Gardening in the shade has always felt a bit like painting with a limited palette—but as any good artist knows, that’s where creativity really shines. This past weekend, I finally had a chance to dig into my shade garden and add a little seasonal flair with some annuals and one…
Just My Nature
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The American Beautyberry – Understory Shrub
In a woodland shade garden, understory shrubs play an important role in filling the space beneath taller trees while adding structure, texture, and seasonal interest. These bushes are naturally adapted to lower light conditions and help create a layered, natural look. Native understory plants like American Beautyberry, oakleaf hydrangea, spicebush,…
Just My Nature
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Building My Woodland Shade Garden in Southeast Oklahoma
One of my favorite ongoing projects on our property is the slow and steady transformation of a small woodland area into a shade garden. This stretch of woods once served as the dividing line between what used to be two separate properties. When we acquired the land, this wooded section…
Just My Nature
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Why I Choose Nandinas Without Berries
If you’ve ever spent time gardening in the South, chances are you’ve seen nandina — also called “heavenly bamboo” — growing in yards, lining sidewalks, or tucked into foundation beds. It’s a classic landscaping plant for a reason: it’s hardy, drought-tolerant once established, and it offers year-round beauty with ever-changing…
Just My Nature
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The Last Freeze (Hopefully)
Every spring, I wrestle with one particularly strong urge: the itch to plant early. Down here in Southeast Oklahoma, we’ve all learned (sometimes the hard way) that March and even early April can still throw us a solid frost—or worse, a full-blown freeze. But this year, I managed to resist….
Along The Pathway
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The Rare Snow Event
Journal Entry – January 11, 2025 Thursday morning, I made the call to stay home from work. The weather reports had been clear all week, and as the first flakes began to fall, I knew it was only going to get worse. The office would likely close early, and there…