This early spring sky is filled with butterflies! I am seeing so many eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) feeding on colorful spring flowers that it has really brightened my days. Eastern tiger swallowtails are quite large - with a wingspan of 3 to 5.5 inches and with their bright yellow wings with blue spots, they put on quite a show. If you want to bring them to your garden, there are some early spring flowering plants … [Read more...]
How Do Frogs Survive the Winter?
It was dark, warm, and humid last night when I opened my door to take my dog, Charlie, for a walk. We had to be careful not to slip on the wet cement as he went racing out to sniff the ground. We walked the block to the sound of insects and frogs singing their little hearts out. I love when we get a few warm 60-degree days in the middle of winter. It brings out a chorus of frogs singing – like a promise of spring to come. As we headed back … [Read more...]
How to Survive the Winter: For Gardeners
It’s gray, foggy, and drizzling outside – a perfect Mississippi winter day. When winter arrives, I curl up on the couch, tuck in the extra blankets, close my eyes and fervently wish I was somewhere tropical. I wish, I wish, I wish! Yep, still here. The only thing that gets me through these yucky days when I can’t be outside are my indoor plants. They suffer neglect in the spring and summer, but in the winter, they get all my … [Read more...]
What is that? The Unique (and Rare) Flowers of the Cast Iron Plant
I adore plants. So when I had the opportunity to salvage some from the flower beds at my old home, I spent hours of my weekends digging and sweating in the Mississippi humidity in spite of the fact that I didn't keep these plants. I just don't have any more room at my current house for more plants right now and with the winter weather quickly approaching, these transplants needed a new home and quick. My friends and family were happy to … [Read more...]
Coral Honeysuckle – Native Vine for Hummingbirds
Have you ever plucked a honeysuckle flower, turned it around and gently sucked the nectar from the tube-shaped back of the flower? If you grew up in the southeastern U.S., I bet you did. That taste of super-sweet honey nectar always makes me think of summer nights spent chasing fireflies and summer days spent running wild and free. Imagine my surprise when taking a class on native plants and shrubs in college that I learned that the yellow … [Read more...]
October 2017 – Favorite Photos from My Garden
Blues and purples are the colors of fall in my garden with an occasional splash of red. Mostly, it's the salvias putting on a show. I do have a few mums that bloom each year, but I like to focus on those plants that bloom in fall that are a little less common. This October, we have seen temperatures fluctuate from the mid-80's in the day to one night that flirted with freezing temperatures. Fall is always a mix of weather here in Mississippi - … [Read more...]
The Delicate, But Aggressive, Cypress Vine
When my cypress vine (Ipomoea quamoclit) is blooming, it is covered in tiny, star-shaped, brilliantly red flowers. Although they are tiny, the flowers really stand out against the light green of the leaves and vine. My favorite part about the cypress vine is its dainty, feather-like leaves. The leaves look so fragile and fairy-like that, even when it isn’t blooming, this vine puts on a little show. But don’t be fooled by the delicate … [Read more...]
Low-Maintenance Container Gardens
With the hot sun and the high humidity of our Mississippi summers, having a lot of container gardens sprinkled around my yard usually means I'm going to have to do a lot of watering each week. Watering my garden is a tedious chore. The hose gets tangled on everything, my shoes usually end up getting wet, and it gives the mosquitoes plenty of time to suck my veins dry. It's a Catch-22. If you have container gardens here in Mississippi, … [Read more...]
Are Monarchs the only Butterflies That Migrate (in North America)?
The orange and black colors of a monarch butterfly are so well-known and we keep an eye out for them each year. It is common knowledge that these butterflies migrate from their nesting grounds in Mexico into the northern United States and back each year. But did you know there are other butterflies the migrate? The most prominent display of migratory butterflies in my garden each year are the Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanilla) and the … [Read more...]
Cute Green Porch Visitors
After a week of fall temperatures (one week BEFORE fall), we are back in the heat and humidity of a typical summer day even though we are now officially in the fall season. On a particularly humid night, I opened the back door of my house to see these two little cuties hanging out. They were sitting on a chair directly underneath the porch light, taking advantage of the light attracting a bunch of moths and other flying insects. I am sure they … [Read more...]
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