BY: Vaughan Drinkard, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org People are often surprised to learn that Mobile, Alabama has a regal connection. My involvement with Mobile's brush with royalty began when I was a young child upon the ascension of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, to the throne of England. This is the story of the Camellia japonica Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II .    My grandfather, Cliff Harris, was making arrangements to send

by Judy Weaver Hibiscus mutabilis  is known by several common names, among them Confederate Rose, Cotton Rose, and Cotton Rose Mallow.  With a height of 10 to 12 feet, and a width of 8 to 12  feet, plant it with plenty of room to grow.  The species name  mutabilis  is Latin for change and refers to the color of the flowers that begin white when the bud first opens, then light pink and finally a dark pink. This is a plant to prune in the winter after its fall blooms are finish

A yard in midtown Mobile which has been overseeded with Ryegrass by J. LeCroy BY: Jack LeCroy, Regional Extension Agent, JML0003@aces.edu    www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org   After an interesting year weather-wise, winter is finally upon us. Winter always brings with it some confusion for homeowners as to what to do with their lawns as our warm-season turfs finally go dormant. Lawn questions are year-round in our office as we have a very demanding environment for growing

Rack of Blue Java 'Ice Cream' bananas. Photo by J. Woolsey. By: Jeremiah “Pepper” Woolsey, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org One of my first memories was, as a 5-year-old, going down to the docks on the Mobile River with my father to watch the banana boats unload racks of fruit from the Caribbean and Central America. It was the late 1950s. The boats from Cuba stopped after the Revolution and the rest, as more modern means of transport were us

Russelia equisetiformis  is commonly known as the firecracker plant (or firecracker fern or coral fountain), due to its arching sprays of tubular red flowers. You will most likely find the red form in local nurseries, but yellow and salmon cultivars are also available. The firecracker plant is a tender perennial when grown in ground in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a or higher. Otherwise, this plant can be treated as an annual, gracing beds, pots or large planters with its colorful s

Japanese Maple in Fall Color by Alice Marty By: Regina Gunn, former Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org Q We recently down-sized to a smaller home and yard with no existing plantings other than the typical foundational shrubbery. Are there small trees available for smaller spaces such as ours that would provide beauty and/or shade?   A Landscape designers often talk about balance with regard to proportion and scale in the garden because it is so

Table arrangement By: Brenda Bolton, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org   Editor’s Note:  Creating fresh greenery arrangements during a holiday season can result in  special gifts for friends. In this column from November 2016, Brenda Bolton gives expert tips on using what you grow for décor that lasts as long as possible.  And we want you to know that as a backup to DIY, the Master Gardeners invite you to place your order for Holiday Greenery

Snapdragon. Photo by Judy Weaver. By Judy Weaver   Because Snapdragons thrive in cooler weather, gardeners who call Planting Zone 8b home can plant these happy plants in early spring and fall.  And if our winter happens to be mild enough, snapdragons can be overwintered to get a head start on spring color. What they can’t tolerate is hot weather.   Snapdragons are happiest in full or dappled sun with moist, well-drained soil, whether in a border or a container. Pinch back you

French marigolds planted as a cover crop can help reduce root knot nematold damage. Photo by John Olive. By: John Olive, Retired Director, AU Ornamental Horticultural Research Center, Mobile Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org Q: What is a cover crop and should I plant one in my garden? A: A cover crop is a planting that is primarily grown to benefit a future crop and generally not for harvest.  It is mowed down and turned into the soil. Farmers often plant a cover

Baptista by Mary Townsley By: Mary Townsley, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org     Fall is upon us: days are a bit shorter, and the humidity is thankfully abating. Is fall a good time to plant, you ask? Absolutely yes!    Many of you may have had the pleasure of wandering through the terrific selection of plants and trees at the Mobile Botanical Gardens Fall Plant Sale.  This collection is carefully curated to provide the best for our planting

By Carol Williams The Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, is a delightful addition to any landscape and grows well in Mobile. Unlike other...

Texas Star, Hibiscus coccineus. Photo by Brenda Bolton By: Brenda Bolton, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners....

Symphyotrichum dumosus BUCSA_AdobeStock By: Melissa Wold, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org   you need...

Hippeastrum 'Apple Blossom' by Barbara Boone By: Barbara Boone, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org    ...

A garden showstopper is a border or large clump of trumpet-shaped amaryllis blossoms in landscapes or a container. Emerging blooms 4...

Caesalpinia pulcherrima blossom by Alice Marty By: Alice Marty, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org    ...

Government Street Oak Allee. Photo by Bill Boswell. By: Brenda Bolton, Mobile County Master Gardener, www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org...

By Judy Weaver Fatsia ( Fatsia japonica ) is also known as Japanese fatsia, indicating its origin.  It’s popular in our area as an...

Certified Citrus Plant Tag by Jacob Kelley By: Jacob Kelley, Regional Extension Agent, jtk0016@auburn.edu , www.mobilecountymastergardene...

Aspidistra Spek-tacular and close up. Photo by Theresa Davidson. By: Theresa Davidson, Mobile County Master Gardener,...