“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.” — Anne Frank.

The first week of spring has passed, the early flowering plants are blooming and the leaf buds of the pecans will be opening soon. The great outdoors is calling your name. It’s time to get outside and start your landscaping activities. Some plants that will add to your gardening pleasure include the following suggestions.

Aucuba (aka gold-dust plant): Aucuba offers many selections and the gold-splashed leaves of the gold-dust plant bring attention to shady corridors while adding a tropical flavor to the landscape. The glossy, green foliage varies in width with both female and male varieties. However, the Crotonfolia may be either male or female. To produce red berries for attractive winter color, plant the female varieties in close proximity to the male counterpart (the pollinator).

Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea spp.): The bamboo palm and its relatives tolerate shade while remaining under 10 feet tall. They do well as foundation plantings, as a textural backdrop behind borders, and as an effective hedge.

Banana shrub (Michelia figo): The banana shrub is a member of the magnolia family and its attractive, spring flowers resemble magnolia blooms while delivering a strong banana fragrance. This evergreen flowers in the spring and summer and can be maintained at a height of 4-5 feet. The banana shrub can be used in beds, as backdrop borders, or as a hedge while tolerating pruning quite well. Also, it offers good drought tolerance after establishment. 

Bay (Laurus nobilis): Bay is a culinary classic with its glossy, green leaves providing desirable flavor in soups, chili, stews, meat entrees, among others. It can withstand cool temperatures down to 25 degrees but is often grown in containers for select locations on the patio or similar sites in the landscape. As a permanent planting, bay is relatively pest-free and drought tolerant. As a container plant, it is susceptible to scale insects and must be protected from the direct sunlight. For your cooking activities, always keep some dried bay leaves available as an herb to flavor your culinary creations. Bay leaves also distract ants.

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.) Crape myrtles are a Southeastern favorite with their bright blooms and heat tolerance. Their summer colors are complemented by the attractive, sculptural trunks on display. Flower colors range from white to deep rose and magenta in the summer submitting to the red leaves of the fall season. The reddish peeling bark and smooth trunks characterize their aesthetic structure throughout the winter season. In your selection process, consider the powdery mildew tolerant cultivars such as Arapaho, Catawba, Cherokee, Muskogee, Natchez, Tuscarora, and Wichita for the best performance in our humid summers of south Georgia.

Dogwood (Cornus spp.): The dogwoods welcome spring each year with their vivid display of white colors. After blooming, dogwoods offer a beautiful green canopy throughout the summer months giving way to a presentation of reddish colors in their leaves for the fall. After leaf drop in the fall, a vibrant display of red fruits dominate their bare branches. Dogwoods will perform well in the full sun, shade or moist soil, pending the microclimate conditions of the individual sites. 

Gardenia (Gardenia spp.): Gardenias are evergreen shrubs in the coffee family with distinctly-scented white rose-shape flowers on exhibition throughout the warmer months of spring and summer. Its glossy green, dense foliage is most attractive and it grows best in moist, well-drained, acidic soils. If the soil pH is not acidic enough, then it will develop yellow leaves throughout the plant. Gardenias can also be grown as houseplants if they receive enough indirect light to promote lots of blooms.

Grape holly (Mahonia): Grape holly is a shade-loving plant whose new young foliage is red and develops sweetly-scented yellow flowers in the spring. After flowering, blue-black berries develop. Its spiny leaves which resemble holly foliage must be protected from wind and sunburn during the winter months. Grape holly does well in moist, acid soils and must be mulched in winter to protect its roots from potential cold damage.

Hibiscus: Hibiscus offer large, attractive blooms which are the hallmark of the hibiscus family including the hardy perennial hibiscus, the tropical hibiscus, and rose of Sharon, which grows either as a large shrub or a small tree. Hibiscus blooms in many colors, which readily attract hummingbirds in numbers. The newer, dark-leaf introductions work effectively in container gardens. Hibiscus can handle extensive pruning which encourages bloom development. Aphids and whiteflies are severe problems on these plants.

Hydrangea: Hydrangeas are shade-loving plants which display huge bouquets of clustered flowers from summer through the fall season. Varieties differ in the size of plant, flower panicle and color, and blooming time. Pee Gee hydrangeas grow into small trees and its flowers turn russet and remain into the winter season. Oakleaf hydrangeas have the most attractive foliage which turns red in the fall. Some of the newer hydrangeas feature huge flowers on compact plants which are ideal for containers and small gardens. They do well in moist, fertile, well-drained soils in partial to full shade. To get your hydrangeas to bloom with blue flowers, adjust the soil pH to about 5.2 to 5.5 by applying aluminum sulfate in the spring. The change in flower color results from lowering the pH and increasing the aluminum content in the soil.

The temptation in plant selection can be very obvious in the springtime. As you commit to the effort and cost of spring purchasing and planting of flowers and plants in your home landscape, please also commit to providing the necessary care in keeping plants healthy and attractive. Continue to think in terms of native and sustainable plants. Keep your hanging baskets and potted plants refreshed with water and food. Remember to feed and water the songbirds, and give your pets the care they need. Also, be on lookout for children playing and bicyclists riding along the streets and roadways throughout our communities as the weather continues its warming trend. And remember to safely share the road with motorcycles. Don’t drive distracted or impaired, and don’t text while driving. Help the homeless every chance you get. Let’s keep everyone safe while enjoying the spring season!

Many thanks to all who read this column, which is an effort to provide each reader with timely and useful information. It is a small contribution on my part in “paying it forward” to my readers. In keeping with this thought, many of you know that we are planning our annual mission trip to the Peru this summer. We are currently raising funds to help finance this mission trip (discipleship journey). If you feel led to do so and would like to donate to this cause, please make a check payable to Heritage Church and mail to Eddie Seagle, Peru Mission Team, 108 Tallokas Circle, Moultrie, GA 31788. We would appreciate your prayers for a safe journey as well, and many thanks to each of you.

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:5-6.

Seagle is a Sustainability Associate, Golf Environment Organization (Scotland), Agronomist and Horticulturalist, CSI: Seagle (Consulting Services International), Professor Emeritus and Honorary Alumnus (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College), Associate Editor of The Golf Course (International Journal of Golf Science), and Short Term Missionary (Heritage Church, Moultrie). Direct inquiries to csi_seagle@yahoo.com.