Nashville Songwriters That Love Plants

For Songwriters, Everything’s Coming Up Roses, and Other Flora

It was country star Brad Eldridge who surprised passersby on Lower Broad Street by showing up unannounced and handing out flowers one sunny day two years ago in Nashville. But he wasn’t the first – and surely won’t be the last – to delight music fans with the power of the flower.

Image result for country music stars with flowers

 Of course, the easiest way for the musician to hand out a whole lot of flowers at once is in the title of a song.

From “The Yellow Rose of Texas” -- anonymously penned sometime around the 1850’s – to Josh Ritter’s whimsically titled “Appleblossom Rag” – which sprouted in his video in 2013 – to whatever tomorrow’s top hit of the day is, many songwriters naturally seem to pick flowers when picking song titles.

Image result for country music stars flowers

It is a tribute to the life-giving, rejuvenating, refreshing, perennial Nature. Well, Nature, when it comes to naming a song, the creative individual returns again and again to comparisons to what we find in the natural world.

And the reason is that songs tend to be about love. “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” “No need, comparison to one flower will do.” Shakespeare never got a contract in Nashville, but you can bet that if he were around, he’d be penning songs where flowers got their due.

Thank goodness for this because far too often harried and hectic world, who among us stops to smell the roses nearly enough? At least, sitting in our cars, jammed in the traffic and waiting for bumpers to move, we can breathe the sweet perfume of a “Honeysuckle Rose” deeply or even “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses” wafting out of the speakers.

Let’s tiptoe through the tulips over to some of the other fabulous flora known to get song title airplay. (If you step on the “Paper Roses,” not to fear, Granny won’t come out with her shotgun.)

Miranda Lambert’s “Virginia Bluebells”… Lucinda Williams’ “Buttercup”… Audra McDonald’s “Edelweiss”… Has anyone ever envisioned such a sumptuous bouquet?

Image result for country music stars flowers

Songwriters certainly have the know-how – by plucking just the right words out of their gardens – to tug at the heartstrings of today and for generations to come.

As for your actual and avid gardeners out there reading this, how often have you hummed, whistled, warbled, rivaled the birds, maybe massacred the words, but essentially serenaded yourself with songs about flowers while in the very act of gardening?

You weren’t just digging – the flowers dug it too.

So let’s tip our sun hats to Brad Eldridge to implicitly understand that giving out a flower on the street in Nashville is a very songwriter thing to do. Okay, so Lynn Anderson sang with Grammy-nominated enthusiasm, “I beg your pardon/I never promised you a rose garden” – but it’s never too late to bring the beauty of nature to our stories in song.

Evening Primrose - TN Nursery

Evening Primrose

Evening Primrose is recognized for their tall stems adorned with bright yellow, four-petaled flowers that typically bloom in the afternoon, contrasted by lance-shaped, green leaves. It is a delightful and beneficial plant with numerous advantages when landscaping. This herbaceous perennial is native to North and South America and has become famous for gardeners due to its striking blooms, versatility, and ecological contributions. Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is a lovely and prolific North American flower that greatly benefits pollinators in gardens and the wild. Natural Habitat Of Evening Primrose Native to North America, Oenothera biennis is naturalized across the United States. This biennial wildflower grows along forest edges and clearings and can also be found in prairies, marshes, pastures, old mines, railroads, roadsides, and other open, disturbed areas. It is one of the few native plants that bloom into late fall. Oenothera biennis features clusters of four-petaled, bowl-shaped, two-inch-wide yellow blooms that blossom at the top of the stems. The heart-shaped petals surround eight yellow stamens and a cross-shaped stigma. The plant grows three to five feet tall. Its stiff, purple central stalk is covered in oblong olive-, light-, or medium-green leaves that also form a rosette at the plant's base. Evening Primrose Has A Wonderful Aroma  Oenothera biennis is a late-season biennial primrose that produces abundant fragrant, lemon-scented blooms from July through October. Its blossoms open in the afternoon, after the sun sets, and close up again in the morning after sunrise. In the garden, this plant will fit right into a cottage or wildflower garden and add color and texture to borders and flower beds. It can also add beauty to meadows and naturalized areas. This quick-growing flower is best planted in late fall. It will bloom in its second year and self-seed unless it's pruned back at the end of its blooming cycle. Suppose you want to attract pollinators to your garden, plant Oenothera biennis. Night-flying moths are the plant's chief pollinators, and when the flowers stay open on cloudy mornings, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are likely to stop by. Birds will feast on the seeds, and small mammals will nibble on its roots and leaves. Add Rustic Color With Evening Primrose If you're looking for an easy way to add rustic color to your landscape and attract more bees, birds, and butterflies, be sure to plant Evening Primrose in your garden. These bright, fragrant plants will bring you joy during the late summer months.

