It's been several years since I've been able to fully appreciate the beauty of our pink-blooming hibiscus. Japanese beetles, you see, typically ruin them, just as their dinnerware-sized flower heads burst into bloom.

But this growing season is different. There are fewer Japanese beetles on the property. So the 12-inch hibiscus flower heads look impressive.

The hibiscus I grow is Hibiscus moscheutos, also known as the "swamp-rose mallow." Depending upon the variety, it blooms in hues ranging from white through red. It's also a hardy native American perennial that prefers moist soil.

The hibiscus family of plants is quite large, and our swamp-rose mallow has plenty of relatives. Its most "flavorful" is the species from which marshmallows are made, Hibiscus syriacus.

Swamp-rose mallow is the perfect plant for the space it occupies: a micro wetland.

Remember, the difference between having a gratifying gardening experience, as opposed to one that's frustrating, is often determined by a plant's compatibility with the space it occupies. In other words, if you provide a plant with what it requires in the way of sun, soil and water, success is more likely.

Because our hibiscus prefers moist soil, I planted it next to a rain barrel that spills onto the hibiscus bed when it overflows. The plant is also growing in full sun, a condition necessary for it to bloom prolifically.

Additionally, this particular hibiscus variety is nearly pest-free, except for being attractive to Japanese beetles. But since each flower only lasts a day, if beetles spoil a few I only have to wait until the following day for fresh flowers to develop. The flower show lasts from July until frost.

Even though Jack Frost causes our hibiscus to die back to its roots each fall, new and additional "canes" (vertical, flowering stems) sprout during late spring and begin blooming after growing several feet tall.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying this season's spectacle while it lasts.

This week in the garden

If you're harvesting more tomatoes than you know what to do with, you can easily save your surplus by freezing whole tomatoes within freezer bags, after first washing them.

As frozen tomatoes thaw, they lose their firmness. On the other hand, soft tomatoes are ideal to cook with.

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