Growing Wild: Working with Native Landscapes
Mississippi is located in a unique subtropical climate zone where an interesting fusion of traditional and tropical plant palettes collide. In the South, we’re no strangers to creeping vines climbing over walls or “weeds” taking over our garden beds. Some folks will ask us, “Are you going to cut down that weed before our event?” Sometimes its difficult to see something as beautiful when you’ve only known it as a common nuisance in your own garden.
When you learn more about the owner’s background in landscape architecture, you realize the intentionality behind celebrating native plants and how biophilic design plays a crucial role in developing The Plant Venue’s unique, natural environment. Allowing the exterior landscape to grow wild (within reason) is a large part of our design ethos. If you can learn to embrace it, watching each tree, plant, and creeping vine grow significantly each year is an exciting and inspiring experience.
When our company discovered the building after years of abandonment, it was tangled in yards of poison ivy where vultures were nesting on top the historic concrete structure. While poisonous plants were obviously the first things to be stripped away from the building, we were inspired to continue embracing the theme of landscape succession with friendlier vines like Virginia creeper, English ivy, and wisteria. These native plants grow rapidly and attract local pollinators like bees and butterflies.
One guest favorite during peak months is our iconic wisteria, a woody vine known for its fragrant blue-purple flowers in Spring and stunning dark green leaves from summer to late autumn. Native to the State of Mississippi, the vines will grow deep roots that develop into a hearty tree as the stems latch on to the concrete beams in The Courtyard. These whimsical vines will continue to wrap around the supportive structure and eventually cover the open-air area, creating a gorgeous overhead canopy. Other than being a beautiful backdrop for events, the wisteria also benefits pollinators like bees with spring blossoms and provides a place for our state bird, the mockingbird, to nest in spring and summer!
Other notable native plants peak during the spring and summer months including towering mimosa trees, elephant ears, banana trees, and colorful canna lilies scattered about the campus. If you’re looking to host an event during peak seasons, we highly recommend looking at the first of spring, early summer, and autumn as prime times for natural backdrops.
Another commonly overlooked area on campus is our stormwater retention pond, a small constructed wetland and a celebration of Mississippi’s diverse native landscape. The pond is home to hundreds of common goldfish visited frequently by the industrial park’s famed white hawk, perching in the bald cypress and sycamore trees. Other plant life features include aquatic water lilies, horsetail, and an assortment of native grasses with deep roots that help capture stormwater runoff.
Preserving native landscapes and grasses offers numerous benefits, contributing to the health and resilience of local ecosystems. Native plants provide essential support for pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which help in the natural reproduction of many flowering species. Native vegetation also plays a significant role in reducing water runoff and improves water and soil conservation. Healthy native habitats enhance wildlife habitats, providing shelter and food sources for various species.
Robert Poore, FASLA, Native Habitats, Inc. & Travis Crabtree, RLA, Tree Design Co.
Native landscapes also help with noise pollution, creating quieter, more serene environments that benefit both wildlife and visitors to the campus. The natural elements at The Plant Venue are a defining feature of the venue’s aesthetic, offering seasonal botanical backdrops for events. Learn more about our interior plantscapes on “Biophilic Design: Bringing Nature Indoors.”
