The Hill Garden

I love getting to visit educational gardens all across the state. Today I am at the Hill Garden in Brandon, MS. The garden was created by the Rankin County Master Gardeners in 1995 and is said to be one of the oldest Master Gardener projects in the state. Let’s take a look at some of the plants growing in this space. The Brown-eyed Susans are showing out with their cheerful, daisy-like flowers. The blooms feature bright yellow petals surrounding a dark brown, dome-shaped center, typically appearing from late summer to early fall, adding vibrant color to gardens and natural landscapes. The plants usually grow to about 2-5 feet tall and 1.5-2.5 feet wide, forming bushy clumps. Their flowers are small, generally measuring 1-2 inches in diameter. The Orange Cosmos plants are also popping with color. Their daisy-like flowers are bright orange and feature a central cluster of disc florets. Orange Cosmos has a bushy, upright habit with slender, branching stems. The flowers, about 2-3 inches in diameter, bloom profusely in late summer and fall. I love the Garlic chives with their small, star-shaped white flowers on tall stems, which are not only attractive but also edible. With a clump-forming growth habit, garlic chives can spread through self-seeding and underground rhizomes, making them easy to propagate. If you are ever in Brandon, MS, you should stop by the Rankin County Extension Service and tour the Hill Garden. I am Eddie Smith, and I will see you next time on Southern Gardening.