I love traveling to different places and getting to see the wildflowers and botanical gardens there. It's especially fun when the native plants are different than the ones that grow in Mississippi. It's fun to see how many I already know and then try to identify the new ones. Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary On a recent trip to Michigan, we walked the Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary Trail. The Michigan Garden Clubs provided an excellent map that … [Read more...]
Prairie Blue-eyed Grass
It's early April, but I've already started mowing the grass. The backyard just got a little too unruly and I have already gotten my first tick of the season. This is always a sign that it's time to mow. I try to never walk through grass that is higher than my ankle just for that reason. Now, the front yard I try to keep looking really nice and well kept so the neighbors don't get too upset about my 'wild' gardening style, but the backyard I … [Read more...]
Annual Native Plant Sales in Mississippi
In addition to plant nurseries and garden centers that carry native plants, you can often find sales of native plants at specific events or organizations throughout the year. These native plant sales are coordinated by the organization listed below, so please visit their website or give them a call to make sure you know the dates and locations for their current sales. Clinton Nature Center The Clinton Nature Center is a nonprofit organization … [Read more...]
Where To Buy Native Plants in Mississippi
Directory of Plant Nurseries & Garden Centers in Mississippi that Sell Native Plants Adding native plants to your garden is a great way to support native pollinators and attract wildlife. Not only that, but these plants are perfectly suited to our climate and soils, so they’re hardy and generally easy to grow. Finding sources to get specific native plants can be a bit of a challenge. Here are some nurseries that can get you started on the … [Read more...]
Bringing in the Beauty of Spring
Spring Beauties Just when I reach my limit with the bleakness of winter and cold temperatures, the tiniest of pink striped flowers start to poke their heads out of lawns and ditches. To me, the Virginia spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) is a harbinger of spring and warmer weather. These flowers bloom just before the false garlic – so they fill up the lawns and ditches before the taller flowers begin to grow leaves and bloom. In … [Read more...]
Fall Asters: Purple Blooms for Bees, Butterflies, & Beauty
Fall in Mississippi still tends toward the warmer temps, which means that bees and butterflies are still hanging around. The scorching heat and sun of the late summer has often killed off many of the most prolific flowering plants, meaning there are less flowers for the pollinators to feed on. Adding a few fall-flowering plants can provide a food source for pollinators and add some extra beauty to your garden for the season. How to Grow Fall … [Read more...]
The 5 Best Southeastern Trees for Fall Color
Many of our Southeastern forests are dominated by oaks and pines, which don't have much color in the fall. If you want vivid fall color in your backyard, these are some of the trees that shine. 1. Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) With so many cultivars to choose from, you'll be able to find the right size, shape, and color for your backyard. In the fall, some Japanes maple leaves turn gold, some turn bright red, and others orange or other … [Read more...]
Fog Fruit – Mississippi Wildflower
I took this photo on a hot, steamy late August day on the banks of the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Mississippi. The name of this plant just makes me smile. Fog fruit - I can just picture the fog rolling in from the river and resting around this little plant. Plant Names The scientific name of this plant is Phyla lanceolata. Common names include fog fruit and lance leaf fog fruit. Appearance of Fog Fruit The tiny little rings of pale … [Read more...]
Stokes Aster – Beautiful and Blue
A few years ago, I acquired a new plant that has quickly become one of my favorites - Stokes Aster (Stokesia laevis). These stunning purple-blue flowers simply captured my heart. I really like incorporating native plants and flowers into my garden. They are easy to grow and very hardy AND they attract butterflies and hummingbirds. [Read my top five benefits of gardening with native plants] Additional, some native plants are very interesting … [Read more...]
Scentless Mock Orange – When a Dogwood isn’t a Dogwood at All
The yard of the house I lived in two years ago was lined at the edge with these beautiful flowering shrubs. I had never seen them before and the neighbors told me they were English dogwoods. The flowers certainly resembled the bracts that make up the showy white part the dogwood tree, but something was a little off. After doing some online research, I discovered that this lovely woody shrub is none other than the scentless mock orange … [Read more...]
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