David Austin Roses for the South: Top English Roses for Heat and Humidity

Cyndi Lauderdale, director of Wilson Botanical Gardens (NC), tested dozens of David Austin English roses in the hot, humid Southeast. Her ratings, published in The American Nurseryman, guide Southern gardeners to the bes

Earth-Kind® Rose List: The First 11 Proven Cultivars for Southern Gardens

After a five-year, no-spray, no-fertilizer, no-irrigation trial in alkaline clay, Texas A&M designated these 11 roses as the inaugural Earth-Kind® class (January 2002). Each combines beauty with bulletproof performance.

Flowery Branch, Georgia: Origin of the Name

Chartered in 1874, Flowery Branch in Hall County began as Anaguluskee—a Cherokee word meaning “flowers on the branch.” The railroad depot (circa 1900) remains a landmark; recently moved, it’s slated for restoration as a

Overwintering Geraniums: Three Proven Methods to Keep Plants Alive

Geraniums (Pelargonium) brighten summer containers but succumb to frost. With a little effort, you can carry them through winter and enjoy a head start next spring. Method 1: Deep Mulching Outdoors Cut back to 8″. Cove

The Story of Knock Out® Roses: William Radler's Disease-Resistant Revolution

William Radler, a Milwaukee native, turned a childhood fascination with roses into a breeding career that transformed the market. His Knock Out® series—starting with the original red shrub rose in 2000—combines black spo

A Gardener's Spring Trip to Holland: Tulips, Keukenhof, and Hidden Gems

Invited by the Netherlands Board of Tourism and the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center, I experienced the ultimate spring bulb pilgrimage—miles of tulip fields, the 80-acre Keukenhof display gardens, and private

Hosta Diseases and Pests: Diagnosis Guide from UGA and Iowa State

Hostas are shade-garden workhorses, but they face a roster of foliar diseases, viruses, and pests. A joint publication from the University of Georgia and Iowa State University provides clear photos and descriptions to di

Identifying Hostas: Using the Hosta Library to Name Your Plants

With thousands of named cultivars, hosta identification can feel impossible. Judy Burns of the Georgia Hosta Society recommends a free, powerful tool: The Hosta Library (hostalibrary.org). How to Use It Photograph your

Lantana Cultivars: A Texas A&M Guide to Varieties and Habits

Lantana is a staple of Southern summer color, with cultivars spanning trailing, mounding, and upright forms in a kaleidoscope of flower colors. Texas A&M’s comprehensive article “Lantana” details growth habits, hardiness

Lantana Pruning: When and How to Cut Back for Winter Survival

Lantana pruning sparks debate: cut back in winter and risk crown rot from water entering hollow stems, or leave the ugly dead tops until spring? Evidence and experience favor the former—with a few safeguards. Recommende

Winter-Hardy Lantana: 'Miss Huff' and 'Mozelle' for Southern Gardens

Most lantana cultivars (‘New Gold’, ‘Festival’, ‘Tutti Frutti’) die back in Atlanta winters. Two exceptions, discovered and shared by Southern plantsmen, reliably return from the roots. Miss Huff Introduced by Rick Berr

Milkweed Sap Warning: Severe Eye Injury from Asclepias curassavica

Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) is a butterfly magnet, but its milky sap contains toxic cardiac glycosides that can cause serious chemical burns. A gardener’s firsthand account underscores the danger. The Inci

Naked Ladies (Surprise Lilies): The Magic of Lycoris squamigera

One day in late summer, leafless stems suddenly erupt from bare ground, topped with clusters of fragrant, pink, trumpet-shaped flowers. These are naked ladies (Lycoris squamigera), also called surprise lilies or hurrican

Oxblood Lily (Schoolhouse Lily): A Southern Heirloom

Oxblood lily (Rhodophiala bifida), also called schoolhouse lily, is a tough, heirloom bulb that blooms in late summer to fall with vivid red, trumpet-shaped flowers. Introduced to Texas by German settlers, it naturalizes

Growing Pansies in Georgia: UGA's Secrets for Success

Pansies are the South’s favorite winter annual, blanketing office parks and neighborhoods with color from fall through spring. Professional landscapers plant them by the millions—and their secrets are available to every

Planting Winter Annuals During Drought: A Water-Smart Method

Water restrictions don’t have to stop you from enjoying pansies, ornamental cabbage, and other winter annuals. The key is planting by November 1 so roots establish before cold weather, using techniques that maximize ever

Buying and Planting Roses: Site, Soil, and Technique for Success

Roses reward careful preparation with years of spectacular blooms. Follow these four pillars to give your roses the best start. The Right Site Minimum 6 hours of direct sun; morning sun is essential to dry dew and redu

Fungicide Rotation for Rose Black Spot Control

Black spot fungi can develop resistance if you use the same fungicide repeatedly. The solution: rotate products with different active ingredients every four weeks. Recommended Rotation Schedule Chlorothalonil (e.g., Da

Complete Rose Care Guide: Planting, Feeding, Pruning & Disease Control

No flower captures the gardeners heart like the rose. With thousands of varieties available, success comes down to mastering the fundamentals that apply to all types—bush and climbing alike. Planting Basics When: Novem

Pruning Climbing Roses: Timing and Technique for Maximum Blooms

Climbing roses bloom on old wood—canes produced in previous seasons. Prune at the wrong time, and you remove the very stems that would have flowered. Here’s how to get it right. When to Prune Once-blooming climbers: Pr