No, we’re not going to discuss the sad state of UNC football, as enough people have jumped on that lame horse. Instead, we’re going to talk about an ornamental grass that we adore. A couple of years ago, we posted a summer blog about this amazing southeast US native grass, Andropogon glaucopsis. Our SC seed
In 2015, we introduced an amazing selection of the short-lived, but showy, native Silene virginica, discovered by Alabama’s Colleen Keleher and shared by her husband, nurseryman, Maarten van der Giessen (photo below). Silene ‘Jackson Valentine’, was such a dramatic improvement over the typical species, that it was purchased and shared with gardeners worldwide. One of
The Little Native Perennial that Could Read More »
There are few plants better to add a upright, phallic statement to the garden, than the native (Canada south to South Carolina) American arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis ‘Degroot’s Spire’. It is truly odd that I’ve never heard a native plant talk that recommended planting this…hmm. I’ve grown this in every garden I’ve every built, valued for
What a lovely surprise to find our native liver leaf (Hepatica americana) in flower in the garden on Christmas day. This fabulous North American native, evergreen perennial, is found in moist woodlands, throughout the Eastern US. Because this collection is from Western South Carolina, it’s flowering months earlier than forms from colder regions. The common
Liver for Christmas Read More »
Looking quite impressive after our recent night at 15 degrees F, is the Eastern US native Phlox amoena. The common name, hairy phlox’, is given because of the obviouslyr hairy stems. Native from Kentucky south to Florida, it can be found in dry, open woodlands, usually in sandy, well-drained soils. The typical flowering season is
While all of the pitcher plants in the genus, Sarracenia produce pitchers in spring, some also produce new sets of pitchers in fall. The star of the fall show, with the best autumn pitcher production is the white-topped pitcher, Sarracenia leucophylla, a native to bogs from Georgia west to Mississipppi. Below are a few plants
The Tall Pitchers of Fall Read More »
Solidago brachyphylla is a little-known, fall-flowering goldenrod, native from South Carolina west to Alabama. In the wild, this rare native (G3 rank) is found in open forests, but in the garden, it performs far better in part to full sun. Unlike one of our other favorites, Solidago rugosa, this species grows in a tight clump.
A New Rod that’s Just Golden Read More »
A happy combination near the crevice garden includes Sedum ‘Pride and Joy’, Dalea bicolor var. argyraea, a hellebore, and an Iris. The challenge of gardening in drifts of one is to used textures and forms to make aesthetic combinations. The easy-to-grow, southwest native dalea allows for some great combinations in a region where silver leaf
Falling for Fun Combinations Read More »
I first met the North American (Mexico) native perennial, Galphimia glauca on a 2019 visit to the former Unique Plant Nursery and Garden in NC, returning home with a starter plant, propagated by plantsman/designer, Sebastian Hamilton. It didn’t take long to become a huge fan of the genus. Galphimia is a member of the Malphigiceae
The Gold of Galphimia Read More »
Long ago, we gave up our red plastic hummingbird feeders for a more natural way to attract hummers to the garden, and one of the best is the Southwest US native Anisacanthus wrightii. Starting for us in August, it continues to be a blaze of glory through September. Texas firecracker prefers full sun and dry
Natural Hummingbird Feeders Read More »
