ bearded tongue, Penstemon ‘Bearded Dusk’, herbaceous perennial, 12-24” tall & wide. Zones 4 to 9.
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Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, herbaceous perennial, 15” to 18” x 12” to 16”, sun, part shade, butterflies. Zones 4 to 8.
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Persian silk tree/mimosa, Albizia julibrissin, deciduous tree, 16-52', fragrant, sun. Zones 6 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Goldsturm black-eyed susan, Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm', herbaceous perennial, 2', sun, part shade, Zones 4 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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‘Bobo’ hydrangea, deciduous shrub, 2-3’ x 3-4’, white flowers age to pink, part to full sun. Zones 3 to 8.
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Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale, up to 30", sun, attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds. Zones 4-9. Click on the pic for more.
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Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii), deciduous shrub, 4–12’ x 3-8’, June to Sept flowers, attracts butterflies, invasive in many locations. Zones 5 to 9.
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Leopard plant, Ligularia dentata, herbaceous perennial, 3-4’ x 2’3, part to full shade, moist soils, summer flowers. Zones 3 to 8.
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Purple shamrock, Oxalis triangularis papilionacea, perennial bulb, part shade to shade, 6"-12" x 12"-24", attracts butterflies. Zones 6 to 11.
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Oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, deciduous shrub, 6' to 8' tall and wide, flowers mature to pink and persist into winter, plum fall foliage colour, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 9.
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August Garden ChoresClick on the coloured links to be redirected.
A walk in the garden is good for the soul.
Check your garden: It doesn’t take long for plants to fry and die of thirst when it's hot and dry. Walk around your garden daily so catch problems in the bud. Give thirsty plants a good soak and shade plants with an umbrella if they are getting sun burned.
Poorly Plants: There are reasons why plants succumb to diseases, insects and fail to flourish. If you don’t know what the problem is, do some detective work. Look for insects on the underside of the foliage and on the stems. Brown spots on leaves often indicate a disease. White powder on the plants is a fungus called powdery mildew. Wilting can be a sign of overwatering as well as too little water. Check the soil for moisture by digging down with a trowel. The soil should be moist all the way down to the roots, not just the soil surface.
Powdery mildew is rampant this time of year.
White Substance on Plants: Powdery mildew is a common disease this time of year. It’s caused by moisture on the leaves, including morning dew, and dry soil. To learn more click on Powdery Mildew.
An expanding bamboo fence is an easy and inexpensive fix to hold up the heavy flowers of this peegee hydrangea.
Support Plants: Hold up fallen dahlias, gladiolus, and other top-heavy plants with inexpensive trellises found at the dollar store. It’s a quick fix and plants look more natural compared to staked plants.
Roses and tomatoes benefit from some Epsom salts.
Tomatoes & Roses: Use Epsom salts as a foliar spray, soil drench or just mix some into the soil to improve the growth of roses and tomatoes. Epsom salts provide magnesium & sulfur, which are essential for plant growth. Mix 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts to one gallon of water. For long term solutions, mix in a couple of inches of compost. Compost is also a good source of magnesium.
Cut back branches that are impeding the growth of other plants.
Overcrowding: Cut back offending stems from shrubs and perennials that are muscling in on neighbouring plants. Take note of plants that are too big for the area and move them in autumn when conditions are cooler and wetter.
Deadhead Annuals: Keep bedding plants (petunia etc.) flowering by removing their spent blossoms. Use scissors to cut off the dead flowers as well as part of the stem to encourage more stems. Follow up with some fertilizer and water.
Deadhead: Remove spent flowers, not just the petals, from shrubs, perennials, annuals and summer bulbs such as dahlias. Doing so keeps the garden tidy, reduces the weight on long stems so they won’t droop, prevents volunteer seeds from popping up, and redirects the plants energy from seed production to the plant. Deadheading encourages compact growth, whilst some plants may re-flower.
Divide Perennials: Divide overgrown perennials when the plant’s centre ceases to produce new growth. Dig up the plant and discard the hollow centre but keep the remaining healthy growth. Don’t divide plants if they are suffering from drought. Water them well or wait until fall. It’s best to divide plants once they have finished flowering.
Save the water when boiling eggs as it is full of calcium.
Save Water & Feed Plants: To conserve water I use unsalted water from boiling eggs, veggies and pasta to water and feed plants. For example, pasta water contains phosphorus, manganese, iron and other nutrients. Use only unsalted water with no other additives or spices when applying to plants and allow it to cool before using.
