Garden Experiments
For the love of gardening and wildlife habitat
Large, copper or brick-red colored flowers adorn the flower spikes of the copper iris (Iris fulva). Native to wetland areas, this unique plant thrives in wetter soils, making it an excellent addition to gardens with moist conditions. We planted this iris in our backyard in a spot with wet, clay soils. It has flourished, spreading and producing …
Continue Reading about Copper Iris (Iris fulva) – A Native Plant for Wetlands and Wildlife
Blue anise sage (Salvia guaranticia) is an excellent addition to your pollinator or butterfly garden. Its gorgeous, small peacock blue flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, honeybees, bumblebees, and other insects. Hummingbirds love to feed on these blooms, which are their favorite food plant in my garden. Best of all, this salvia with blue …
Continue Reading about Blue Anise Sage – Grow Salvia guaranitica to Attract Hummingbirds
Cooper’s ice plant (Delosperma cooperi) is a favorite of mine. Don’t let the name fool you – this hardy plant thrives in the dog days of summer. It’s perfect for adding bright color to dry, hot areas of your garden. You’ll recognize Cooper’s ice plant by its dozens of tiny, bright magenta, daisy-like flowers and fleshy leaves. The plant grows …
Continue Reading about How to Grow Cooper’s Ice Plant in Your Garden
I often see sassafras growing along the trails, in the forest breaks, and in old fields. However, it’s the mitten-shaped leaves that stand out to me. If you break off a twig of a sassafras tree and smell it, you get the distinct smell of root beer. My dad used to do this for us every time we took a hike with him. It was a family tradition and …
In late summer, pockets of lavender color begin to appear along the sides of roads, at the edge of streams, in old fields, and in wetlands or other moist-soil areas. These fuzzy lavender-colored flowers belong to the blue mistflower, also known as wild ageratum, a plant native to the central and southeastern U.S. Adding blue mistflower …
Continue Reading about How to Grow Blue Mistflower – Get Lavender Flowers in the Fall
In the middle of summer, the bright yellow, showy flowers of swamp sunflower light up my garden. This perennial's flowers keep blooming into the fall. It’s late October, and I still have bright yellow flowers that add some fall color to my yard. We have a patch in our backyard that stays wet most of the time. The neighbor's yard and our front …
Continue Reading about How to Grow and Care for Swamp Sunflower – Helianthus angustifolius
