Newspaper Page Text
Page 8C
May 25, 2022
Reporter
MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
Native Georgia plants deserve space in local yards
This purple coneflower is being visited by an American lady butterfly.
Purple coneflowers have showy flowers from summer into fall (Photo/
Terry Johnson)
T he most popular
outdoor activity in
the United States
is not hunting,
fishing, birding, or hiking—
-it is gardening. In fact, it
appears that
interest in
gardening is
growing.
This is
reflected in
the news that
last year the
Burpee Seed
Company
sold more
seeds than
any time in
their history. This wave
of popularity is sweeping
across Georgia. One way
that Georgia gardeners are
expanding their gardening
efforts is by adding na
tive plants to their home
landscapes. What is also
encouraging is that Georgia
gardeners are beginning
to include Georgia na
tive plants in their home
landscapes.
In an effort to assist
Peach State gardeners to
introduce native plants into
their yards, The Georgia
Wildlife Conservation
Section, the Garden Club
of Georgia, Inc. and The
Environmental Resources
Network (TERN) have
launched a new initiative to
the highly popular Com
munity Wildlife Project.
The endeavor is the called
Gardening With Native
Plants.
Native plants add inde
scribable beauty to home
landscapes as well as
provide a plethora of wild
animals with food and
cover. The addition of a
handful of native plants can
begin restoring biodiversity
yards and neighborhoods
alike. Over time, as more
and varied native plant
varieties are added, there is
a corresponding increase in
the diversity and
abundance of na
tive wildlife, such
as birds, but
terflies, moths,
invertebrates, and
other animals liv
ing in your yard.
Gardening
activities are
currently in full
swing around the
county. As we go
about planting zinnias, hol
lyhocks, cosmos, petunias
and other ornamental fa
vorites, we all need to also
find room for native plants.
Here are the names of just
four of scores of native
plants of value to our wild
life neighbors that deserve
a place in our gardens.
Purple Coneflower -
This perennial produces
an abundance of showy
flowers from summer
into the fall. It provides
nectar and pollen for a
wide variety of native pol
linators. In my backyard,
common buckeye butter
flies and bumblebees are
among the pollinators that
regularly visit the plants
blooms. After the blos
soms’ petals have dropped
to the ground American
goldfinches and other birds
dine on the seeds found
in the coneflowers prickly
seed heads.
Blazing Star - Another
showy native perennial that
will add color to any gar
den is blazing star. From
summer into fall, the plant
displays spikes of delicate,
feathery, violet
flowers. The
nectar found in
these blooms
is a favorite of
the monarch.
The flowers
are also visited
by a variety of
other butterflies
including the
painted lady,
cloudless sul
phur and gulf
fritillary.
Butterfly-
weed -- This
handsome
perennial does
not deserve
to be called
a weed. It is
a member of
the milkweed
family. As such, it a host
plant for the monarch. Its
clusters of orange flow
ers also provide nectar
for a number other native
pollinators such as the
pearl crescent butterfly,
ruby-throated humming
bird, scores of native bees,
wasps, and beetles.
Oakleaf Hydrangea
- This shrub grows six to
eight feet tall and wide.
It produces eye-catching
clusters of small white
blossoms. In the autumn,
its distinctive deeply lobed
oak-like leaves are literally
breathtaking. In fact, the
shrubs autumn foliage is
far more beautiful than that
displayed by many of the
other shrubs and trees that
paint the Monroe County
countryside.
If you think you would
like to plant native plants in
your garden but don’t know
what to plant, I suggest you
obtain the free application
for certifying your yard in
the Community Wildlife
Project’s Gardening With
Native Plants category.
The application is
designed to serve two
purposes. First the list is
a great reference since it
provides gardeners with an
annotated list of dozens of
native trees, shrubs, vines
and herbaceous plants that
are or can be grown in
Georgia backyards. Beside
each name on the list you
will find information as to
just how wildlife uses each
individual plant species.
When you receive the
list, go down the list and
circle those plants that are
currently found on your
property. I think you may
be surprised how many
are currently growing just
outside your backdoor. If a
native wildlife plant is not
on the list, simply add it.
Add up how many Geor
gia natives are growing on
your land. If you have at
least 12 species, return the
application and your yard
will be certified. If you fall
short of that number, use
the list to decide which na
tives you are going add to
your plant community.
Even if you don’t want to
earn certification, the list
will serve as a handy refer
ence regarding the values
of various native plants to
Georgia wildlife.
If you want the free appli
cation/list, simply contact
Melissa Hayes at the Wild
life Conservation Section
Office. She can be reached
by phone at 478-994-1438
or melissa.hayes@dnr.
ga.gov.
Terry Johnson of Forsyth
is retired Program Manager
of the Georgia Nongame-
Endangered Wildlife
Program. He has written the
informative column ‘Monroe
Outdoors’for the Reporter
for many years. His book,
“A Journey to Discovery,” is
available at The Reporter.
Email him at tjwoodduck@
bellsouth.net.
TAKE AN ADDITIONAL
Install for Military, Health
Workers and First Responders ■
CRIC
STRONG AS STEEL WITH THE
ATTRACTIVE LOOK OF VARIOUS
ROOF STYLES
From Dimensional Shingles to classic styles
reminiscent of Cedar Shake and Spanish Tile, an
architectural roofing system by Erie Metal Roofs
can enhance the beauty of your home while
protecting your family and property for a lifetime.
Call today to schedule your
FREE ESTIMATE 1-866-939-2151
€fif€
Metal Roofs
New orders only. Does not include material costs. Cannot be combined with any
other offer. Minimum purchase required. Other restrictions may apply. This is an
advertisement placed on behalf of Erie Construction Mid-West, Inc (“Erie”). Offer
terms and conditions may apply and the offer may not be available in your area.
Offer expires March 31,2022. If you call the number provided, you consent to being
contacted by telephone, SMS text message, email, pre-recorded messages by Erie
or its affiliates and service providers using automated technologies notwithstanding
if you are on a DO NOT CALL list or register. Please review our Privacy Policy and
Terms of Use on homeservicescompliance.com. All rights reserved.
TERRY W. JOHNSON
Arm Yourself with
AND a Handgun
Subscribe or Renew to the Reporter
BEFORE June 10 and we will enter
you into our Gun Giveaway contest!
Everyone will be entered into a drawing for
a FREE GUN.
Knowledge
M642 38 SPECIAL AIRWEIGHT 5 SHOT REVOLVER
Your Choice!
Winner Can Participate in the Monroe County
Sheriffs Office FREE Citizen Firearm Safety
Training on June 1 8.
Monroe County Sheriffs Office
Jg&ok FREE Citizen Firearm Safety Training
w
June 18, 2022 at 8:00 a.m.
Course will cover firearm use, proficiency, and safety
Apply at Monroe County Sheriff’s Office by June 3.
Call Sgt. Kevin Williams at 478-994-7048 for more information.
Must be 21 years old or older. Must provide your own legal gun, ammo, holster, and safety equipment.
Attendees will be required to submit to a background check. Must live or work in Monroe County.
M&P 2.0 COMPACT .9 MM 15RD SEMIAUTO
CALL (478) 994-2358, E-MAIL BUSINESS@MYMCR.NET, OR VISIT US AT
50 N. JACKSON ST., FORSYTH, GA 31029 TO RENEW OR SUBSCRIBE TODAY!