When saving seeds, select ones that are mature like the scarlet runner bean pods on the right. The green ones on the left are not mature and will not be viable.
Collect Seeds: Instead of buying seeds, save money by collecting them from your plants. Wait until seed pods turn brown as immature green seeds will not germinate. Gather them when they are dry to touch, not wet, to prevent rotting. Store in paper bags or envelopes in a frost-free, dry place. Label with harvest date & name. For more click on Collecting Seeds.
These are coleus cuttings were made from one plant during the summer.
Cuttings: If you haven’t propagated plants vegetatively, give it a go. It’s not difficult and it sure is rewarding. There are many types of cuttings depending on the type of plant and season. Right now, take semi-hardwood cuttings from trees, shrubs and vines. Take herbaceous cuttings from impatiens, coleus and other bedding plants/annuals. Grow successful herbaceous cuttings as houseplants in the winter then plant them outside in spring after the danger of frost has passed. To learn more about cuttings click here.
A fine harvest of Norland potatoes.
Potatoes: Harvest ‘new’ potatoes when plants flower, by reaching into the soil and pulling out the baby spuds with your hand. For the main crop, wait for plants to yellow then stop watering. For more information click here.
Planters: Toss out forlorn petunias and other bedding plants and tidy up remaining plants. Remove spent flowers and their stalks, cut off any seed heads, cut overly long stems in half and remove any dead, diseased, broken and spindly growth. Water well, then fertilize with a liquid fertilizer such as 20-20-20.
A healthy raspberry crop doesn't have wilted tops.
Wilted Raspberries: When some of the raspberry shoot tips wilt, it’s not a lack of water but raspberry crown borers. Infested canes have two rings where the adult crown borer deposited her eggs. Remove part of the stem between the two rings and throw it out. If not removed, the larvae migrate down to the plant’s base. Infested canes break easily and die the following year. Since the pupa overwinters in the soil, it is important to remove affected canes asap.
To make weeding easier, water first, then get down on your hands and knees.
Weed: If your garden is infested with weeds, it’s probably because there isn’t any or an adequate amount of mulch on top of the soil. A 3-inch layer is a good deterrent. Even if a few weeds spring up in a mulched garden bed, they are easy to remove. Do not put fabric under the mulch as it defeats its positive effects. I’m not a fan of herbicides, even organic ones as dying weeds are unsightly. It’s not an instant fix either as repeat applications are necessary. Another issue is the spray drifting onto neighbouring plants, so hand weed, apply mulch and don’t spray.
A dragonfly is a welcome visitor.
Wildlife, Birds & Pollinators: Drought is a killer for wildlife as swales, ponds, ditches and other water sources dry up by August. This lack of water is detrimental to all living things from bees, birds and critters. Place pebbles in shallow dishes around the garden and fill them with water. Bees, butterflies and other insects use pebbles to rest on as they take a drink. Fill with fresh water daily to avoid contamination.
Carrot flowers are not only pretty, pollinators love them.
Veggies flowers for pollinators: Allow crops grown for their foliage and roots such as lettuce, spinach, beets, and radish to flower. Keep a few in the ground to provide food for pollinators. All kinds of bees and butterflies covet their simple flowers.
A shallow dist of water is a lifesaver for many species during periods of drought.
Don't compost bindweed and other aggressive weeds.
Compost: After adding raw veggie kitchen scraps, turn the compost pile with a garden fork. Add water if it is dry. Top the pile with a couple of inches of brown (carbon) layer of shredded newspaper or dried foliage to reduce flies, fungus gnats and rodents. If the pile is too wet, mix in shredded newspaper and finish with a couple of inches of torn newspaper or dried leaves. Avoid seedy weeds, buttercups, bindweed, horsetails and other plants that spread. Don’t add cooked food, fat, or meat. To learn more about composting click here.
Keeping a monthly photo journal of your garden is a handy planning tool and it's nice to see how the garden changes and progresses over time.
Take Pictures: This is a suitable time to assess your garden and take a few photos. Take note of any plant that needs to be transplanted, overcrowded beds, beds that are too sparse, areas that lack flowers and seasonal interest. Wait until autumn to move plants to more suitable locations and to plant new plants.
Harvest
An August harvest includes garlic, tomatoes, kale, potatoes, bush beans. Basil accompanies a bright yellow Julia Child rose.
Harvest: Visit the veggie garden daily to harvest crops at their peak and to keep them pumping out
more delicious food. The morning is the best time to harvest, once the morning dew has dissipated and the plants are dry. Touching wet plants spreads diseases. While harvesting, remove and discard anything that is infected, buggy and past its prime. For more on specific crops click on Harvesting. August Lawns
Weeds don't mind the drought conditions, but the lawn sure does.
