Celebrating Spring

Late Spring photo by Chuck Baumrucker

Summer photo by Shirley Puch

Summer photo by Betty Smith

Fall photo by Sherry Brownlee

Planted in a bog garden below Sherry's pond, this Carolina birds-in-a-nest is a rare native perennial of the Carolinas and Georgia that requires moist to wet soil and makes a lovely groundcover over time. Tubular pink flower clusters with purple and white stripes occur at stem tips above opposite, pointed oval leaves.

• Sun to part shade
• Needs wet soil
• Attracts pollinators
• 18 to 24 inches tall
• Spreads by rhizomes or seeds 
• Blooms July through September

  A volunteer along Sherry’s driveway, this wildflower is commonly called Whorled Tickseed because opposite sessile leaves are divided into 3 leaflets that make the plant appear to have whorls of 6 leaves. Yellow daisy-like, unnotched 2-inch flowers with bright yellow center disks top long flower stalks having several leaf ‘whorls’.

• Full sun to partial shade
• Poor, dry to average soil
• Attracts butterflies and other pollinators
• 24-36 inches tall
• Native to southeast along roadsides
• Hardy in zones 5 through 9

Grown at the base of a power pole near driveway turnaround, Rattlesnake Weed is a member of the Hawkweed family. The plant was reputed to relieve the effects of venomous snake bites. Yellow blossoms occur at the end of several long, rambling, wiry stems. The rosette of basal leaves are distinctly red-veined. Sherry collected several of these plants from the wild.

• Dry open woods
• Blooms from May to September
• Likes partial shade
• 18-30 inches tall
• Spreads by dandelion-like seeds

Grown at base of Sherry's pond cascade (waterfall), Foamflower is a moisture loving perennial that can be found in abundance along the mountain streams and waterfalls of North Georgia. Deeply lobed leaves have bright green margins with dark purple centers. Star shaped white puffs with pink tips appear in spring.

• Likes partial shade
• Needs moist, not necessarily wet, soil
• Can make a dense groundcover 
• 12 to 18 inches tall
• Blooms are fragrant
• Hardy in zones 3 through 9

Grown in filtered shade in a fragrance garden, Monkshood  is an herbaceous wildflower that can be found growing in mountain meadows throughout the northern hemisphere. The plant gets its name from the shape of the posterior sepal of the flowers, which resembles the cowls worn by monks. Violet blue flower spikes over dark green foliage similar to geranium leaves.

• Needs partial shade in our zone
• Not too rich, moist soil
• Slow to establish (this is 11th year)
• 24 inches tall
• Doesn't like to be moved 

Grown below the dam of Sherry's fish pond, along with other moisture loving plants, Fragrant Ladies Tresses is an easy-to-grow native orchid with flowers that open in the fall to release a delightful vanilla scent. Bright white flowers are arranged on the stalk as intertwined double spirals. Lance-like foliage rises from a basal rosette. 

• Thrives in shade or sun
• Needs wet soil
• Compact and tidy growth habit
• 12 to 18 inches tall
• Spreads from runners or seeds 
• Hardy in zones 6 through 9