We’re Excited to Finally Jump into the Native Garden – In this native garden update, I share our plans for the year ahead — including garden visits, new plant additions, and ideas we’re bringing home to improve habitat and interest in our space. We’re focused on adding more structure, longer bloom windows, and better support for pollinators and wildlife. Come along as we continue building a garden that’s not just beautiful, but connected and purposeful.
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24 Comments
Jim what if you planted a border of clover which can deter rabbits from eating plants you want since they love clover? I haven't had a bunny issue b/c they usually seem happy with the clover.
Don't skip planting Veronicastrum virginicum. It's native to NC and rare there.
Wow, that Chinese Privet!! 😯
I know you have several of the side shoot paths dead ending in the native garden. Have you thought about making those wrap around to create large island beds instead so people can get a 360-view? That might also allow you to show off more woodland natives that would be adapted to the shade the several trees you’ve already planted will cast.
In my (8A ATL) backyard, I am limiting my palette to natives, so I very much look forward to this content.
I found native groundcovers difficult to source locally. Or if you find them at a native sale put on by a nonprofit, they are very expensive, or they don’t have the quantity you need.
I was lucky to find a couple of native ground covers in quantity at a good price point at Grower’s Outlet (Logansville, GA). Meehania cordata is wonderfully charming and really flowers for a long period. And I bought Phyla nodiflora because who can resist the name Turkey Tangle Frogfruit?!? (So far, I am not charmed by its appearance, but I have not had the Phyla for an entire growing season yet, so the verdict is still out.)
And I’m planning to buy a flat of Carex cherokeensis online. Expensive but I really want it.
I know ground covers can spread, so I am putting one type per bed. They don’t stand a chance of crossing the woodchip path to another bed because of my dog.
The Trees Atlanta sale has interesting natives. While they do not ship, their inventory will be live on the first Friday in March, so you can see what your Atlanta fans will be planting this spring. Their spring sale leans toward perennials, and their fall sale leans toward woody plants.
This is such a cool project Jim! It's nice to see that the mechanism is working, even if it was a little delayed. It reminds us to trust the process.
Are you going to include any native thistles? I’ve had some for the last couple of years. The blooms are unusual and butterflies love them.
So you mean pine wood chips are not as good as hardwood chips? I mean they were free, I need to order some from Chip Drop. 🌲
I plan on scattering some native/pollinator plants all over my yard this spring.
So exciting. Glad you are doing all the natives. Good luck with remov8ng the private.
That Chinese Privet stump would be INCREDIBLE in a water feature as a wood element.
Very excited to see your progress! We have a similar project in our yard doing an all native shade garden. Its actually been fun to treasure hunt native plants. I highly recommend Flower Moon Nursery in Morganton, NC for native shrubs and perennials esp native azaleas!
Will you be back at the garden in SC this year?
Am I crazy but didn't you start another garden two or three hours away with another nursery too? Am I mistaken?
Love, love, love the Native Garden!! Can't wait for more!!
Very excited 😊
So glad to learn more about native plants. We recently had several trees removed and want to put in native flower beds with a focus on attracting butterflies, bees and birds. Our problem is the herd of deer that live in the woods behind our house.
Oh what a fun project! Looking forward to seeing it grow.
I've been looking forward to an update on this native garden project!
I am super excited to see what y'all do there!!!
Is the ground cover wax Myrtle the ‘dons dwarf’ variety?
So excited for this space!! 🙂
Can I put that thick of a layer of mulch on a steep, windy slope without it blowing away? Do I need to use weed barrier in this case?
Thank you so much for always sharing such amazing information with us! I moved into a new construction home and put in wood chips and it’s already making a huge difference to the compaction of our soil. Excited to see the progress of this space this year.
Would be fun for you all to connect with the nursery who was there and see if they did indeed use that section for a road or something. Would be ironic for all with how much you’ve developed the area and areas around it!