Working slowly, well not too slowly, but mostly, in the humid mornings these days. Brilliant sun fades, even shuts down lots of plants flowering- especially with our hanging baskets.

At Lushlife Crinums, we are digging and shipping bulbs and telling people YES to the most common question put to us:

Yes, we ship in the heat of summer as Crinum bulbs LOVE heat and establish really well this time of year.

We’re also making plans to fund some research with Clemson University, some experimental crinum propagation.

At Moore Farms Garden, we weed, we weed, we weed. And yes, we even planted a new, unirrigated landscape today. Every cypress, redbud and ginkgo picked by intern Steven Bunn has a bucket with a hole in it – dripping on the roots.

Today, Madison, Debbie and I worked on a long term research project. Here are the general goals and a request for plant suggestions!

Hanging Basket Evaluation Goals & Standards

Plants Evergreen or primarily evergreen in Zone 8 and 9
Extremely drought tolerant
Able to be used as a base, possibly with a small container/space at top to add seasonal color. Not to provide color on their own
Live for 2 or more years without replanting
Sun to very light shade.

The goal is to evaluate plants that can be used for basic, simple, elegant hanging baskets and do not need more than once a week watering. (Do you know that most baskets, in municipal planting need water ONCE A DAY?) I spoke with a guy watering on Main St. in Columbia recently. In my opinion that is outrageous cost due solely to POOR plant selection. We want to help!

Here is the start of our plant list. We’ll end up with 20 plants – 3 repetitions of each. Will you add anything?

Carolina Jessamine
Smilax
Kniphofia
Agave
Vinca minor
Vinca major
Ficus vaccinoides
Trachelspermum childens
Nolina La Siberica
Grevillia
Hesperaloe campanufolia
Ruscus
Mahonia Soft caress
Rosemary Foxtail
Liriope or Ophipogon
Thirt Phlox divericatea
Sedum japonicum