Garden Experiments
For the love of gardening and wildlife habitat
You can find the perfect plant for a shady garden if you have part-shade or full-shade spots in your garden. Shade-tolerant plants can have flowers, colorful leaves, great patterns, or a combination. Choose between perennial plants and annuals for shade gardens.
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 …
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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
American beautyberry is a perennial, native shrub found throughout the southeast that is deer resistant and an excellent food source for birds and pollinators. The rich purple color of the berries adds brilliant color to the shady areas of your garden. When planted in groupings, the color of the berries is a show stopper. American beautyberry …
Continue Reading about How to Grow American Beautyberry Bush (Callicarpa americana)
This native plant has the coolest little red flowers that hummingbirds love. And they bloom in fall! Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus) is native to the southern United States. It's hardy in USDA zones 7 through 11. It grows in both sun and part-shade, but plant it in more sun for the best flowers. It is a perennial, deciduous, shrub-like …
Rudbeckia maxima, otherwise known as the giant coneflower, is in the Asteracea family. The flower resembles a brown-eyed Susan, but the petals hang down, and the center is much taller. This plant can grow up to 7 feet tall. Planted in a large group, it makes a nice visual impact. Other common names for this wildflower include cabbage …
