Q: Our property abuts Nancy Creek and when it floods the sandy creek bank (about 8 ft high) erodes and simply washes down stream.

We prefer to plant something that has deep enough roots to stay when the floods come. We face about 300 feet of river bank so whatever we plant has to be reasonably priced.

A: Theresa Schrum replies: “Whatever you plant, you will have to secure it until it gets established or one of our “gully washers” might send it into the next county.

Also, since you live a long a very important riparian corridor, it’s important to maintain the ecological health of the area.

With this in mind, I’m going to give you a list of plants native to Georgia which are commonly found growing along creeks and waterways. These should be available at most nurseries.

Shrubs: Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Viburnum nudum (you may have to search for this one) Annabelle Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) Winterberry (Ilex verticillata – a deciduous holly) Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) Native azalea (Rhododendron canescens or austrinum) Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’

Trees: River birch (Betula nigra) Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum).