Southern Gardening
The display garden at the Mississippi State University South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville is beautifully created and maintained by the Pearl River County Master Gardeners. (Photo by MSU Extension/Eddie Smith)
Master Gardeners maintain a beautiful MSU garden
Dr. Eddie Miles Louis Smith
MSU Extension Service
During a recent visit to the Mississippi State University South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville, I had the pleasure of exploring the beautiful display garden created and maintained by the Pearl River County Master Gardeners.
The space was bursting with color and texture, showcasing a wide variety of standout plants that are sure to inspire other gardeners.
One of the first plants to catch my eye was Flamma Orange celosia.
This variety is a true showstopper, producing dense, upright plumes in a vivid, fiery orange that seems to glow in the sunlight. The flame-like flower spikes rise above lush green foliage, adding strong vertical interest and a lively energy to the garden bed.
Flamma Orange not only delivers bold color but also thrives in heat, making it a great choice for Southern gardens.
Not far away, Burning Embers celosia provided a striking contrast.
This variety is all about drama, with deep bronze to burgundy foliage that sets the stage for vivid red blooms. The fiery, plume-like flowers stand out beautifully against the darker leaves, creating a rich and moody color palette that draws the eye and adds depth to plantings.
Mango Tango marigold offered a completely different vibe, being bright, cheerful, and full of personality.
Its frilly, double blooms come in a mix of golden yellow and deep orange-red tones, often with petal tips or centers painted in contrasting colors. The effect is festive, like a burst of confetti. These marigolds are not only beautiful, but they are also tough and reliable, making them perfect for adding bold color to sunny borders or containers.
For a touch of elegance, Vanity verbena impressed me with its soft yet vibrant clusters of lavender-purple blooms.
This more compact version of tall verbena retains the airy, delicate charm of the species but in a tidier form, making it ideal for garden edges and smaller spaces. The slender, branching stems sway gracefully in the breeze and attract butterflies and other pollinators throughout the season.
One of my personal favorites from the display garden was Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor zinnia.
These daisy-like blooms are a lively blend of golden yellow and rich red, and they often shift to a warm orange as they mature. The flowers are continuously blooming and remarkably easy to grow. This makes them a reliable choice for long-lasting garden color.
The cheerful, ever-changing tones add dynamic visual interest and pair beautifully with other sun-loving annuals.
The South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station display garden in Poplarville is open daily for the public to enjoy. Each year on the first Thursday in October, the Experiment Station hosts an ornamental horticulture field day, a highlight for gardeners and plant enthusiasts from across the region.
During this field day, visitors can tour the display garden, attend educational presentations, and learn about ongoing plant trials and research being conducted at the station. It is a great way to see how different plant varieties perform under local conditions and to gather inspiration for your garden.
If you’re looking to refresh your garden with bold, heat-tolerant color and texture, consider adding any of these standout varieties I recently enjoyed.
Master Gardeners maintain a beautiful MSU garden
Dr. Eddie Miles Louis Smith
MSU Extension Service
During a recent visit to the Mississippi State University South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville, I had the pleasure of exploring the beautiful display garden created and maintained by the Pearl River County Master Gardeners.
The space was bursting with color and texture, showcasing a wide variety of standout plants that are sure to inspire other gardeners.
One of the first plants to catch my eye was Flamma Orange celosia.
This variety is a true showstopper, producing dense, upright plumes in a vivid, fiery orange that seems to glow in the sunlight. The flame-like flower spikes rise above lush green foliage, adding strong vertical interest and a lively energy to the garden bed.
Flamma Orange not only delivers bold color but also thrives in heat, making it a great choice for Southern gardens.
Not far away, Burning Embers celosia provided a striking contrast.
This variety is all about drama, with deep bronze to burgundy foliage that sets the stage for vivid red blooms. The fiery, plume-like flowers stand out beautifully against the darker leaves, creating a rich and moody color palette that draws the eye and adds depth to plantings.
Mango Tango marigold offered a completely different vibe, being bright, cheerful, and full of personality.
Its frilly, double blooms come in a mix of golden yellow and deep orange-red tones, often with petal tips or centers painted in contrasting colors. The effect is festive, like a burst of confetti. These marigolds are not only beautiful, but they are also tough and reliable, making them perfect for adding bold color to sunny borders or containers.
For a touch of elegance, Vanity verbena impressed me with its soft yet vibrant clusters of lavender-purple blooms.
This more compact version of tall verbena retains the airy, delicate charm of the species but in a tidier form, making it ideal for garden edges and smaller spaces. The slender, branching stems sway gracefully in the breeze and attract butterflies and other pollinators throughout the season.
One of my personal favorites from the display garden was Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor zinnia.
These daisy-like blooms are a lively blend of golden yellow and rich red, and they often shift to a warm orange as they mature. The flowers are continuously blooming and remarkably easy to grow. This makes them a reliable choice for long-lasting garden color.
The cheerful, ever-changing tones add dynamic visual interest and pair beautifully with other sun-loving annuals.
The South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station display garden in Poplarville is open daily for the public to enjoy. Each year on the first Thursday in October, the Experiment Station hosts an ornamental horticulture field day, a highlight for gardeners and plant enthusiasts from across the region.
During this field day, visitors can tour the display garden, attend educational presentations, and learn about ongoing plant trials and research being conducted at the station. It is a great way to see how different plant varieties perform under local conditions and to gather inspiration for your garden.
If you’re looking to refresh your garden with bold, heat-tolerant color and texture, consider adding any of these standout varieties I recently enjoyed.