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You are here: Home / Archives for native plants

Updated on July 10, 2017

Buttonbush for Wet Soils and Cool Blooms!

Common buttonbush flower with skipper butterfly

Nature produces some interesting shapes and this is very true for the flower of the buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). Common buttonbush (or buttonwillow) produces these crazy looking little spiky ball-like blooms of compound florets. They’re pretty cool, actually, and both bees and butterflies agree. I caught this skipper butterfly feeding on a buttonbush flower while hiking in Choctaw Lake Recreation Area in the Tombigbee National … [Read more...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Flowers & Plants, Shrubs / butterflies, flowers, moist soil, native plants, shrubs

Updated on June 7, 2017

To Find a Windflower

Although I've lived in Mississippi for a long time off and on, there are many of our state's wildflowers that I still haven't seen. There are so many beautiful surprises in the woods, lawns, and roadsides of Mississippi. We just have to look for them. As I was walking through a nearby neighborhood in March, I stumbled across a patch of small white flowers in the yard of one of the houses. This was a new discovery for me and I went online to my … [Read more...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Flowers & Plants / native plants, wildflowers

Updated on June 1, 2017

Wildflowers in Michigan

Pink Ladyslipper

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...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Flowers & Plants / native plants, wildflowers

Updated on April 14, 2017

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...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Flowers & Plants / native plants, wildflowers

Updated on April 7, 2017

Annual Native Plant Sales in Mississippi

Joe Pye Weed

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...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Directories, Flowers & Plants / native plants

Updated on November 7, 2019

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...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Directories, Flowers & Plants / garden centers, native plants, plant nurseries

Updated on February 27, 2017

Bringing in the Beauty of Spring

Virginia spring beauty (Claytonia virginica)

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...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Flowers & Plants / bees, full sun, moist soil, native plants, part shade, spring, spring flowers, wildflowers

Updated on November 7, 2019

Fall Asters: Purple Blooms for Bees, Butterflies, & Beauty

Fall blooming aster

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...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Flowers & Plants / bees, butterflies, fall, flowers, full sun, native plants, wildflowers

Updated on November 7, 2019

The 5 Best Southeastern Trees for Fall Color

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...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Flowers & Plants, Trees / fall, fall color, native plants, trees

Updated on September 9, 2016

Fog Fruit – Mississippi Wildflower

Fog fruit - Phyla lanceolata

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...]

Article by Garden Experiments / Flowers & Plants / full sun, native plants, Summer, wildflowers

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About Me

Welcome! My name is Kathy and I live in Mississippi Zone 7B. Gardening has always relaxed and rooted me (literally!). It's my happy place. With over 25 years of gardening, I am far from an expert, but I learn from all my experiments. This blog talks about the plants, backyard critters, and more that have made my garden special. Read More

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