Ornamental flowers, trees, shrubs, and grasses are effective ways to add beauty and interest to your yard. With a wide variety of colors and textures, as well as options for nearly any climate or growing condition, ornamentals can be a low-maintenance, fun way to enhance the beauty of your landscape and add value to your property. UGA Extension offers information about the flowers, trees, shrubs, and grasses that keep gardeners busy and Georgia beautiful.
For information about commercial horticulture and nursery production, see our Ornamental Horticulture section.
Our Programs and Services
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Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program Intensive horticultural training to individuals who then volunteer in their communities by giving lectures, creating gardens, conducting research, and many other projects.
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On-Site and Telephone Consultation Available in many situations for home owners and consumers.
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Pesticide Safety Education Program Georgia's Pesticide Safety Education Program promotes the responsible and safe use of pesticides throughout Georgia. We accomplish this by providing the educational resources, training programs, and materials needed to help both private and commercial pesticide applicators achieve certification and subsequently to maintain the knowledge to safely and effectively make use of restricted-use and all other pesticides.
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Soil and Water Testing Services Increase your yield, test your water quality, and more.
Recent Publications
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Native Plants for Georgia Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines (B 987) This publication focuses on native trees, shrubs and woody vines for Georgia. It is not our intent to describe all native species — just those available in the nursery trade and those that the authors…
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Native Plants for Georgia Part II: Ferns (B 987-2) There are about 12,000 species of ferns in the world today. Most are found in the tropics. Currently, Georgia is home to 36 genera, 119 species and 12 hybrid ferns. The list is constantly expanding as…
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Native Plants for Georgia Part III: Wildflowers (B 987-3) This publication is a comprehensive guide to growing and identifying native wildflowers suitable for planting in Georgia. The term “wildflower” in this publication is a general term used to define bot…
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Native Plants for Georgia Part IV: Grasses and Sedges (B 987-4) This publication describes and illustrates 48 grasses and 10 sedges native to Georgia. It is not the intent of the authors to describe all native grasses and sedges, but those that are most widespread…
Websites
UGA-affiliated
Georgia Master Gardener Gives an overview of the program to train and certify individuals in horticulture and includes extensive links.
Trellis: Master Gardener Blog Engaging Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteers in meaningful discussion about volunteering, outreach, and community.
Trial Gardens at UGA The Trial Gardens at UGA trials the newest varieties of annuals from all over the world and puts perennials to the test to find those that stand up to southeastern heat and humidity. It's also open to the public year-round.
Ornamental Plant and Tree Pathology Provides plant disease information to assist Georgia growers and county extension personnel.
UGA Department of Horticulture Learn more about the horticulture department at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
External sites
Walter Reeves A wealth of gardening resources and tips from this well-known Extension garden specialist and host of "Your Southern Garden."
Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm Regional botanical garden provides education, public outreach, and applied research in horticultural and environmental sciences and a facility of the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Extension, with support from the "Friends of the Coastal Gardens."
State Botanical Garden of Georgia Site detailing the attractions, programs, research, and events at this "living laboratory" for learning about gardening and nature.
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Rewild Your Lawn For many, the beauty of a landscape lies not just in its appearance but in its function — an idea that has fueled the rising trend of “re-wilding” home spaces as an alternative to conventional, high-maintenance lawns.
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Master Gardener Anniversary The Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program is celebrating its 45th anniversary with signature events throughout 2024, culminating in the Georgia Master Gardener Association’s annual conference Oct. 4-5.
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Pollinator Census As summer draws to a close, nature enthusiasts, gardeners and residents across the Southeast are gearing up for an exciting citizen-science project – the 2024 Great Southeast Pollinator Census.
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Poison Ivy Poison ivy is infamous for causing allergic reactions in up to 50 million Americans annually, according to the American Skin Association.
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Proper Watering Proper watering is key to helping your plants thrive this season.
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Firefly Outreach To showcase its dedication to conservation, Fannin County made a special proclamation to establish July 2 as Fannin County Firefly Day, coinciding with World Firefly Day and International Firefly Week.
