native plants Archives - Garden Experiments

Eastern Redbuds Provide Early Spring Food for Bees

Garden Experiments — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:42:47 +0000

The pink-hued blooms of native eastern redbud trees (Cercis canadensis) are one of the first signs of color that I see in March. It’s a sure sign that spring is on its way and that more color will begin to pop up in the lawns and gardens in our neighborhood. After months of cold weather […]

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This amazing native plant actually moves when you touch it

Garden Experiments — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 22:38:47 +0000

If you haven’t been introduced to this tiny plant with fuzzy little pink flowers, you are missing out. It might not be much to look at, but sensitive briar does something pretty amazing. It moves. By itself. No, really. Sensitive briar – Mimosa spp. There are several species in the genus Mimosa that share the […]

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What are all these trees dropping on the ground in Spring?

Garden Experiments — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 21:14:53 +0000

It’s springtime! The sun is shining, the flowers are starting to bloom, and pollen is coating everything, including our cars. Even the trees are getting in on the action. We have been finding all sort of tree seeds and tree reproductive parts laying on the ground around our neighborhood. From the brown stringy stuff to […]

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My Favorite Plant-It-And-Forget-It Flower: Black-eyed Susan

Garden Experiments — Tue, 21 May 2019 13:25:53 +0000

If you’re looking for a plant-it-and-forget-it type of plant that still produces lots of flowers AND attracts pollinators, then look no further than the black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). This easy-to-grow wildflower is found throughout North America where you can find it alongside roads, in grassy openings and prairies, and even along the edge of forests. […]

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How to Grow Pink Evening Primrose

Garden Experiments — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 23:08:47 +0000

Sundays after church, my dad would pile the family into the car and take us for a drive through the countryside just outside the boundaries of the big city. We would see miles of delicate pink flowers lining the edges of the roads, growing the cracks in the sidewalk, and on the banks of the […]

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The First Spring Wildflowers

Garden Experiments — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 10:44:59 +0000

The first flowers to show their faces after winter are the native wildflowers. By mid to late-March, they are usually in full bloom, even after a quick dip in the temperatures. Choosing to incorporate native plants in to your garden is a great idea if you want hardy plants that can tolerate the local soil […]

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Early Spring Flowers for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies

Garden Experiments — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 16:17:09 +0000

This early spring sky is filled with butterflies! I am seeing so many eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus) feeding on colorful spring flowers that it has really brightened my days. Eastern tiger swallowtails are quite large – with a wingspan of 3 to 5.5 inches and with their bright yellow wings with blue spots, […]

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Japanese Honeysuckle vs Native Honeysuckle Vine

Garden Experiments — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 14:12:16 +0000

Have you ever plucked a honeysuckle flower, turned it around, and gently sucked the nectar from the tube-shaped back of the flower? If you grew up in the southeastern U.S., I bet you did. That taste of super-sweet honey nectar always makes me think of summer nights spent chasing fireflies and summer days spent running […]

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Obedient Plant – Physostegia virginiana

Garden Experiments — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 15:11:00 +0000

Deer-resistant AND it can grow in clay soil – what’s not to love about obedient plants? Native plants are favorites of mine because they are particularly suited for the local conditions (soil, heat, drought or rain, clay soil) of my area. When I find those native plants with particularly pretty flowers, I add them to […]

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Gulf Fritillary Butterfly Hatching

Garden Experiments — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 16:24:43 +0000

The Friday night air had hints of fall weather to come, and Saturday morning, I opened the windows to my house, letting the fresh breeze in. I love opening my windows and letting the fresh air blow through the house. This weekend was full of cool breezes and sunny weather. It was a perfect glimpse […]

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