Mark Weathington

Mark Weathington

Mark Weathington is the director of the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the author of Gardening in the South: The Complete Homeowner’s Guide.

  • Southeast Regional Reports

    Evergreen Perennials for the Southeast

    Siebold’s hardy orchid  Calanthe sieboldii Zones: 6b–8 Size: 18 to 20 inches tall and wide Conditions: Partial to full shade; moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil Native range: Japan Orchids are often…

  • covering a plant in fallen leaves
    How-To

    4 Ways to Push Your Gardening Zone

    The USDA Hardiness Zone that you see listed with a plant should be considered a recommendation and not an absolute. Hardiness zones measure the average ­annual minimum temperature, but they…

  • southern native plants
    Design

    Southern Native Plants That Can Work in Almost Any Garden

    The South has much more to offer the rest of the country than the culinary delights of barbecue pork, pimento cheese, and fried green tomatoes. Strolling through woodlands of the…

  • early spring flowers southeast
    Southeast Regional Reports

    Late-Winter and Early-Spring Bloomers for the Southeast

    In Jason Reeves' article Plants That Bloom in Late Winter or Early Spring, he discusses how plants that bloom during the coldest time of the year, often go underappreciated: "Some…

  • compact shrubs
    Design

    Compact Shrubs That Provide Color, Interest, and Excitement to the Landscape

    Today's landscapes tend to be small. Even where space is available, many gardeners tend to have other interests and obligations that leave them with less time to cultivate a large…

  • Hardy Sinningia
    Southeast Regional Reports

    Plants for Birds in the Southeast

    As William Cullina mentions in his article on plants for birds, the sad reality is songbirds are disappearing: "Habitat loss, pesticides, and the accompanying decline of insect populations have contributed…

  • Steady Eddy Doublefile Viburnum
    Southeast Regional Reports

    4 Must-Have Plants for the Southeast

    As garden centers start to open their doors for the season (and we get ready to run into them with open arms), we decided to ask some regional experts what…

  • Southeast Regional Reports

    Regional Picks: Tough Plants—Southeast

    See regional picks for tough pretty plants, and read the article by Julie Lane Gray for even more ideas. It’s important to define first what I mean by a “tough”…

  • How-To

    Pruning and Staking a Weeping Redbud

    Weeping redbuds will generally not grow much taller than the height to which they are staked. When they come home from a nursery, they have usually been staked to about…

  • Design

    Redbuds: Sweethearts of the Woodland

    Small, native, flowering trees always seem to be in high demand, with dogwoods (Cornus spp. and cvs., Zones 2–9) traditionally getting the lion’s share of attention. But in recent years,…