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Pink Evening Primrose - TN Nursery

Showy Pink Primrose

The Showy Pink Primrose is a unique garden perennial treasure. The plant's blooms start opening up and displaying in the afternoon. This makes it a highly sought-after and prized plant that many homeowners want in their flowering beds and gardens. Showy Pink Primrose Is a Flower Garden Pastel Blooming Favorite Perennial  The Showy Pink Primrose—also commonly referred to as the evening primrose, pink ladies' primrose, pink evening primrose, or Mexican primrose—is a perennial flower known for its delicate pink hues and finely textured petals. If you are looking to add some soft color to your garden, this is an excellent flower to plant.  Details of the Showy Pink Primrose Plant What Does Pink Showy Primrose Look Like? Pink Showy Primrose adds a soft elegance to outdoor spaces. The middle of the pedals are typically white but gradually turn into a coral pink towards the edges of the petals. Occasionally, the color can intensify to a dark pink. From afar, petals' white and pink colors can look almost purplish. The Pink Showy Primrose develops long throats and stamens stretching from the flower's center. The buds nod to give the flower a lazy, practically laidback appeal. The central part of the flower, starting at the stamen, has a contrasting yellow coloration. Still, these colors are never jostling busily for position.  Instead, the pastel profile of the tinges complements each other very well. In a garden, the plant works well against dark green backdrops or as accent pieces to flowers with brighter colors. It typically grows upright and can reach heights of two feet off the soil line. Occasionally, the plant can sprawl out to provide more ground coverage. Each flower produces four solitary petals joined at the plant's axils. They are finely textured with wavy edges, reminiscent of fine paper mache.  The petals are very dainty, keeping with the frilly, playful theme of the understated colors. Don't get the wrong impression, though. The plant is quite hardy, even as the Pink Showy Primrose petals look tender. The plant produces a sturdy stem with stout, lance-shaped green leaves. The plant leaves can grow to about 4 inches long. In the autumn, you may notice that some green leaves tan reddish. The flowers themselves can reach about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.  Advantages of Showy Pink Primrose  Aside from their soft elegance, the Pink Showy Primrose can be put to advantageous use in your outdoor areas.  This flower is sometimes called an evening primrose because it blooms at night in most Northern climates. Around dusk, it emits a floral fragrance that is as irresistible to the nose as its beauty is to the eyes.  The plant is famous for landscapers and home gardeners who want to cover unpopulated open areas. It colonizes (spreads) very quickly in most solid conditions so long as it isn't too loamy, sandy, or rocky. So, if you have a bare section of your yard that can use some natural color, primrose is a great option.  Hardy Plants - Despite the elegant appearance of their flowers, the Showy Pink Primrose is very Hardy  While they prefer moderately moist soil, they can thrive in dry soil as long as it is well-drained. They are also surprisingly drought—and heat-resistant. Most people find that once the plant is firmly established, it is very durable, which makes it an attractive, low-maintenance option.  It Attracts Birds   The Pink Showy Primrose produces nectars attracting lilting songbirds to your garden and outdoor areas. And you don't have to worry about deer eating these flowers because the Pink Showy Primrose is highly deer-resistant. It's a Great Autumn Flower - The Pink Showy Primrose is an excellent solution to maintain upbeat colors well into the fall months. In most climates, the Pink Showy Primrose prefers cooler temperatures. This means that they are likely to bloom through October. This is also a great flower to add to your garden if most of your current flowers typically bloom in the summer. This way, you can have vibrant colors all year round. Showy Pink  Primrose F.A.Q.s Does the Showy Pink Primrose adequately tantalize them? If so, take a look at some vital information about this flower.  How Do You Take Care of Pink Showy Primrose? The Pink Showy Primrose should be planted in dry to moist, well-drained soil in a spot with lots of full sun. During the first growing season, it's best to give the Pink Showy Primrose regular water, which you can then taper off once it is established. Deadheading the Pink Showy Primrose is not necessary, but you can safely remove old blossoms as they appear. Is Pink Showy Primrose A Perennial? Yes. The Pink Showy Primrose is a native plant originating in the Southern US and spreading to the Midwest and parts of Northern Mexico. Its perennial nature makes it ideal for people with little gardening experience. Does Pink Showy Primrose Bloom All Summer? In most conditions, the blooms go dormant in the summer as it prefers cooler temperatures. Again, this makes it a good choice for maintaining color in your garden during autumn. However, some gardeners have avoided the Primrose's summer dormancy by simply not watering it too often in the spring. Add Graceful Color to Your Garden The Pink Showy Primrose is a simple and effective way to add subdued yet attractive color to your garden and outdoor areas. Here at T.N. Nursery, we can provide quality plants with robust root systems ready to plant immediately. Pair the Pink Showy Primrose with the Yellow Primrose for an irresistible tandem of exploding color. Place your order and have your plants delivered right to your door! Pink Evening Primrose Has Stunning Blooms The delicate, charming pink blossoms are adorned with green foliage that accents the plant nicely. The blooms grow in clusters with five petals and can range from a pal pink to deeper shades of pink, depending on the soil's pH. Pink Evening Primrose Is A Desirable Plant Pink Evening Primrose offers a delicate ruffled edge on the blooms and reaches an average height of nearly 20 inches at maturity, making it a highly desirable plant for landscaping. It accents borders, containers, or rock gardens very well and has a mild and sweet fragrance. Pink Evening Primrose Last From Spring Till Fall Being a Spring and Fall bloomer also makes this a beautiful plant for those who enjoy blooms in both seasons and those who want a plant with a long blooming period.

