Black Mountain Gardens

05/22/2026

WEATHER UPDATE: Because of this morning's storm, we had to delay setup. But Black Mountain Gardens should be up and running by 11 a.m. with clear skies! Blessings! Belinda

*******

Greetings, fellow gardeners!

We’re planning for a BEAUTIFUL Saturday when Black Mountain Gardens returns to Old Union Market on this glorious Memorial Day Weekend.

The market will be open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and you’ll find it at 13 CR 4020, Mt. Pleasant, a few miles east of town on U.S. 67 at Old Union Community Center.

We’re still adding species to our inventory, so don’t miss your chance to grab up some absolute must-have natives, heirlooms & herbs for your own gardens. Here’s a list of most of what we plan to bring. (Asterisk denotes new species.)

See you Saturday at Black Mountain Gardens!

Blessings! Belinda

NATIVE SHRUBS/TREES
Autumn sage ‘Mirage Cherry Red (Salvia greggii)
Autumn sage ‘Mirage Purple’ (Salvia greggii)
Autumn sage ‘Rose Bicolor’ (Salvia greggii)
Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)
*Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) [Native fruit]
*Rock rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)
Texas lantana (Lantana urticoides)
Willow (Salix nigra)

NATIVE PERENNIALS/ANNUALS
Butterfly w**d (Ascelpias tuberosa) [**See description below]
Frostw**d (Verbesina virginica)
Gulf Coast penstemon (Penstemon tenuis)
*Hairy sunflower (Helianthus hirsutus)
Horsemint (Monarda punctata)
Perennial black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’)
Red whisker clammyw**d (Polanisia dodecandra)
Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)
Stalked wild petunia (Ruellia pedunculata)
Yellow beebalm (Monarda luteola)

NATIVE GROUNDCOVERS
Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
Horseherb (Calyptocarpus vialis)
Native strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) [EDIBLE and DELICIOUS!]

HEIRLOOMS/HARDY PERENNIALS
Confederate rose (Hibiscus mutabilis)
Four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)
Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba)
Red-hot poker/Tritoma (Kniphofia uvaria)
Texas Star hibiscus – white (Hibiscus coccinea alba)
Yarrow ‘Moonshine’ (Achillea x ‘Moonshine’)
Zinnias ‘Profusion’ series (Zinnia sp.)

HERBS
Aztec sweet herb (Lippia dulcis)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Citronella (Pelargonium ‘Citrosum’)
Giant hyssop (Agastache 'Blue Fortune’)
Mint – Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Mint – Chocolate (Mentha piperita cv.)
Mint – Lemon (Mentha × piperita f. citrata)
Mint – Orange (Mentha × piperita f. citrata)
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
Oregano – Greek (Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum)
Oregano – Regular (Origanum vulgare)
Parsley – Curley (Petroselinum crispum)
Parsley – Flat (Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum)
Rosemary – Upright (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Rue (Ruta graveolens)
Sage – Common (Salvia officinalis)
Sage – Purple (Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens')
Thyme – Pennsylvania Dutch Tea (Thymus pulegioides cv.)
Thyme – English (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme – Lemon (Thymus × citriodorus)
Thyme – Mother of Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

** Butterfly w**d (pictured) with its clusters of cheery orange blooms is one of our native Texas milkw**ds. What makes that so special? Anyone who wants to support our stunning state insect, the Monarch butterfly, needs a supply of milkw**ds in their landscape, because members of the milkw**d family are the ONLY plants that Monarch caterpillars will eat. (And you thought your kids were picky eaters!) But that’s OK, because we’re happy to help our Monarch caterpillars find milkw**ds to munch on. Butterfly w**d (Asclepias tuberosa) is a perennial that grows to be 1½ to 2 feet tall. It can bloom April to September with either orange or yellow clusters of blooms that can be 2-4 inches wide. It loves full sun but tolerates part shade. BONUS: Butterfly w**d is a massive nectar source for all sorts of pollinators! Count the bees in the photo!

(For those who ask: Yes! We take cash, checks, debit cards, credit cards and CashApp.)

05/21/2026

Naaa, it's not gonna rain! Plan to come on out Saturday. It'll be a fun day with Black Mountain Gardens at Old Union Market! I'll post a plant list Friday. Blessings! Belinda

05/15/2026

Hi there, gardening friends!

Don’t miss Black Mountain Gardens this Saturday at one of Northeast Texas’ growing venues for weekend fun, The Market at Moonlight Acres, just south of Pittsburg.

The Market at Moonlight Acres is located at 3165 U.S. 271 South, Pittsburg.

We’ll be open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, and you’ll find Black Mountain Gardens on the right side of the vendor aisle just before you enter the main indoor vendor barn.

The market is extending its Mother’s Day celebration and will have a lovely gift basket giveaway. Bring your mom and put her name in the jar to see if she wins!

As usual, Black Mountain Gardens will be offering plenty of gorgeous native, heirlooms & herbs! Here’s a list of most of what we plan to bring.

See you Saturday!

Blessings! Belinda

NATIVE SHRUBS/TREES
Autumn sage ‘Mirage Cherry Red (Salvia greggii)
Autumn sage ‘Mirage Purple’ (Salvia greggii)
Autumn sage ‘Rose Bicolor’ (Salvia greggii)
Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)
Hummingbird bush/Flame acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)
Texas lantana (Lantana urticoides)
Willow (Salix nigra)

NATIVE PERENNIALS/ANNUALS
Butterfly w**d (Ascelpias tuberosa)
Clammyw**d (Polanisia dodecandra)
Frostw**d (Verbesina virginica)
Gregg’s mistflower (Conoclinium dissectum) [**See description below]
Gulf Coast penstemon (Penstemon tenuis)
Horsemint (Monarda punctata)
Perennial black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’)
Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)
Stalked wild petunia (Ruellia pedunculata)
Yarrow – yellow (Achillea millefolium 'Moonshine')
Yellow beebalm (Monarda luteola)

NATIVE GROUNDCOVERS
Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
Horseherb (Calyptocarpus vialis)
Native strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) [EDIBLE and DELICIOUS!]

HEIRLOOMS/HARDY PERENNIALS
Confederate rose (Hibiscus mutabilis)
Daylily – double orange heirloom (Hemerocallis fulva ‘Kwanso’)
Four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)
Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba)
Marigold ‘Safari mix’ (Tagetes sp.)
Red-hot poker/Tritoma (Kniphofia uvaria)
Texas Star hibiscus – white (Hibiscus coccinea alba)
Zinnias ‘Profusion’ series (Zinnia sp.)

HERBS
Aztec sweet herb (Lippia dulcis)
Basil – Genovese (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil – Lettuce leaf (Ocimum basilicum)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Citronella (Pelargonium ‘Citrosum’)
Giant hyssop (Agastache 'Blue Fortune’)
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
Mint – Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
Mint – Chocolate (Mentha piperita cv.)
Mint – Lemon (Mentha × piperita f. citrata)
Mint – Orange (Mentha × piperita f. citrata)
Mint – Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Oregano – Greek (Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum)
Oregano – Regular (Origanum vulgare)
Parsley – Curley (Petroselinum crispum)
Parsley – Flat (Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum)
Rosemary – Upright (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Rue (Ruta graveolens)
Sage – Common (Salvia officinalis)
Sage – Purple (Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens')
Thyme – Pennsylvania Dutch Tea (Thymus pulegioides cv.)
Thyme – English (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme – Lemon (Thymus × citriodorus)
Thyme – Mother of Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

** Gregg’s mistflower (pictured) is a must-have Texas native if you want to see butterflies and other pollinators in your yard. It’s a sprawling perennial that can grow to be 2 feet tall but usually stays around 15-18 inches tall for me. Gregg’s mistflower (Conoclinium dissectum, aka C. greggii) is covered in purplish-blue fuzzy blooms from late spring to fall. It really needs full sun but will tolerate part shade (you might get fewer flowers with less sun). It’s a magnet for butterflies, so your flower bed will seem to come alive when you add this lovely native. In the photos with this post, you’ll see an American painted lady butterfly in one photo, a pair of American painted ladies in another and a gray hairstreak in yet another. These photos were taken within seconds of each other. (There were other cute little gray hairstreaks, but they wouldn’t sit still for me!) Don’t have a flower bed? Gregg’s mistflower does well in a large pot on a patio or sidewalk, too! Sometimes called Gregg’s blue mistflower, this Texas-tough beauty has been named a Texas Superstar® by Texas A&M AgriLife and other plant experts across our state.

(For those who ask: Yes! We take cash, checks, debit cards and credit cards.)

05/08/2026

Hello, gardening friends!

Looking for STUNNING natives, heirlooms & herbs for someone on your Mother’s Day shopping list? Black Mountain Gardens has you covered Saturday at Spring Fling at Daingerfield City Park.

The festival will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you’ll find Black Mountain Gardens at Booth 33 on the northwest corner of the park (near Frazier and Scurry streets in downtown).

Here’s a list of most of what we plan to have there. Please note that an * indicates NEW SPECIES added this week.

