PHOTO: DANIELA DUNCAN/GETTY With large scarlet blooms, Texas Star hibiscus brings a lush, exotic feel to the garden without the drawbacks of short-lived, non-native tropical varieties. Texas…

For many reasons, the beloved cotton rose is a symbolic flower for the south. Who wouldn’t want a flower like this? Although there are many forms, single…

PHOTO: YULIA NAUMENKO/GETTY Of all the types of lilies, Asiatic lilies these are the first to bloom, before the fragrant Orientals. They are cold hardy, relatively pest free,…

PHOTO: SOUTHERN LIVING/ADRIENNE LEGAULT If you’ve ever wished your lawn was awash in flowers instead of grass, there’s a summertime groundcover that can make your wishes come true. Chamomile…

PHOTO: ALISON MIKSCH If you’ve ever bought peonies, there’s a chance that Carl Van Staalduinen grew those stems in North Carolina. He comes from a long line…

PHOTO: JOSHUA MCCULLOUGH/GETTY IMAGES Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) is easy to grow. You can practically plant them and forget them. But you won’t because these shrubs with white,…

PHOTO: ROLF NUSSBAUMER/GETTY IMAGES The antics of these petite, jewel-colored hummingbirds in the garden are endlessly fun to watch. They are the only birds capable of sustained hovering and…

Moss Verbena creates a wispy mound of feathery foliage and delicate blooms. PHOTO: DIANA KIRBY Whether you choose a short or a tall variety, annual or perennial,…

Deadheading your flowers is an easy garden task, but is it completely necessary? The answer is sometimes! Deadheading, or removing spent blooms and seed pods, encourages some annuals to…