August is a tough time for lawns. Our northern grasses don’t like the heat and the lack of rain. Due to lack of rain, our current stage 2 water restrictions are in effect so watering lawns is now prohibited.
There is one more thing you can do to offset the ramifications of no irrigation - raise the mower to 3 inches. The longer grass helps shade the roots, cools the soil and produces more food for the wee grass plants. To renew lawns and lay new ones, wait until autumn when the rains return and the temperatures cool (can hardly wait). Click on the following links for more info: Lawn Care Basics - Lawn Maintenance Schedule - Mossy Lawns - Lawn Reno Seed & Sod - Lawn Grub Control - Lawn Alternatives 
A fragrant Stargazer lily.
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Drought Tips & Techniques
Even veggies need mulch to protect them from the elements. These peppers benefit from a thick layer of torn newspapers.
There’s no need to give up on watering your garden because of local water restrictions. Edible plants (veggies, fruits and herbs) are exempt from regulations in Metro Vancouver. Watering trees, shrubs and flowers is permitted any day from 5 am to 9 am if using a sprinkler, or any time if hand watering or using drip irrigation. To learn more click on Drought Gardening.
To further save water, use the dirty dishwater by washing the dishes in a tub in the sink, include a bucket when you shower and bail the water after a bath. Rain barrels are a great idea, especially when rainwater is directed from the house gutters to a downspout. Instead of water going down the drains, collect water in a bucket while you shower. Don’t discard unsalted water from boiling veggies and eggs as it contains numerous nutrients. And mulch! Add three inches of wood chips or another mulch on top of the soil and around plants to keep the soil from baking and to reduce evaporation. It really does work. 
Note the pattern of wetness on drip irrigation does not go far.
Drip systems & Soaker hoses only wet a very small area so each plant has to has it’s own emitter. Note the pattern of wetness on the soil and adjust the time accordingly. To make them more effective, add 3 inches of mulch over top of the soil between plants. Don’t rely on drip or soaker hoses as supplement watering is often necessary.
Sprinklers and timers: Due to current water restrictions I have the sprinklers on a timer, so I don’t have to get up at 5 am to turn them on. Timers are a great idea. They are easy to set up and available where sprinklers are sold.
Protecting Plants & Soil
A handy dandy brolly shades a wilting garden phlox.
Not all wilting plants need water. Direct sunshine will bring many healthy plants to their knees. West and south facing gardens have a tendency as the sun is quite intense. Prevent wilting and brown, crispy burned leaves by shading plants with an umbrella, trellis with a table cloth draped over it. Don't forget to remove it once the sun has moved off the plant.
Avoid rock mulch.
This newly laid rock mulch will heat up during the day and regrettably does not retain moisture.
There is a common misconception that rock mulches are suitable for drought gardens. The opposite is true. Unlike organic mulches such as recycled wood chips, they don't hold moisture in the soil, they don't cool the soil, and they don't insulate the soil from temperature extremes. Organic mulch does all those things and more. Lay 3 inches on top of the soil between plants. Don't dig it in. Leave it be and add more as needed. For more information on how to mulch and the different kinds click on Mulch & Mulching.
Remember your trees!
The leaves of this very dry katsura are folded inwards giving the tree a silver cast.
Although trees are tough cookies, they still need water to live. If they don’t receive enough, they will be attacked by insects and diseases. Trees don’t appear to wilt, however they do show signs of drought. They take on a silvery, grey cast as their leaves fold inwards revealing the back of the foliage. Severe lack of water causes branches to die back, which starts at their tips. Eventually the whole limb will die, followed by the entire tree. Yes, trees will die if they don’t receive an adequate amount of water.
Give trees a good soaking around the dripline (the perimeter of the canopy). Don’t apply it against the trunk as the feeder roots are under the canopy. Tree roots are extensive, so place a soaker hose around the dripline for 4 hours or use a garden hose to dribble water for an hour, then move it a few feet to fully go around the dripline of the tree. A sprinkler is also a good choice, but only on a gentle flow to prevent run off. Dig down to see how deep the water has penetrated. If it isn’t wet two feet down, continue to add water until it is. And don't forget to water street trees planted by the city around your property. They count too. 
A tree's dripline is a Critical Root Zone where fibrous roots absorb moisture and food.
In The Veggie Garden
Oops! This tomato needs a drink.