Come enjoy a fun spring festival Saturday and find some gorgeous native, heirlooms & herbs!

Blessings! Belinda

NATIVE SHRUBS/TREES
Autumn sage ‘Mirage Cherry Red (Salvia greggii) [See description below]**
Autumn sage ‘Mirage Purple’ (Salvia greggii) [See description below]**
Autumn sage ‘Rose Bicolor’ (Salvia greggii) [See description below]**
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)
Hummingbird bush/Flame acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)
Texas lantana (Lantana urticoides)
*Willow (Salix nigra)

NATIVE PERENNIALS/ANNUALS
*Butterfly w**d (Ascelpias tuberosa)
*Clammyw**d (Polanisia dodecandra)
Frostw**d (Verbesina virginica)
Pink Belleza gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri ‘Belleza’)
*Gregg’s mistflower (Conoclinium greggii)
Gulf Coast penstemon (Penstemon tenuis)
Horsemint (Monarda punctata)
Perennial black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’)
*Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)
Stalked wild petunia (Ruellia pedunculata)
*Yarrow – yellow (Achillea millefolium 'Moonshine')
Yellow beebalm (Monarda luteola)

NATIVE GROUNDCOVERS
*Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
*Horseherb (Calyptocarpus vialis)
Native strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) [EDIBLE and DELICIOUS!]

HEIRLOOMS/HARDY PERENNIALS
Confederate rose (Hibiscus mutabilis)
Daylily – double orange heirloom (Hemerocallis fulva ‘Kwanso’)
Four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)
Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba)
*Red-hot poker/Tritoma (Kniphofia uvaria)
Marigold ‘Safari mix’ (Tagetes sp.)
*Texas Star hibiscus – white (Hibiscus coccinea alba)
Zinnias ‘Profusion’ series (Zinnia sp.)

HERBS
*Aztec sweet herb (Lippia dulcis)
*Basil – Genovese (Ocimum basilicum)
*Basil – Lettuce leaf (Ocimum basilicum)
*Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Citronella (Pelargonium ‘Citrosum’)
Comfrey – Russian Bocking 14 (Symphytum x uplandicum)
Fernleaf lavender (Lavandula multifida ‘Spanish Eyes’)
*Giant hyssop (Agastache 'Blue Fortune’)
*Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
*Mint – Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
*Mint – Chocolate (Mentha piperita cv.)
*Mint – Lemon (Mentha × piperita f. citrata)
*Mint – Orange (Mentha × piperita f. citrata)
*Mint – Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
*Oregano – Greek (Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum)
*Oregano – Regular (Origanum vulgare)
Parsley – Curley (Petroselinum crispum)
Parsley – Flat (Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum)
*Rosemary – Upright (Rosmarinus officinalis)
*Rue (Ruta graveolens)
*Sage – Pineapple (Salvia elegans)
*Sage – Common (Salvia officinalis)
*Sage – Purple (Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens')
*Thyme – Pennsylvania Dutch Tea (Thymus pulegioides cv.)
*Thyme – English (Thymus vulgaris)
*Thyme – Lemon (Thymus × citriodorus)
*Thyme – Mother of Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)

** Texas native Autumn sage (shown in photos with post) is one GLORIOUS workhorse for your landscape. I’m not sure why it’s called “Autumn sage.” I’ve told many customers it should be called “Blooms All Summer sage”! We have three colors to offer this week (more growing out but just not ready yet!), and each one is just as lovely as the next: Cherry Red, Deep Purple and Rose Bicolor. Autumn sage (Salvia greggii) is a soft mounding shrub that never grows more than 2 to 3 feet tall. It is COVERED in blooms that are a magnet for hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators. Give it a hot, dry (once established), sunny location, with well-drained soil. In Northeast Texas, Autumn sage will go dormant in winter but just cut it back and let it sprout back out the next spring. Added bonuses: Deer are not fond of munching on these beauties, but you can! It’s a salvia, so its leaves can be used fresh or dried for seasonings and teas, and the flowers are edible.

(For those who ask: Yes! We take cash, checks, debit cards and credit cards.)

05/07/2026

Looking for those hard-to-find natives, heirlooms & herbs? Check out Black Mountain Gardens at a Saturday market near you this month! Blessings! Belinda

05/04/2026

Yes! Let our native violets live! The flowers AND the leaves are edible, they're low maintenance, they're great groundcover for sun or shade and they're beautiful! (Plus, they serve as one of the host plants for the Variegated fritillary butterfly.) So many wins! Blessings! Belinda

Hello. We're the Wild Violets. You keep trying to grow grass under that 100-year-old Oak. It’s not working. The grass is thin, the soil is eroding, and you’re frustrated.
The Solution: We love the shade. We create a dense, living mulch that prevents erosion and keeps the tree's roots cool.
The Bonus: We are the "host plant" for Fritillary butterflies. They can't exist without us.
What to do: Stop fighting the shade. Let us be your groundcover. No mowing, no watering, just purple blooms every May.

05/01/2026

Y'all get ready to find some gorgeous, healthy, hardy natives, heirlooms and herbs at Daingerfield's Spring Fling on Saturday, May 9. Come visit the Black Mountain Gardens booth and see what all the excitement is about. You'll be glad you did! -- Belinda McLaughlin

🌸🌼 Daingerfield Spring Fling is BLOOMING with amazing vendors! 🌼🌸
Please help us give a BIG welcome to Black Mountain Gardens for joining us for our Spring Fling – Mother’s Day Weekend! 💐
We’re so excited to have them be part of this fun-filled day at Downtown City Park on Saturday, May 9th! 🎉
🛍️ Want to join the fun and showcase your business?
We’re still accepting vendors! Don’t miss your chance to be part of one of Daingerfield’s most exciting spring events!
👉 Sign up here: https://forms.gle/k5wvqpMeEt5Te71EA
Let’s make this event unforgettable with great shopping, food, and family fun! 💛

04/25/2026

Yes! You still have time to make it out to take advantage of all the amazing natives, heirlooms & herbs available at Black Mountain Gardens today at Old Union Market. We're here until 2pm. Find us at Old Union Community Center, 13 CR 4020, Mt. Pleasant, off US 67. Blessings! Belinda

04/22/2026

Hello, my sweet gardening friends!

As requested, here’s a list to give you an idea of what we’ll have to offer this coming Saturday, April 25, when Black Mountain Gardens returns to Old Union Market.

The market will be open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and you’ll find it at 13 CR 4020, Mt. Pleasant, a few miles east of town on U.S. 67 at Old Union Community Center.

I’m praying hard for no rain! (My weather app says mostly cloudy with a high of 82 on Saturday.) I hope to see you there!

(And, yes, we take cash, checks, debit cards and credit cards.)

Blessings! Belinda

NATIVE SHRUBS/TREES

Autumn sage ‘Mirage Cherry Red (Salvia greggii)
Autumn sage ‘Mirage Purple’ (Salvia greggii)
Autumn sage ‘Rose Bicolor’ (Salvia greggii)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)
Hummingbird bush/Flame acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii)
Texas lantana (Lantana urticoides) [See below]**

NATIVE PERENNIALS/ANNUALS
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Frostw**d (Verbesina virginica)
Pink Belleza Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri ‘Belleza’)
Gulf Coast penstemon (Penstemon tenuis)
Horsemint (Monarda punctata)
Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)
Perennial black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’)
Stalked wild petunia (Ruellia pedunculata)
Yellow beebalm (Monarda luteola)

NATIVE GROUNDCOVERS

Native strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) [EDIBLE and DELICIOUS!]

HEIRLOOMS/HARDY PERENNIALS

Confederate rose (Hibiscus mutabilis)
Four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)
Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)
Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)
Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba)
Marigold ‘Safari mix’ (Tagetes sp.)
Zinnia ‘Profusion Hot Cherry’ (Zinnia sp.)
Zinna ‘Profusion Mix’ (Zinnia sp.)

HERBS/HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES

Citronella/Mosquito plant (Pelargonium ‘Citrosum’)
Comfrey – Russian Bocking 14 (Symphytum x uplandicum)
Fernleaf lavender (Lavandula multifida ‘Spanish Eyes’)
Parsley – Curley (Petroselinum crispum)
Parsley – Flat (Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum)
Tomato ‘Cherokee Purple’

** Our native Texas lantana (shown in photo with an American painted lady butterfly) is a hardworking shrubby perennial that will bloom from late spring until late fall – and then it will return the next year. Pollinators – including butterflies and hummingbirds – absolutely adore it, so not only will your garden have an abundance of yellow and orange blooms all summer, but you’ll get to watch an abundance of fluttering wings the whole time. Give Texas lantana plenty of sun and plenty of room, because it can grow to 5-6 feet tall and wide. (Just trim it back each winter to help it keep the shape you want.) Deer don’t like it, so you won’t have to worry about them nibbling these blooms down to nubs! Once established, Texas lantana is drought tolerant, too!

04/19/2026

It's almost here! I hope to see everyone Saturday at Old Union! Blessings! Belinda