Garden Archives - North American Land Trust

Red blooms of a native honeysuckle vine (Lonicera sempervirens)

Plant this, Not That: Native Plant Substitutes for Invasive Species

Our “Plant This, Not That” series aims to help you find a native plant to use instead of or to replace the invasive species in your yard. These plants can not only provide the same look and texture, but also, similar features and growing habits, all while providing critical habitat for native wildlife. When visiting […]

Plant this, Not That: Native Plant Substitutes for Invasive Species Read More »

NALT Protects Rare Oak Species in Alabama

Picture an oak in your mind. What do you see? Do you imagine a large, tall tree in the middle of a field? Or do you picture a small, scrubby shrub on a sun-baked rock? Either way, you are right. Oaks come in all shapes and sizes. There are approximately 500 species – everything from

NALT Protects Rare Oak Species in Alabama Read More »

The Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve

PROTECTING ONE FAMILY’S DEDICATION TO THE LAND Now with the spring season in full bloom, many of us are spending these warmer days in our backyards, planting flowers that attract pollinators, weeding invasives to make room for native species, raking debris and cultivating the land for a summer or fall harvest of fruits and veggies.

The Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve Read More »

Family Lands, Stories From the Land

Southern Highlands Reserve

LANDOWNERS EXCEED STEWARDSHIP EXPECTATIONS Situated east of Panthertown Valley in Jackson and Transylvania Counties and south of Toxaway River Headwaters, just along the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, you’ll find an extensive set of Montane Acidic Cliffs surrounded by high elevation forests with dots of pink-shell azalea (Rhododendron vaseyi) that stand out against the dense

Southern Highlands Reserve Read More »

Family Lands, Stories From the Land

It Takes a Village to Save the White Fringeless Orchid

We’ve all heard the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child,” but one Georgia neighborhood found that it actually takes a village to raise a small orchid population. Called Big Canoe, this neighborhood is located in Pickens County, and is home to the Meadows Committee, a dedicated group of individuals committed to stewarding

It Takes a Village to Save the White Fringeless Orchid Read More »

Science, Stories From the Land

Yellow-Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris)

Overview: Listed as threatened or endangered in most states, the Yellow-Fringed Orchid ranges from southern New England west to southern Ontario (historic), southern Michigan, Illinois south along the coastal plain to Florida, and west to Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Its flowers are bright yellow to orange in coloring, with distinctive fringed lips, and clustered in

Yellow-Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris) Read More »

News You Can Use, Science

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolate)

Background: Many of you are probably finding an abundance of this aggressive invader in your gardens this time of year. Garlic mustard, or Alliaria petiolate is an herbaceous, biennial forb recognized by the garlic odor it releases when crushed. Originally from Europe, it was introduced in the U.S. in the 1800’s for medicinal and culinary

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolate) Read More »

News You Can Use, Science

LeConte’s Thistle (Cirsium lecontei)

Overview: Cirsium lecontei occurs on the sandy pinelands of southern coastal plain in damp soil (where co-occurring species include Myrica, Cyrilla, and Ilex), specifically in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. They are also found in moist to wet grassy pine savannas and pine barrens, bogs (other species present include pitcher plants, Ilex, sedges, grasses, and sphagnum), and roadside ditches. LeConte’s thistle is a perennial

LeConte’s Thistle (Cirsium lecontei) Read More »

News You Can Use, Science