As part of the spring tourism season, the city of Columbus holds a Spring Pilgrimage that includes tours of antebellum homes, live music events, arts, food, a 5K race, and stories from the town’s history. We selected the tour that included Colonnade Gardens. The original gardens were installed in the 1860’s and include a boxwood maze, gazing … [Read more...]
When To Put Out Your Hummingbird Feeders in Spring
The first hummingbirds start migrating northward in early spring, showing up in southern Texas, Louisiana, and northern Florida in late February and the first week of March. It takes a little while longer for them to start showing up in my garden, but they usually show up just when the red buckeyes are in full bloom. This tends to be around mid- to … [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 … [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. … [Read more...]
Colorful Shade Container Garden Part I
If you've got shade but still want color, here is an example of how to add color to your shade gardens in containers. Read this earlier post for suggestions of plants with colorful leaves or flowers that can be used in shade gardens. Container 1: Coleus, ferns, heuchera, and impatiens This pot contains coleus, heuchera, ferns, and … [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 … [Read more...]