American Elderberry
The American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is a medicinal and beautiful native plant that has been a part of human history for many years.
Garden Story: David Riall
Explore the garden of David Riall, a dedicated volunteer of Reflection Riding.
Bitternut Hickory
The Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis) is a large, pyramidal shade tree that supports all kinds of wildlife!
Winterberry Holly
The Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) is a unique holly that drops its leaves in winter but leaves behind beautiful bright red berries.
American Beautyberry
The American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is an understory shrub with an amazing characteristic: bright purple fruit!
Red Buckeye
The Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is one of the most beautiful understory trees of the Southeast with bright red flowers.
Tennessee Valley Seed Project
We’re excited to announce our new native plant initiative, the TN Valley Seed Project. This multi-year project will cultivate resilient, locally-adapted plant individuals for their use in our regional community. Read on to learn how this methodology supports biodiversity!
Oakleaf Hydrangea
The Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a stunning, shade-loving native to the Southeast. A plant with year-round interest, this shrub has oak-like leaves and pyramidal white blooms.
Plant This, Not That
Popular landscaping plants often include non-natives and invasive species that do not benefit ecosystems (sometimes even causing extreme harm!). We’d like to share several native alternatives that support our Southern Appalachian habitat and bring beauty to your space!
Mountain Laurel
The Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a beautiful broadleaf evergreen home to the slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. In late spring, the cup-shaped flowers open to reveal hues of white and dusky pink.
Florida Flame Azalea
The Florida Flame Azalea (Rhododendron austrinum) is a striking deciduous shrub with vibrant, fiery blooms that ignite in early-to-mid spring. The plant attracts many kinds of pollinators—from hummingbirds to bees!
Virginia Bluebell
The Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica) is a herbaceous perennial wildflower. These flowers share the first blooms of the season and beckon early pollinators, such as long-tongue bees and hummingbirds.
Trillium, Woodland’s Bloom
The Trillium is an icon of Southern Appalachia. A plant of many names (Wakerobin, Toadshade, Wood Lily, and more), Trillium spp. accounts for nearly 50 species in the family Melanthiaceae. As a woodland spring ephemeral, this plant shares some of the first blooms of the year!
Eastern Hemlock, True to Appalachia
The Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) has a quiet resilience like none other. These gentle giants reside in sheltered cove forests of the Appalachias and promote their local communities through temperature regulation, shelter, and food availability. Read on to learn about the biggest threat to their population.
American Mistletoe
American Mistletoe (Phoradendrum leucarpum) is a broadleaf evergreen that continues to shine past the holiday season. Often a symbol of love and peace in the human world, this plant serves a much more complicated role in ecology.
Pre-order Native Trees & Shrubs!
We’re kicking off the 2022 native plant season at our nursery with a native tree and shrub pre-order that will get your garden established with some of the south’s most important hardwood plants. You can reserve your trees and shrubs online now through the end of March.
Returning Native
Native plants in the yard can offer significant respite from many of the woes of lawn maintenance and ornamental gardening, propping up and supporting native biodiversity, while also saving you time and resources. An action as simple as converting your lawn and gardens to a thriving ecosystem can be one of the most impactful and important initiatives each of us can do for the environment.
Cardamine, a Wonderful Winter Groundcover
In the midst of winter, when many herbaceous plants have gone dormant, there is one, Cardamine diphylla, that remains to enliven the muted colors of the forest floor (or garden) with its emerald green foliage. The foliage of this woodland treasure appears in mid-to-late fall, remains as a lovely groundcover throughout the winter, and then, in spring, stalks of small, white-flushed-with-pink, bell-shaped emerge.
Native or Endemic...and a Plant That is Both
The term “native” is frequently used in regard to plants, but what exactly does it mean - and how does it differ from the term “endemic” plant?