Hydrangeas.

Gardenias.

Magnolia

Crape mrytle, star jasmine, banana shrub.

Daylilies, too. :)

A porch with rocking chairs. Sweet iced tea :).

All of the above .....especially the rocking chair & sweet iced tea part ...... plus fothegilla (?sp) and oak leaf hydrangea (maybe repetitive, but way diff from my other hydrangeas).

Are you out of space yet?? We can just keep going on, you know ..... :o)

Natalie, I can barely fit the fern on the front porch I have. I don't think rocking chairs will make it out there, but a glass of sweet tea (Iced is assumed), will always be near by.

I have gardenias, magnolias, hydrangea, crape myrtle, star jasmine, and daylilies. What is a banana shrub?

Any perennials? Annuals?

crinums and antique roses

Banana shrub, in the words of the young man who showed me the first Michelia figo I ever saw, "will make you want to eat a Banana sandwich when it blooms." I put pictures on my blog.

Perennials used as annuals: Nicotiana.
Annuals that reseed: Madagascar periwinkle.

Nell

Here is a link that might be useful: Michelia Figo -- Banana Shrub

When I think of Southern living, I think of Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Hostas, Gardenias, Iron Plant, Palmettos, fig trees, Sweet Betsy, Wisteria, Roses, Camelias, Ferns, Baskets of Fuschia and other colorful plants, and so many more. In the Deep South, I recall all the above, plus the Spanish Moss hanging from oak trees and Poke Salad Festivals in the Spring. I think of white front porches, rocking chairs or wicker furniture, the American flag flying from porch pillars. In-law houses. Sweet Tea and fried chicken, black-eyed peas, Fried fish, Biscuits and Gravy, sweet potatoes, okra and turnip greens with sweet cornbread. Peaches! Fried Peanuts sold at roadside stands, and backroad Bar-B-Que that you can smell every night....yum! Fireworks sold everywhere, year round! :)
Southern Pines singing in the breeze and flowering Dogwoods and Redbuds in the springtime.
Ice Cold Watermelon and home made ice cream on the Fourth of July. Everybody sitting on the front porch in the evening and greeting everybody with, "Hi Neighbor!". Children say, "Yes Ma'm" and "No Ma'm" (or "Sir"). When you call your children, they respond with, "Ma'm?"
Pecan and Sweet Potato Pies and fields of cotton.
And you don't say, "Mickey MOUSE", you say MICKEY mouse".
Southern Pride is BIG.

I can think of millions of things that you will find no where else in the world that is PURE SOUTHERN.

I loved living there. Proud my children were born and raised there. They still have their good manners and we moved up here in 1980!

You pick 5 things. I just can't!

~Annie :)

Oh yes - Crepe Myrtles!

Magnolias.
Big Bay evergreen magnolias and
Deciduous magnolias: lily flowered and stellata.

Yes Annie...and when you go to leave after a visit, the hostess always says, "Y'all come back now, heah?"

--Sharon

Tom, don't forget native plants. Among my natives are Farkleberry and Dog Banana and Blue-eyed Grass (Vaccinium, Asimina and Sisyrinchium).

Don't forget the lilacs, iris and peonies...petunias and impatiens...

Well,
I got carried away and off topic...

Tom was just wanting flowers and such, I knew that, but I just couldn't help but think of all the things that make the South so special.

Sorry 'bout that, ya'll!

Mmmmm, the sweet Magnolias. Good ones, foxy!

~Mis' Annie :)

I love the South!

Love southern fiction............if you have any good suggestions, please let me know. Southern writers are my absolute favorites.

I know this is OT.

When I think of the south, I think of magnolias, Spanish Moss, and camellias and, of course, that wonderful Southern cooking.

I agree with all of the above & add Redbuds & Dogwoods & wisteria (within limits). For an easy enjoyable very southern read (great with a tall glass of sweet tea on the porch) are the so-called Southern Sister mysteries by Anne George. She was also a Pulitzer nominated poet. Even if you are not a "cozy" mystery fan these books so capture the southern flavor they are well worth it in my opinion.
Susan

Oh how I miss the scent of boxwood drifting through the hot summer Virginia air...

I have to admit, a lot of my ideas about the south come from reading Anne Rivers Siddons books! She does very good descriptions of buildings in her books, but I can't remember her describing the plants in much detail. Y'all have great lists, as far as this Northerner can tell!

What a great thread---everything I could think of has already been mentioned....Maybe look up some historical southern gardens/plants for some more ideas?

Really enjoyed reading this entire thread and esp. enjoyed annie's lovely southern description...reads like poetry!

Great ideas everyone!

: ) Becky

Did I miss seeing LANTANA mentioned???? - I agree with all the above .....

Lynne

I have got to get a banana shrub. Thanks for the link Nell.

I'll make some more notes and add to my growing wish list. I want to make sure I have all the necessary Southern Plants for my yard. Many I already have or are growing them now.

A handsome southern gentleman.

Susan, thanks for the author. I have just begun reading mysteries this past year. I got them for my DH to get him interested in reading....and then I started reading them.
I think I created a monster........some days I have to remind him to check the cows!

You could plant a William Faulkner Garden featuring both the plants mentioned in Faulkner's writings and the flowers that surrounded Faulkner's own Mississippi home.

Two of his short stories that come to mind are "A Rose for Emily" and the one about the odor of lemon verbena. Faulkner is a good read for a lazy summer afternoon.

Nell

mint
spanish moss
lime
lemon

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