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Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle - TN Nursery

Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle

Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle is a deciduous shrub known for its fragrant, rosy, reddish tubular flowers and green foliage. These features make it a highly sought-after shrub. Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle, or Lonicera tatarica, are densely branched, deciduous shrubs that can grow up to 12 feet long. When the stems are still young, they often appear light brown and slightly hairy. However, they'll grow out of this phase and eventually produce peeling shaggy bark. Of course, you won't see their bark once these shrubs grow, as they'll be covered by greenery and gorgeous rose flowers. Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle Has Stunning Flowers These irregular flowers grow in pairs and come forth on almost all first-year branches. They're known for being colored like their namesake, but they'll occasionally be white or rosy. Regardless of their exact color, it is known to be a fragrant flower that will enhance your enjoyment. They have two lips and will grow up to an inch long. The bottom lip will be slightly more significant than the top, providing visual interest. Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle Has Exotic Leaves They have opposite leaves that will grow up to 2-1/2 inches long. They will either be oblong or more egg-shaped, primarily smooth and hairless. Their widest point is the middle section. At their base, they can resemble a heart shape; then, they'll become pointed or blunt at the tip. They do not have any teeth on the edges, which helps complete their smooth appearance. There will be orange to red berries that appear later in the season. Each of these will also come in pairs, containing several seeds each. This fruit attracts a wide variety of birds. Because of this, the plant can widely spread its seeds without having to do a single thing! Create A Wildlife Hotel With Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle You already know birds are attracted to Pink Tatarian Honeysuckle, but that's just the beginning. Due to how much nectar they produce, they'll also attract the Elephant Hawkmoth, who will catch the bats' attention. When new shoots appear, they'll bring in the blackfly, leading to even more birds. Additionally, squirrels love to eat their berries. Therefore, if you've been looking for a gorgeous plant that smells wonderful and will bring in all types of wildlife, you've found it!

