Gardeners are constantly looking for ways to make gardening easier and more carefree “Low maintenance” is often the holy grail for most of us. One of the easiest ways to reduce the “work” of gardening is to use plants native to our states. Because they are adapted to our local environmental conditions, they offer a …
A special resource for native plant lovers Story by Cynthia Wood Nestled into the rolling hills of Nelson County, not far from Charlottesville, is Virginia’s newest botanical garden, the Quarry Gardens at Schuyler. Founded by Armand and Bernice Thieblot, the garden is an important resource for people interested in learning about native plants. Visit in …
Story by Michelle Reynolds The diversity of Alabama’s flora makes it super easy for the Alabama gardener to be inspired by native plants for their beauty, their architectural interest, as well as the wildlife they attract to the home garden. And with more nurseries, local botanical gardens, and nature centers focusing on the propagation and …
Story by Peggy Hill Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) was chosen as the featured native plant for the 2018 Birmingham Botanical Gardens spring plant sale, and Gail Snyder, Native Plant Group chairperson, explains why: “Zizia aurea is one of our lesser-known native plants, and therefore it is sadly underutilized. We hope that featuring Zizia will encourage …
Do your part in stopping the spread of invasives Story by Michelle Reynolds Take a hike in any nearby woods, and chances are good that you will see the effects of someone’s poorly thought out landscape plan. In my neck of the woods (Birmingham and central Alabama), I see escaped English ivy (Hedera helix) climbing …
A list of lists of great native plants for your Mississippi landscape Gardeners are constantly looking for ways to make gardening easier and more carefree. “Low maintenance” is often the holy grail for most of us. One of the easiest ways to reduce the “work” of gardening is to use plants native to our state. …
Story by Denise Pugh Nothing says springtime quite like a dogwood tree in full bloom. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is native to the eastern United States. Virginia and North Carolina claim its bloom as their states’ flower, and Missouri claims the dogwood as its state tree. This tree is often associated with Easter according to …
A master gardener majestic masterpiece Story by Susan Jasan Graceful. Stately. Exquisite. These words define this refined Southern home and its landscape. The landscape is especially unique because the owners, Deb and David Short, believe that if a plant doesn’t provide food for one of nature’s creatures, then it doesn’t have a home in the …
An ongoing series of plant profiles for Louisiana landscapes Story and Photos by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon A pond filled with masses of 6-inch blue or purple flower spikes jutting from the attractive green foliage of native pickerelweed is a sight to behold. Among the flowers, you will surely see an assortment of brightly colored butterflies, …
Story and Photos by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon If you enjoy large, showy, saucer-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds and pollinators, then you will love native rosemallow. This cold-hardy, heat-tolerant hibiscus grows well in wet places or in moist full-sun to part-shade beds and perennial borders, in formal or naturalized settings. Several outstanding cultivars and hybrids have …
