Southern Gardening

Many years, the cool fall temperatures will give our summer color annuals one more chance for a colorful show. Today I'm at the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Verona and sharing some of their beautiful landscape trial gardens. While we are in the fall season, the landscape zinnia are getting their second wind. I really like the Zahara Cherry zinnia. The cooler temperatures are allowing the bright pastels of the zinnia to shine in their landscape bed. One of the hottest trends for any season in landscape color is anything burgundy.

Many gardeners consider annual salvia is the most colorful, but perennial salvia deserves a place in your landscape and garden. Today I'm visiting the salvia trial garden at the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Verona. It's the fall season and these perennial salvia are a favorite for insect visitors. Popular perennial salvia for Mississippi gardens and landscapes are the blue varieties, such as Bedder's Blue. This plant will grow to about 30 inches tall with beautiful flower spikes featuring vibrant deep blue flowers until frost in the fall.

Pumpkins aren't only for Halloween. There is a huge variety of pumpkins, squash and gourds that are perfect for your festive autumn display. Today Southern Gardening is visiting Colson's Country Pumpkins in Caledonia, where they grow over 70 varieties of pumpkin, squash and gourds. There is also a variety of activities for the kids, including a corn maze, to go along with the colorful cucurbits. But the pumpkins, squash and gourds are the stars. Besides orange, colors include red, yellow, white, blue, and multi-colored stripes.

Camellias are those true southern treasures that provide color and beauty that brighten cool season landscapes. Today I'm visiting with Webb Hart and enjoying his collection of gorgeous camellias. There are two main species of camellia that can be planted and enjoyed in landscapes all across Mississippi. Camellia japonica, and Camellia Sassanqua. Camellia japonica, orJapanese camellia, is best known for its large flowers which can be five inches across. But there are several variations of flowers.

Some of my favorite plants for the winter cool season are ornamental cabbage and kale. And believe it or not, there is still time to plant so you can add their color and bold texture to the garden. Display beds here at the South Mississippi Branch Station in Poplarville exhibit the potential of these foliage plants that is often overlooked. All are mostly green when first transplanted, and begin to display colorful centers as the colder temperatures set in. An interesting fact is that ornamental kale and cabbage are one and the same species, Brassica oleracea.

Poinsettias are the traditional flowering plant associated with the Christmas season. Today I'm visiting Vesley's Nursery in Sumrall getting ready for the holidays. The brightly colored plants come in a variety of colors and patterns. However, what most people call the "flowers" are actually modified leaves called bracts. The true flowers are the yellow/green bead-like structures called cyathia. Here at Vesley's the primary varieties being grown are Freedom and Prestige, in both red and white.

While growing up in Michigan, one of my favorite Christmas memories was going out to the farm to pick out the tree to bring home. Down here in Mississippi, many families have a similar tradition. Today I'm at Thomley's Christmas Tree Farm in Hattiesburg getting ready for the holiday season. The Thomley family has been growing Christmas trees since 1967. There are three varieties of trees being grown here that have adapted to our southern growing conditions. Leyland Cypress is one of the most popular Christmas trees grown in the south.

Mississippi growers produce festive holiday poinsettias that are available in different colors and styles. Today I'm at Natchez Trace Greenhouses getting into the holiday spirit. When it comes to poinsettias red is probably the most traditional and popular color. This Jubilee variety is a great example of a beautiful red. But there are newer, more unique poinsettias available. I really like the red Winter Rose variety. The furled and ruffled leaves give the impression of rose flowers. These healthy plants with several flowers resemble an arranged bouquet.

One of the things I like best about Southern Gardening is that we get explore some really phenomenal landscapes. Today I'm visiting a walled garden with a tropical and Asian flair. As you enter the landscape the formal atmosphere is obvious. The landscape beds and brick walkways are lined with liriope and neatly trimmed boxwood and Indian hawthorn. There are beautiful plantings featuring various palms, philodendron and shell ginger. Water combined with well weathered copper and bronze sculptures play a key role in setting the atmosphere of the landscape.

Its late fall and I'm visiting the garden of my friend Kathy. As you will see the red colors of her summer plantings are really putting on a late show. Part of her garden is nestled in the dappled shade under a couple of large oak trees. Sunpatiens are still quite prominent with their orange and fuchsia flowers. The dark green of the foliage help to provide contrast for the flower colors. While developed for compact growing in the full sun, in the shade these plants develop more open and loose growth. One of the stars of the late fall garden has to be the Golden Delicious pineapple sage.