Planting for What I Can’t See

 

For centuries non-edible gardening has focused on what is pleasing to us. Explorers have brought back plants from lands far and wide to entertain human senses. We now know that planting ornamental plants for only our pleasure is not helpful to the local ecosystem when our choices cause biodiversity to diminish at the expense of local insects, birds, and even small mammals. I have written before that at least maintaining native bird populations requires about 70% native plants in our environment.

So I plant things. Native things. Lots of different native things. Some of them I don’t see every day – or at all. My crossvine is blooming now. Bignonia capreolata is a native evergreen vine that I planted at the base of a medium-sized maple tree at the edge of my property. I can see the ropey vines as they drape through the lower part of the tree, but I have to use my binoculars to see the blooms. 

Until they drop to the ground – then I know it’s blooming. Those fallen flowers were the inspiration for my post about The Tiny Hands Project. Those little hands are bigger now; our little sprout just turned 7 this week.

The crossvine is just one example of things that I plant not necessarily for me but to support those who have needed it for far longer than I have been around. As we exit another Earth Week – our 55^th since 1970 (and I have been around for all of them!), remember that what we do is not always for us. Plant something for the ecosystem, your ecosystem.

Hike Local: Woodlands Garden

 

I had a chance this week to visit Woodlands Garden in Decatur, GA. It is an approximately 7-acre park in an urban setting. It is open to the public every day during daylight hours (note: no dogs allowed). Originally a private residence, the garden contains the smaller Morse Family Heritage Garden – which has a selection of exotic plants – and extensive trails of Piedmont native woodland plants. A map of the grounds can be found here.

Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)

The trails are easy walking and have good signage both for directional guidance and for many of the plants you’ll see. Several areas had extensive sweeps of single species of plants: narrow-leaf blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) in a sunny area, fernleaf phacelia (Phacelia bipinnatifida) just inside the shade, and in deep shade, patches of Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) and interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana) were lush and full of new spring growth.

Phacelia bipinnatifida

Osmunda claytonia

You might spot several of Atlanta’s champion trees. I was able to see the champion devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa); it was so mature that the only spines I could see were 6 feet high on the otherwise smooth trunk. 

Foamflower and Phlox

Blooming native spring flowers were sprinkled throughout: woodland phlox and foamflower, tiny wood anemone and native ginger, and gorgeous native azaleas. In the parking area, a flowering native coral honeysuckle lit up the front of the office building while the flowers of wild white indigo (Baptisia alba) and false indigo-bush (Amorpha fruticosa) kept the native bees busy.

Two of the native azaleas

The garden is a well-managed mix of intentional design and woodland wonders. As with any truly urban garden, exotic invasive plants creep in. The staff and volunteers have regular workdays to manage weeds and keep the trails open. If you're looking for inspiration or just to enjoy some natural beauty, stop by and visit this urban gem.

Amorpha fruticosa

 

April is Native Plant Month

 

Beginning in April 2021, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution designating April to be National Native Plant Month. [Since this is a Resolution and not a Law, this legislation needs to be reintroduced each year.]  That designation has continued each year, and each year the message spreads a little further. In Georgia, the native plant society has been using social media to highlight chapter activities around the state, using the national momentum to encourage people get involved locally. The Society’s executive director also wrote a great article to share about ways to celebrate: planting native plants, removing invasive plants, and educating others. Notice that two of those ways don’t even require you to have a garden!

Various national organizations are using the designation to highlight how essential native plants are to creatures that people like: birds, butterflies, and bees. Yes, science has shown us that there is a reason that native plants are required for our native ecosystem to thrive and I’ve written about this before:

Why Native Plants Matter to Birds

Why Native Plants Matter to Bees, Butterflies, and Bugs

Pollinators in Georgia: A Compilation of Articles

I also think that using native plants in our Georgia landscapes help anchor a sense of place and celebrate the natural beauty of our state. That certainly is one of the founding principles of this blog: Using Georgia Native Plants.

I hope you enjoy April and all our natural beauty. My native Piedmont azalea, Rhododendron canescens, is currently in full bloom outside the front window, serving as this week’s installment in gorgeous native flora in my yard (although the golden ragwort, Packera aurea, is certainly trying hard to rival it).

April 2025 Moment in Nature

This month's #momentinnature is really a two-fer. I noticed a row of insect eggs on the twig of an American beautyberry in my yard. As I leaned in to look more closely, I realized there was a very young gray tree frog nestled into one of the branch crotches.

While March has produced some wonderful early blooms, April promises to be amazing! Keep your eyes open for lots of special moments.