Author: Laura Lee Rose

We garden for a variety of reasons. I love flowers. I also enjoy the wildlife, insects, butterflies and birds that come to visit the flowers.

Lent is a time for letting go and getting ready (penitence and fasting). Unseasonably warm weather for the last month of winter has me wondering what’s in store.

Normally my house plants are happier outside than inside. I keep them outdoors in filtered light with normal rainfall as long as possible. It is a challenge for me to maintain tender tropical plants, because I prefer more independent hardy low maintenance plants.

Gardening is a metaphor of life. There are so many actions, reactions, and outcomes. The process and progress of our gardens can be slow, like waiting for seeds to germinate, flowers to bloom, or the landscaper to show up. It is sometimes a gradual process as one season/year slips into the next or . . . the pure chaos that we have after a storm, or flood, or both.

My friend and I were already planning to leave town for the weekend. The SC Native Plant Symposium was being held in Clemson at the same time Hurricane Matthew was blasting the South Carolina coast. After getting the necessary travel preparations finished we loaded up my gold Trail Blazer and headed for higher ground. Even as we left the lowcountry and got “up the country” fall was evident in the yellows, reds, and gold on the sides of the road.

Members of the heath family typically love acidic, well-drained soils, high in organic matter. Ericaceae is a large family with around 4000 species and includes Rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries, and it also includes the parasitic Genus Monotropa or Indian Pipes. Edible berries, lovely flowers, and outstanding fall color make the blueberries a noteworthy choice for landscaping.

While leaves may have similarities in shape, size, color, or texture, there is an awful lot of variation too. Leaf shape and size are invaluable in determining the identity of a plant. Botanists look at the way leaves are arranged on the stem as well.

I can’t help it; I just make song lists and plant lists wherever I go – even on a recent family vacation with my best friend and granddaughter.

How about trying lawn substitutes? Flower/shrub beds, groundcovers mulch, paving, or trees. So many good plants and so little time! Always use the right plant in the right place.

The garden centers are ready for you to come and buy summer flowers, shrubs, trees, and supplies. There are so many choices your budget is the only limiting factor. I have started a few seeds indoors.