Spring-summer flowers lead to an attractive & bountiful harvest of berries in your landscape. In the cool autumn and snowy frigid winter months, our feathered wildlife feast on colorful berries that range from purple, red, pink, white, or blue. Listed here are 12 berry-licious plants. 1. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly native to […]
Archive for the ‘Native Plant’ Category
Winter Berries For Birds
Posted by Hugh on September 12th, 2026
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Beautyberry (Callicarpa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Chokeberry (Aronia), Coralberry (Symphoricarpus), Cornus sericea, Crabapple, Deciduous, Deciduous holly, Dogwood (Cornus), Dogwood shrubs (Cornus), Drought tolerant, Foster Holly (Ilex), Hawthorn (Crataegus), Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Ornamental fruit, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation(grafting), Purchasing Plants, Serviceberry (Amelanchier), Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Viburnums, watering tips, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness, Winterberry holly 
No Comments »Late Blooming Swamp Azalea
Posted by Hugh on August 28th, 2026
Native to the southern and eastern U.S., swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) is a deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae (blueberry) family. This shrub generally grows 3 – 8 feet tall and nearly as wide. It is a spreading shrub that spreads slowly via underground stolons and is most at home in a moist humus-rich soil that […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Azalea (deciduous), Bees and other pollinators, Cercopora leaf spot, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Swamp Azalea (R. viscosum), Trees & Shrubs, watering tips No Comments »Buttonbush
Posted by Hugh on August 11th, 2026
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), aka honeybells, pond dogwood, and swampwood, is a highly prized native shrub. Yes, in small landscapes, buttonbush tend to grow big @ 6-12 feet tall and wide. Their fragrant white orbital blooms are uniquely out of this world. Botanical member of the Rubiaceae (USDA hardiness zones 5-9), flowers appear from spring to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Buttonbush (Cephalanthus), compact shrub, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on ButtonbushHappy Summerific™ Hibiscus Week 2026
Posted by Hugh on July 27th, 2026
Rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) is a truly versatile perennial. Hardy from Minnesota to Florida (USDA hardiness zones 4-9), rose mallow bears some of the largest flowers compared to most other perennials. Blooms of some cultivars measure a huge 7-9 inches across. In addition, dwarf compact growing types are being developed that make perfect fits in […]
Posted in acidic soil, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Hibiscus (mallow) sawfly, Hibiscus moscheutos, Japanese beetles, Landscape ideas, Light requirement, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Happy Summerific™ Hibiscus Week 2026Chalkbark Maple
Posted by Hugh on July 16th, 2026
Chalkbark Maple (Acer leucoderme), formerly A. saccharum ssp. leucoderme), is classified as a subspecies of the Sugar Maple (USDA zones 5b – 8). Also called whitebark maple and chalk maple, it grows in full sun to light shade, 20-30 feet height and 15-25 feet wide. It is classified as a large shrub or small tree, […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Chalkbark maple (A. leucoderme), Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Winter bark, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Chalkbark MapleAward Winning Phlox ‘Jenna’
Posted by Hugh on July 9th, 2026
‘Jeana’ phlox was found and named by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River in Nashville, TN. ‘Jeana’ phlox is discovered by Jeana Prewitt along the Harpeth River in Nashville, TN. Jeana phlox grows vigorously to 4-5 feet in height and 2-3 feet in spread. Stems are sturdy and well-branched to support the sweetly scented 6-inch soft lavender-pink flowers […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, deadheading, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Flower Arranging, Fragrant, Honey bees, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Phlox, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summer phlox (P. paniculata), watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Award Winning Phlox ‘Jenna’America’s Happy 250th Tree- Franklinia
Posted by Hugh on July 2nd, 2026
Franklinia (Franklinia altamaha) is a uniquely different large shrub or small tree. Although rated hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5-8, I’ve never seen a landscape quality specimen in zone 5 and find that the tree performs best in zones 7. Success with growing franklinia hinges on purchasing a quality nursery plant, proper siting, and annual care, […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Fertilizing plants, Franklinia, Landscape ideas, Medium sized Tree, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Phytophthora ramorum, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Small landscape tree, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on America’s Happy 250th Tree- FrankliniaThese Flowering Annuals Beat The Summer Heat
Posted by Hugh on June 15th, 2026
Many garden annuals shrivel up in the summer heat. Below is a listing of many floral beauties that Beat the Heat of Summer. They keep your garden alive with color all through the summer’s dog days and into fall. They’re tolerant of the high day and night temperatures as well as being moderately drought tolerant. […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting Butterflies, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Container garden, Cupheas, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Evolvulus, Fall Garden Interest, Fan flower (Scaevola), Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowers, Landscape ideas, Lantana, Mexican sunflower (Tithonia), mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Salvia, Scaevola, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spider flower (Cleome), Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on These Flowering Annuals Beat The Summer HeatTough Colorful Lantanas
Posted by Hugh on May 7th, 2026
Lantanas are popular flowering perennials in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11 and are heavily planted as annuals in zones 7 and 8. In areas where growing seasons are long, native lantanas are also dependable shrubs in Florida, South Texas, or Southern California. Lantana shrubs may reach up to 6 feet tall in tropical climates. In […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fall Garden Interest, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Hummingbird, Landscape ideas, Lantana, mulching, Native Plant, Non-native, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Powdery mildew, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Tough Colorful LantanasAshe Magnolia – A Very Special Small Tree
Posted by Hugh on April 27th, 2026
Ashe magnolia (Magnolia ashei) is a small 10-20 feet deciduous tree with enormous size flowers and leaves (zone (5)6-9). Each white flowers may measure 6- 12 inches across with a purple blotch at the base of 3 inner petal-like tepals. Ashe magnolia blooms in late May – early June here in Tennessee, Virginia and North […]
Posted in acidic soil, Ashe magnolia (M. ashei), Attracting birds, Bees and other pollinators, compost, Deciduous, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fragrant, Landscape ideas, Magnolia, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Planting tips, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Scale, Small landscape tree, Snails, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Thrips, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Ashe Magnolia – A Very Special Small Tree