Veggie Love: For tastier produce water plants before they wilt, so check on them daily. To save water and to prevent shallow roots, avoid watering just a bit every day. Deep, long soaks a couple of times a week grow stronger plants and is more efficient. After watering, dig down with a trowel to make sure the soil is wet past the roots.
For more information on veggie gardening click on: Growing Food - Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting - Harvesting - Growing Potatoes 
Cure harvested garlic by hanging them up in a dry location.
Onions & garlic: To encourage big bulbs, snip off garlic flowers as they appear (make them into pesto or add to stir fries). Dig up any onions that have produced a flower as the bulbs won’t get any larger so you might as well harvest them now. For onions that haven’t flowered, the bulbs will continue to grow. As the bulbs mature, they will slowly rise out of the soil. This is part of their development so don’t cover them. When leaves start to yellow, bend their tops over and stop watering. Dig them up when the foliage browns, trim foliage back to an inch above the onion. Cure on dry ground for a couple of days. Store in a dry, dark location, 4 to 15°C (40 to 60°F)
It's Tomato Season
A successful tomato harvest.
It’s been good weather for tomatoes in British Columbia as it’s been a pleasantly hot and dry summer. Here’s some tips to make sure our tomato crops reach maturity quickly and in good health.
Watering Tomatoes: To avoid fruit from splitting and prevent blossom end rot, maintain consistent soil moisture with a layer of straw or torn newspapers on top of the soil. Water deeply once a week to a depth of 12 to 14 inches. Shallow watering promotes smaller fruit lacking in flavour. Keep water off the foliage to discourage diseases. Water in the morning, but don’t delay if plants are wilting.
Encourage Ripening: There are numerous ways to hasten tomato ripening. Snip off stem ends just above tomato clusters a month before the first frost date in your area. Cut overly long stems back to a leaf, flowers or a tomato. Remove foliage that is shading ripening fruit.This encourages the remaining fruit to ripen. Don't prune plants if they are wilting due to lack of water. Click on Speeding up Tomato Harvest for more.
Cut stems just above the tomato fruit to encourage ripening.
Tomato suckers & taming: Pinch out suckers before they get too big. Remove any foliage that touches the ground. Cut back overly long stems to a leaf, flower cluster or a tomato. Water well after pruning. For more on tomato taming click on Taming Tomatoes.
The tomato leaf on the right is lacking in nitrogen.
Feeding Tomatoes: Feed hungry, yellowing plants with a liquid organic fertilizer such as kelp. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers (first number highest ex: 30-10-10) to prevent large plants with little fruit that’s prone to insects and diseases. For more on fertilizers click here. Avoid synthetic fertilizers such as Miracle Grow as they harm the soil’s ecosystem, especially when used repeatedly. Use organic fertilizers high in phosphorus to promote flowers ex: 6-8-6. Use Epsom salts every other week to provide magnesium & sulfur. Mix 2 tablespoons to one gallon of water or scatter the grains around each plant then water well.
Cut your losses and pick tomatoes asap after plants become infected.
Tomato Diseases: Detach any nasty fruit and foliage ASAP from the plant and ground and discard, don’t compost. Harvest ripe crops daily to prevent them from rotting on the plants. Water in the morning. Plants should not be wet at dusk. Keep water off the foliage to reduce early and late blight, powdery mildew and other diseases. For more on tomatoes check out: Tomato Tips - Saving Tomato Seeds - Preventing Diseases
Tomato Troubles includes: Quickie Tomato Troubles Table, Happy Tomatoes - Late Blight - Cracked Tomatoes, Blossom End Rot -Verticillium Wilt, Early Blight A wee bit o' Prunin'
After cutting back a camellia, its once hidden foliage is exposed and quickly burns in the sun.
Pruning Trees & Shrubs: Go easy on the pruning this month as trees and shrubs are under stress due to high temperatures and lack of precipitation. Be aware that the removal of outer branches exposes the inner tender and shaded foliage to the sun resulting in brown crispy leaves. Refrain from doing surgery when plants are wilting.
Remove dead lavender flowers now or allow birds to feast on their fragrant seeds.
Pruning annuals, perennials, roses and fruit trees benefit from some select pruning. Annuals: Deadhead petunias, alyssum and other bedding plants and cut spindly stems in half.
Perennials: Cut back flowering stems of perennial plants to tidy them up and to prevent them from going to seed (unless you want to collect their seeds to propagate). 
A Bathsheba climbing rose requires pruning, watering and feeding after the flowers fade.
