If you’re looking for a native, perennial plant to add to your garden that will be easy to care for, add great color to your garden, and also attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, bee balm (Monarda sp.) is a good choice. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees feed on the nectar of this flower. According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Monarda has a special value to native bees. Bee balm is in the mint family; its leaves are … [Read more...]
Swamp Mallow: A Hardy, Native Hibiscus for Wet Soils
Perfect for Wet Soil Got swampy soil? Then this is the perfect flowering plant solution for your garden. Native to the marshes and swamps of the southeastern states – from Louisiana to North Carolina –swamp mallows (Hibiscus coccineus) actually prefer wet soil and even standing water. I had one spot in my front flowerbeds that none of my favorite plants would grow in – the roots of the plants were just rotting. The soil was pure Mississippi … [Read more...]
