You are here

Southern Gardening

  • Echinacea Pow Wow Wild Berry Fascination
  • Dr. Eddie Smith
  • Rudbeckia Irish Eyes
  • Behind the scenes at Southern Gardening.
  • Lantana with a butterfly

Southern Gardening offers weekly gardening tips for Mississippi growers interested in lawn, garden, flowers, and all types of horticulture. The show features Dr. Eddie Smith, a gardening specialist and Pearl River County coordinator with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Watch

Sun Loving Native Plants, April 2025

Sun Loving Native Plants

April 24, 2025

There are some really nice native plants that love sunny landscapes.

Unique Native Plants, April 2025

Unique Native Plants

April 17, 2025

Southern Gardening is back at Camp Creek Native Plants in New Albany, MS, continuing our celebration of Native Plant Month.

Pruning Native Grasses, April 2025

Pruning Native Grasses

April 10, 2025

April is Native Plant Month, and Southern Gardening is celebrating at Camp Creek Native Plants in New Albany, MS!

Growing Citrus, March 2025

Growing Citrus

March 27, 2025

Growing citrus in the south can be a rewarding experience, especially in warmer climates like USDA zones 8-11.

Purple Pixie, March 2025

Purple Pixie

March 20, 2025

You may be familiar with the traditional large Loropetalums used in landscapes.

Southern Gardening Articles

A collage depicts clusters of tiny purple, white, yellow and red flowers.
- Filed Under: Flower Gardens

Next up in my series celebrating April as Native Plant Month are those that thrive in sunny landscapes.

One of my favorites is yarrow, a tough, drought-tolerant perennial that does especially well in full sun and well-drained soil. Once established, yarrow is very low maintenance and even thrives in poor, sandy or rocky soils.

Closeup of thick, round succulent leaves that are reddish green.
- Filed Under: Flower Gardens

I often get asked which plants thrive in the shade, so today I want to discuss some native selections that do just that.

During a recent visit to a nursery in New Albany, Mississippi, I came across some unique native plants that are perfect for partially to fully shaded areas. These plants brighten spaces, support pollinators and require minimal maintenance.

One of my favorites is Golden Ragwort, known scientifically as Packera aurea. It is a versatile perennial in the daisy family that provides year-round interest.

Wispy orange and white flowers bloom in clusters on bushes.
- Filed Under: Flower Gardens

April is Native Plant Month, making it the perfect time to celebrate the beauty and importance of native species. Native azalea is one of my favorites, and it is currently putting on a spectacular show.

Throughout this month, I’ll highlight other native plants that thrive in our region.

A white flower blooms next to green fruit.
- Filed Under: Flower Gardens

I recently came across a remarkable papaya plant thriving since 2014 inside a greenhouse, and it has now grown into a productive tree.

White flowers grow in a cluster on a branch.
- Filed Under: Flower Gardens

Growing citrus in containers has been a rewarding experience for me and some of my friends, and it might be something you should consider for your own landscape.

Follow Southern Gardening

Production Staff

Portrait of Mr. Jonathan Wesley Parrish
Extension Associate I
Portrait of Mr. Brian Utley
Extension Project Specialist I

Audio Archive

Video Archive

News Archive