Remove dead roses by cutting canes back to a 5 or 7 leaflet leaf.
Roses: Remove blossoms once they have finished flowering. Cut back stems to an outward facing leaf with 5 to 7 leaflets, a node or a side branch. Feed and water afterwards. Click here for more on pruning roses.
Apples: cut back side stems of the main branches to a couple of buds to encourage more fruit.
Fruit Trees: Remove: suckers, dead, diseased, overly long branches and ones that are in the way. Prune back the side branches of apple trees to encourage fruiting spurs. Cut them back to only a few buds and in a couple of years, they should revert to buds (fruiting spurs) that produce flowers, and subsequently apples. For more click here.
Wisteria: Cut back each side branch to a 2 to 4 buds (nodes). This will also increase the number of flowers as the remaining buds should revert to fruiting spurs in a couple of years. Grapes: Prune back all leafy side shoots back to fruit clusters. For more on pruning grapes click here. Raspberry and blackberry: Cut down canes that have already borne fruit this year. After Pruning: To help plants bounce back give them a nice drink and feed them with fish, kelp or another organic plant food. For more on pruning click here. 
Clip hedges, including cedars (arborvitae, Thuja) so their new growth with be hardened-off before frost arrives.
August's Arrangement
August 2023
Lilies and hydrangeas are the stars of this months floral arrangement. For a numbered guide to the specific flower names and for other arrangements go to Monthly Flower Arrangements
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Plant of the month
Shrubby Cinquefoil
Shrubby cinquefoils blossom throughout the summer.
The Goldfinger cultivar is a moderate grower that reaches 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide at maturity.
Shrubby cinquefoil flowers have 5 petals and many yellow stamens.
Flowers appear at the end of the many stems.
Goldfinger is a bright yellow cultivar with slightly cupped petals.
Bella Bellissima.is a slow growing cultivar with pink flowers that deepen with age
Bella Bellissima is a compact 3’x3’ on mounded green foliage.
The pure white blossom of an Abbotswood cinquefoil.
Mango Tango is aptly named and one of my favourites.
Bella Sol is a hardy cultivar suitable for USDA zones 2 to 6.
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Common Name: cinquefoil
Botanical Name: Potentilla fruticosa Form: round, dense, compact Family: Rosaceae Genus: Potentilla Species: fruiticosa Plant Type: deciduous shrub Mature Size: 2.00 to 4.00 feet x 3.00 to 5.00 feet Maintenance: low, easy care shrub Origin: North America, Europe an Northern Asia Hardiness Zone: 3 to 7 Foliage: compound-pinnate, 5 narrow elliptic leaflets, green with a slight blue tint Flowers: June to autumn, yellow, 1.5” across, 5 petals, Exposure: full sun is best for flowering, tolerates light shade Soil: soil tolerant but prefers evenly moist soils with good drainage Uses: specimen, massing, foundation planting, mixed borders, low hedge, containers Attracts: butterflies, pollinators Invasive Tendencies: none Tolerates: air pollution, rabbits, deer, drought, erosion, sandy soils Propagation: softwood cutting in early summer Pruning: cut back in fall or winter and remove spindly, old and dead stems Problems: minor issues with powdery mildew, does not like shade and wet soils Comments: This easy to grow shrub is a native of many parts of the northern hemisphere, including North America. This well-behaved 3-foot little shrub with it’s bright yellow flowers, is popular in many gardens. Flowering begins in June and continues throughout the summer into autumn. There simple flowers have 5 cupped petals that surround a mass of yellow stamens. Green tufted leaves cover the many stems. Potentillas are tough cookies. They have excellent winter hardiness tolerating conditions of minus 40 °C, (-40 °F). Although they adapt to many types of soils, including clay, potentillas must have good drainage. Versatile cinquefoils also tolerate drought once they are well established. Due to their dense and twiggy growth, pruning is essential to keep plants popping out lots of flowers. Cut back all stems by a quarter in fall, winter or early spring. During that time, remove any dead stems and overly mature ones that are not producing blossoms. Remove all spindly stems and ones growing towards the plant centre. Although cinquefoil's yellow flowers are adorable, other colours are now available including white, orange, amber and pink cultivars. Check out your local nursery for new varieties or go for the classic yellow species that never disappoints. 
Flowers continue to form on the new stems during the summer.
Green tufted leaflets cover the many stems.
Abbotswood shrubby cinquefoil is Royal Horticultural Society award winner.
Mango Tango is a neatly rounded shrub that grows 2 feet tall and wide.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
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for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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