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 Daylily 'Moses' Fire'
So what’s all the fuss about? The blossoms are huge, six inches across, and mounded like a Sno Cone in the middle. There’s no cold in the red-hot heart of this flower. The flowers are black-cherry-red set off with a gold border. If you are one of those gardeners whose favorite flower is the one blooming now, you will hate to see ‘Moses Fire’ stop sending up those beautiful buds. Take heart! ‘Moses Fire’ is remontant, meaning it blooms again later in the year. USDA Zones 4-9. Viburnums are a versatile group of shrubs. There are so many available in size, shape, and hardiness that there should be at least one in every garden. The birds adore the berries, which can be blue, almost black, or bright cherry red. Vibrunum dilatatum Cardinal Candy™ is the most reliable for gardens that have to withstand killing freezes. It has survived minus 25 degree F cold. Plant Cardinal Candy™ with confidence all the way to zone 4. Those bright red berries will stand out against the snow. Just don’t count on them to ornament your garden all winter. They could make the difference between living and dying for birds searching for food. USDA Zones 4-7.  Iris 'Red Hawk' There is now a southern red stemmed plant, hardy enough for both summer heat and those northern cold howlers. The Coral Embers Willow (Salix alba ssp. vitellina ‘Britzensis’) is a willow that spans the cold to hot spectrum. White winters or green, these bright red stems will shoot new life into the garden. To keep the red growing, just cut the whole thing back to within a few inches of the ground every spring. This technique is called pollarding. It forces new shoots from the willow, which in this case spring up red. USDA Zones 2-8. Tall bearded iris come in many colors but red has been elusive. Iris ‘Red Hawk’ is not true red, either, but seen from a distance its gemstone color blends are as red as a red-tailed hawk’s tail. Expect this jewel to send up its burnished blooms after most of the other irises have gone by. This tough perennial will take the southern summers and the northern winters, too. Iris x germanica ‘Red Hawk’ is highly recommended by Wayside Gardens. Have you grown it? Let me know what you think. USDA Zones 3-10. ---Posted by Coach Anne, August 6 2008---
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