Oak leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a favorite of native plant gardeners for many reasons. If you're looking for a shrub that is hardy, produces beautiful flowers, can grow in the shade, and has lovely fall colors, look no further. Here are just a few of the reasons why I love this shrub: #1 The large white flowers (in the shade!!) These flowers are quite simply gorgeous! They can get 6-10 inches long and have clusters of small white … [Read more...]
Trees for Your Southern Landscape: A Walk through the Forest in Your Backyard
As gardeners, we usually think of flowering plants and vegetables when we think of our gardens, but trees and shrubs play an important role as well. Trees provide shelter, food, and nesting sites for wildlife. They help to store carbon dioxide and can reduce your electric bill for your house. Some trees bloom and some have beautiful patterned bark or leaves that change to a stunning hue in fall. Having a variety of trees that bloom or produce … [Read more...]
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) Description and Wildlife Uses
You've probably seen the bright yellow-gold blooms of goldenrod along roadsides or in fields where the soil is relatively dry. This plant is prevalent throughout most of the U.S., with the exception of some of the northwestern states. Goldenrod is a native plant common to prairies, grasslands, roadsides, and even in forests. The blooms appear in summer and can last into late fall (July to November). This depends on which state it is growing … [Read more...]
Sunflower
The state flower of Kentucky, the sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is native to the U.S. The photos below are some that came up as volunteers from bird seed. It was quite a pleasant surprise. However, this photo isn't the native sunflower - which has a brown center and branches more. This is the domestic variety. Sunflowers require full sun and and the flowers will follow the sun each day. Sunflowers bloom in summer and early fall. The leaves and … [Read more...]
Top 5 benefits of gardening with native plants
Native plants are adapted to the soil, temperature, rainfall, and fauna in the area in which they grow. As a result, they provide some benefits to the gardener and local wildlife that non-native plants bought from your local garden store may not. I like the look of native plants in my garden. I tend to mix them in with exotic plants and I end up with a pleasing hodgepodge of plants in my garden. Some native plants may look a little to “weedy” … [Read more...]
Top 10 Flowering Plants that Beat the Heat
The summer heat has arrived and it’s pretty miserable outside. We’ve been under a heat advisory for the last week and a half. That means the temperature outside FEELS like over a hundred degrees with the high humidity. I’m watering in the early morning and sometimes at night, just to keep up with it, but the plants are still suffering. However, some of my plants are thriving, in spite of the high temperatures and dry weather. So if you’re … [Read more...]
Louisiana Irises
If you want an iris that has a lot of color but is very low maintenance, maybe the Louisiana iris if for you. The wide variety of colors and shapes in these irises make them very popular. This is a favorite of mine and I find the unique flowers gorgeous. The leaves are attractive, providing texture in the garden long after the blooms are gone. With such easy care, what’s not to love? There are five species of Louisiana irises. These are … [Read more...]
Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia)
The little purple-blue flowers of common blue violet are blooming all over my grass under the trees, where it stays moist for long periods of time. I always try to mow around them as much as I can so that I can enjoy the wildflowers. They bloom in early spring into early summer, from April to June and sometimes July. Common Blue Violet Plant Description This small plant grows about 4 inches high and can be as wide as 5 or 6 inches. It is … [Read more...]
Red Buckeye Flowers For Butterflies, Bees, and Hummingbirds
Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) The bright red flowers of this native shrub are a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies in early spring. In the southeast, it blooms in late March and early April and you can hear the hummingbirds buzzing around the blooms. The red buckeye always catches my eye when it is blooming. These tall shrubs are usually covered in red blooms. This weekend there was a good hatching of eastern black swallowtails in my … [Read more...]
Rosepink (Sabatia angularis)
This beauty can be found growing in the majority of the United States. It is native to the eastern U.S. - as far east as Kansas and Illinois and down to New Mexico and north to Wisconsin. It is also native to Ontario, Canada. Its vibrant pink or white flowers bloom in July through September and are about 1 inch in diameter with 5 petals. The unique star-shaped center of the flower is yellow-green and outlined with a red border. Anthers on the … [Read more...]