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Virginia Bluebell - TN Nursery

Virginia Bluebell

Virginia Bluebell is a spring-blooming wildflower native to the United States recognized for its delicate, bell-shaped, sky-blue flowers forming clusters and carpeting the forest floor in early spring. It is a captivating perennial plant that offers numerous benefits when incorporated into landscaping designs. Its enchanting appearance and adaptability have made it a favorite among gardeners and landscapers. Virginia Bluebell produces Sky sky-blue bell-shaped flowers These flowers start as shades of pink and gradually transition to a soothing sky-blue hue, creating a stunning gradient effect that adds a touch of elegance to any landscape. The lush green foliage further complements the vibrant blooms, enhancing the overall visual impact. Besides its visual appeal, it is positively adjustable to various soil types, making it a perfect option for landscaping projects in multiple environments. Its preference for partially shaded to fully shaded areas makes it ideal for underplanting trees or placing them along the edges of woodland gardens. This versatility allows landscapers to create visually appealing designs catering to light conditions. Another benefit of incorporating them is their role in supporting local ecosystems. These plants are attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies, making them valuable contributors to biodiversity. By attracting these pollinators, they aid in reproducing nearby plants and promote a healthier ecosystem within the landscape. They also require little maintenance, making them appealing to amateur and experienced gardeners. Once established, they require minimal care, allowing landscapers to focus on other design aspects. In conclusion, perennial plants offer a range of benefits that enhance the overall appeal and ecological value of landscaping projects. With their captivating appearance, adaptability to various environments, support for local wildlife, and low maintenance needs, these perennial plants are a valuable addition to any landscape design seeking a harmonious blend of beauty and functionality. Virginia Bluebell Is Known For Its Beauty  The Virginia Bluebell, or Mertensia virginica, is a stunning and delicate native wildflower that graces eastern North America's woodlands and meadows. This perennial plant, belonging to the Boraginaceae family, is renowned for its enchanting beauty and is often considered one of the most striking spring wildflowers in its native range. Standing at heights 1 to 2.5 feet, the wildflower is a herbaceous plant that emerges from the forest floor early to mid-spring. Its growth cycle is a true spectacle as it undergoes a remarkable transformation. Initially, the plant's lance-shaped leaves are tinged with an attractive reddish-purple hue, but as they unfurl, they transition to a soft, gray-green color, creating a stunning contrast with its vibrant blue flowers. The Virginia Bluebell Has Mesmerizing Fairy-Like Flowers The flowers themselves are the main attraction of the plant. They are composed of clusters of pendulous, trumpet-shaped blooms that are a breathtaking shade of sky blue or pale pink, depending on the soil conditions. These blossoms are unique because they start as pink buds, gradually shifting to their iconic blue hue as they mature. The floral clusters adorn the plant's upright stems, creating a sea of blue that sways gently in the spring breeze. One of their most remarkable aspects is their ability to thrive in shaded woodland areas. They are often found in the dappled sunlight beneath deciduous trees, creating a serene and ethereal ambiance in these natural settings. Their preference for moist, rich soils ensures they are frequently spotted along stream banks and low-lying areas. Aside from its visual appeal, it plays an essential ecological role. They provide nectar for early-emerging pollinators like bees and butterflies, helping to kickstart the pollination process for various plants in their ecosystem. In conclusion, the Virginia Bluebell symbolizes grace and fleeting beauty in the natural world. Its striking blue flowers and unique life cycle make it a beloved harbinger of spring, enriching the landscapes it graces and captivating all who have the privilege to witness its brief but glorious bloom.

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