Garden Experiments
For the love of gardening and wildlife habitat
Find solutions to some of the everyday problems you have in your garden. From planting in shady areas to preventing pests from eating your plants, we have tips and ideas to help solve your garden problem.
The Dianthus in my garden are one of the first flowers to bloom in early spring, just after the daffodils are done. These are the low-growing variety with pink, red, or white flowers. The plants are covered in blooms and come back every year. Many Dianthus are perennial and range in height from a low ground cover (4-5 inches) to tall …
Continue Reading about Dianthus: Pinks, Carnations, and Sweet Williams
Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia) is a non-native, deciduous, woody ornamental shrub. It provides only a little wildlife benefit, but it is suitable for soil retention and a privacy barrier and is a fast grower. It is an early spring bloomer and provides bright yellow to the landscape when there isn’t much other color. Flowers are profuse and …
Continue Reading about Forsythia: A Shrub for Early Spring Color
Purple passionflower, also known as maypop, is a relatively quick-growing, perennial, herbaceous vine in the Passifloraceae family. You can find this native vine growing throughout the Southeast from Texas to Kansas up to Pennsylvania and down to Florida. In Mississippi, I’ve often seen it in pastures or open fields. It’s a great addition to an …
Continue Reading about Purple Passionflower: Passiflora incarnata
If you want to add some color to your winter garden and provide food and shelter for songbirds and other wildlife simultaneously, American Holly (Ilex opaca) is a good choice. The berries form in October and persist throughout the winter when many other food sources are gone. Its leaves are evergreen and form a dense canopy. The bright red …
Continue Reading about Plant American Holly for Winter Color and Wildlife Food
In the South, fall brings a bright red carpet of strange spider-looking blooms. These are red spider lilies, also known as hurricane lilies (Lycoris radiata). Their bright red color adds vibrancy to the waning fall landscape. These flower bulbs are not native to the United States; they were introduced from China in the mid-1800s and have been …
Continue Reading about Fall’s Fiery Arrival: Discover the Striking Red Spider Lilies
Also known as Mexican bush sage, this salvia produces great fall color (purple and white) that attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It looks great mixed in with other flowers for interesting color combinations, or planted in a bunch to create a nice edge or border. How to Grow Mexican Salvia This plant thrives in full sun but …
Continue Reading about Mexican Salvia – Fall Blooming, Deer & Drought Resistant
