Exploring summer gardens in NJ and beyond | Gardener State

While Central Jersey was in the midst of last week’s intense summer temperatures, I had the opportunity to attend a conference for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents in West Palm Beach, Florida. The weather was actually fairly similar in the Garden State and the Sunshine State, though we did have a few thunderstorms down south while it remained very dry at home.

While in Florida, I had the opportunity to visit a local native plant garden maintained by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. “Pan’s Garden” was established in 1994 as Florida’s first all-native botanical garden. Situated on a half-acre in a Palm Beach neighborhood, it is free and open to the public. The garden was established as “a place where people can find peace of mind and where children can find joy in living things.”

There are winding paths in Pan’s Garden that move through lower wetland areas, complete with a stone footbridge that crosses a pond and eventually leads to upland areas of higher elevation supporting a drier plant environment. These different areas are populated with hundreds of plant species that are native to Southern Florida, some of which are endangered. Interestingly, there were quite a few familiar plants that I recognized because they are also native to New Jersey.

The path that leads down to the pond featured Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica), which is a native shrub that can be found growing along stream banks and wet woodland edges throughout most of the east coast. Florida represents the southern growing range of this plant, while New Jersey represents the northern range. While it was not flowering this time of year, Virginia Sweetspire will produce tassels of small, white, fragrant flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in the early summer.

In its southern range, Virginia Sweetspire’s leaves will remain semi-evergreen, but farther north the leaves turn brilliant red colors in the autumn. This easy-to-grow shrub also makes a great addition to the home landscape. It is commercially available at local nurseries and is an excellent substitute or replacement for the non-native burning bush (Euonymous alatus), which has a tendency to become invasive.

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Crossing the stone footbridge over the pond, I saw purple hyacinth-like flowers emerging from the water. These were coming from a plant called Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata). Pickerelweed is an aquatic plant that is native from Florida all the way to Nova Scotia. It grows in shallow ponds and other calm, fresh bodies of water, with roots growing down into the mud under the water. Its heart-shaped leaves and spikes of bluish-purple flowers grow up above the water. The blooms continue throughout the summer, attracting bees and hummingbirds while the foliage provides habitat for dragonflies and damselflies. Pickerelweed is a popular ornamental aquatic plant for home ponds and aquascapes and has even earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

A Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) marked the transitional area of the garden, moving from wetland to upland plants. This small tree is native from Massachusetts down to Florida and only grows 10 to 20 feet tall. It is evergreen in the South but loses its leaves in the fall in the northern portion of its range. In the early summer, it produces fragrant white flowers, which turn into red fruits that are eaten by wildlife later in the season. It attracts butterflies and birds and is a host plant for the unique Sweetbay Silkmoth (Callosamia securifera). Sweetbay Magnolia make a nice specimen tree in the landscape and can work well in rain gardens.

Of course, you do not have to travel far to experience the beauty and ecological benefit of native plants since we have many fantastic outdoor parks and gardens right here in Central Jersey.

Deep Cut Gardens is a free, public garden that is situated on 54 acres and is part of the Monmouth County Parks System. The grounds feature a living catalog of cultivated and native plant materials to be observed through the seasons. There is a reference library with helpful staff and regular garden programs and classes. It is located at 152 Red Hill Road in Middletown and is open from 8 a.m. until dusk year-round.

More:An 'All-America' celebration of horticulture

Another gem is Holmdel Park, which is located on 664 acres and has been a popular location since it was acquired by the Monmouth County Parks System in 1962. While many visitors enjoy the various outdoor recreational activities that Holmdel Park has to offer, garden enthusiasts should also check out the David C. Shaw Arboretum. Situated on 22 acres within the park, the arboretum features hundreds of species and cultivars of ornamental trees and shrubs that are well-suited to growing in Central Jersey. Holmdel Park is located at 44 Longstreet Road in Holmdel and opens at 7 a.m. every day.

William Errickson is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent for Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Exploring summer gardens in NJ and beyond | Gardener State