This fall's flower power is spectacular, and it is the good ol' Alabama native plants that are putting on the show. Purple, pink, blue, white, gold, and yellow flowers are blooming everywhere, especially on the road sides, the edges of the fields, deep into the woods, and wow, all over my garden. These beautiful plants are under-appreciated and underused by gardeners but not by the insects that seek them out. Where there are insects, there are birds. Fall is a feeding frenzy for migratory birds as they are flying over the state, dropping down for a bite to eat, building up energy and fat reserves to make the long flight down to the southern US, or across the gulf to Mexico, to Central or South America for the winter. Without enough insects, seeds, and nectar, the birds will not be able to make their destinations. Fall season plants offer the perfect combo platter for insects, birds, as well as other critters preparing for winter. Don't take for granted the wildlife uses and importance of the seemingly common roadside plants. Plant them in your gardens! 

Fall wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs that are quite showy this time of year include:  false foxglove (Agalinus), wild ageratum (Conoclinium or Eupatorium), frostweed or white wingstem (Verbesina), wild Asters (Symphyotrichum), blazing star (Liatris), goldenrod  (Solidago), wild Lobelias, Silphium, boneset and thouroghwort (Eupatorium), pink Muly grass  (Muhlenbergia capillaris), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), sumac (Rhus)

The parking lot median at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve may look a little messy, but hey, it is a nature preserve not a botanical garden. It is throughout the messy median where local birders spot many birds. The area has plenty of seeds, bugs, and cover. I would not want to take that away. Besides, I like to have at least one spot in a garden that is not in order. You can't control everything and why would you want to? Let an area be unkept to remind you that disorder is not always a bad thing. Observe what happens in that area and you will feel amazingly good about it.

When we designed and installed the gardens at Ruffner Mountain, our focus was on adding the natural functions back into the landscape and restoring the land disturbed during the building of the new Nature Center. It was a collaborative process involving expert to novice gardeners, educators and native plant enthusiasts who had an interest in improving the relationship between the building and the land. We all had the common goal to enhance the campus and turn it into an integrated environmental education garden. The idea was to add functional and educational components to the landscape by developing areas that mimic the mountain's plant communities and their conditions. Using rocks excavated during construction, we mimicked the rock formations of the mountain. Landscape designer Arnold Rutkis designed and installed creek bed systems to take care of rainwater runoff. Volunteers followed by site harvesting and planting native plants. Donated mulch and compost completed the first phase of the project. In a second phase, a rain garden was installed and planted by using the same methods. 

By planting rain gardens and by harvesting our rain water, we are addressing urban issues of water runoff, and teaching visitors how to be water wise. Every volunteer and visitor, regardless of their knowledge and expertise, learns something about the environment and walks away with the knowledge of what they can do to help protect it.