We may be neighbors. I am in North Shelby county which is in Hardiness Zone
7a. Zone 7b may be near the Mississippi-Tennessee border. Perhaps more or at
least equally important than hardiness is our location in Heat Zone 8. Our
hot, humid weather without a nightly cool down is a killer to many plants.
So....
Photo 1 = nice dog
Photo 2 = Dogwood, probably Cornus florida. Dogwoods struggle here because
of the Heat Zone. The same tree in Knoxville, Tennessee or Greenville,
South Carolina with Hardiness Zone 7a will thrive. Their Heat Zone is a cool
7. Planting facing the hot afternoon sun is not the best location.
Shade from the midday sun would be better. Your dogwood looks OK for this
time of year in our area. Long-term care is to water well for 2 or 3 years
to
develop an extensive root system. Once established they will handle our
climate. Dogwoods here are also easy to kill by too much water. Good
drainage is important. Allow the soil to dry to just slightly moist between
waterings. You didn't say how deep the black topsoil is over the clay.
Digging a hole in clay collects the water and can drown the plant. The hole
should be at least 3 times wider than the plant rootball. Plants here should
be
planted about 6 inches higher than the normal soil height. Plant in a 6
inch mound of soil and keep a 3 inch layer of mulch on it. Dogwoods here are
often attacked by tree borers. Look for small holes and apply an
insecticide. Scary, isn't it. But the spring flowers are worth the effort.
Photo 3 = Hosta on the left and Aucuba on the right. Both do well here.
Most Hosta here do best in full or part shade. Aucuba is a plant for
full shade or part shade. I do have some that are doing well in sun.
Photo 4 = Bearded Iris which does well here in sun.
Photo 5 = Camellia in a good spot for it here. This plant is considered
marginally hardy but in my 16 years here I have noted some very old
specimens that have done well. You will need to do some pruning of the
leaders to
develop a denser plant. Prune immediately after flowering stops. As it is
now it will soon be above your house.
Photo 6 = It is a maple and probably Acer saccharum. It will be a very large
tree with no problems except for the fall leaf raking. The native Red Maple
(Acer rubrum) would have been my first choice. True Sycamore on this side of
the pond are called Platanus. Acer psudoplatanus is commonly called Sycamore
Maple or Planetree Maple here. But the British have been naming plants long
before the unpleasantness of our tea party. I do agree with Stewart.
Regards...
over "Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In message .com,
writes
we live in the mid-south (the climate zone covers north mississippi,
southwest/central TN); soil is solid clay (hard, reddish color);
builder put black top soils on it.
1) neighbor's dog; friendly to me, but like to chase cars!
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5445.JPG
2) this tree faces the west and doesn't look very healthy.
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5448.jpg
leaves close-up:
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5449.JPG
3) what are the plants in the lower left and upper right, separately?
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5450.JPG
Looks like Hosta and Aucuba.
4) the root looks like ginger:
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5451.JPG
Identified as Iris elsethread.
5) pretty, with waxy leaves; dark green, very healthy:
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5452.jpg
leaves, flowers, fruits closeup:
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5453.JPG
Camellia
6) i think this is maple; but what kind? i did some research and
exclude "florida maple", although florida maple is native to where i
live and popular.
leaves:
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5454.JPG
balk:
http://216.119.177.53/help2ID/DSC_5455.jpg
Possibly Acer rubrum or Acer saccharum. (It's not Acer pseudoplatanus
(sycamore) as possibly suggested elsethread.)
thanks a lot.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley