A guest post by author Michael Nolan

When Gen offered to let me take the helm here at North Coast Gardening for the day, I couldn’t resist. I mean really; I live in the Southeastern US, I was never professionally trained as a gardener and to top it off, I love patchouli. What could possibly go wrong?

The truth is that despite our differences Gen and I share a lot of the same ideals and values (yeah, believe it or not even we liberal hippie-types have values). Our shared passion for the beauty and simplicity of native plants and flowers is only rivaled by our shared ability to piss people off.

All of that leads me to the point of this post. I was thinking a few days ago about how cool it would be to have the opportunity to host fellow gardeners and garden writers from around the country (or the world while I’m dreaming) and show them the beauty and diversity that lives in North Central Alabama. For all of the negative stereotypes most of the country knows to be the South there are some of the most stunning native plant and flower species I have seen anywhere in the world.

Hey Gen, wish you were here! I’d love to show you the vibrant wild phlox in shades that I have not ever encountered or the mammoth magnolias with a fragrance so intoxicating it can make you forget the overbearing humidity. I wish you could see the varieties of ferns and mosses blanketing the shady banks of the nearby rivers or the simple beauty of a field of cotton.

But if you decide to come visit, bring some nose plugs. I’ll be wearing patchouli.

Michael Nolan, The Garden Rockstar, is an author, blogger and speaker on gardening, sustainability, food ethics and homesteading. He is currently in the process of writing a new guest post on a different site for each day in May. To follow his progress, visit MyEarthGarden.com.

Note from Gen: Guys, check out Michael’s book I Garden – Urban Style on Amazon.com, and you’ll see why Michael’s called The Garden Rockstar. He’s witty, smart, and fun to read, even if you CAN smell him coming a mile away. (gack! Patchouli!)