8 Best Websites on Trees, Shrubs and Perennials for Southern Gardens

For the southern gardener, there is much information out there to assist you in creating, maintaining and propagating plants that thrive in our area. I have collected a list of my top 8, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.

Check out these websites to help you prepare for your garden!

1. Dave's Garden-  Dave's Garden is the hands-down favorite location to find information on gardening and landscaping. Members can chat with other gardeners to have plants identified; questions answered, etc. Free membership to Dave's Garden gives you access to over 50 free gardening forums to get your plant and landscaping questions answered. You also will have access to  the 'PlantFiles' database, online books, seed and plant trading tools, and even create your own gardening journal. This is a free service.

2. Your Southern Garden, By Walter Reeves- Mr. Reeves is a retired member of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. His website has a monumental amount of practical information for the southern gardener. Take a look at the 'Landscaping Publications' section for downloadable information on hardy plants, maintenance and more.

3. Southern Living- This staple magazine of the southern home also has an enormous amount of information online on plants and landscaping as well. Check out the 'Essential Southern Plants' section where you can find information on propagation and maintenance on many typical plants found in our region.

4.Garden Web- Refers to themselves as the 'Internet's Largest Home and Garden Community.' This site offers a variety of informational links for homeowners and plant professionals. The best feature is the  'Hortiplex' database, which includes both plant data and images for members to search information on over 100,000 plants. The site also includes over 300 forums filled with information about home and garden topics. It is also a free service, so what can you lose?
 


5.Southern Gardening.Org- This website has a wealth of information on Southern Gardening. Created by Jim Notestein, out of Gainesville, Florida. The site includes a month to month maintenance 'to do' list, articles on soil preparation, etc. and plant information/ photo gallery on his nursery in Gainesville.

6.Southern Garden History Society-  'The purpose of the society is to stimulate interest in Southern garden and landscape history, in historic horticulture, and in the preservation of historic gardens and landscapes in the South.' Education is their primary mission. The website provides articles, plant lists and other resources on historic renovation of southern gardens.

7. Southern States- This website for the 'how to' articles, mostly on flower and vegetable gardening. They have many articles on Flower Gardening; Vegetable Gardening; Herb Gardening; Garden Trees; and Shrubs and Garden Pest Control.

8. The Southern Garden- By Dr. William Welch- Warning, this website design is awful. Once you get past that, there are links to a large amount of information and lectures developed by Dr.Welch on gardening for the coastal Texas region. He has information on suitable landscape planning and plants, annuals and perennials, and rose propagation.

Happy Gardening!

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About the Author:

Lori Hawkins, RLA, ASLA has been a registered landscape architect and active in the landscape design/build industry for over 29 years. For additional inspiring project pictures, design ideas, or great garden gifts, take a look at these websites:

HOUZZ:    http://www.houzz.com/pro/hawkinsla/__public

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hawkins-Landscape-Architecture/107145146130?ref=hl

GARDEN ART AND GIFTS: WWW.TriadGarden.com

DESIGN WORK PORTFOLIO: WWW.HawkinsLA.com

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