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Japanese Maples for Southeastern Gardens
You’ve seen them exquisitely depicted in the finest gardening books, admired them in arboretum collections, and envied them in private landscapes. However, because of their delicate appearance and high...
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Add Viburnums to Any Landscape
What exactly is a Viburnum? Viburnums are trees or shrubs, evergreen or deciduous, that may be diminutive, three-foot globes or grow 60 feet tall. Their leaf texture varies from smoothly shiny to...
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Fragrant Winter Flowering Shrubs
Because of our unseasonably mild January in the Southeast, the bees and I are swooning over an astonishing number of fragrant winter flowering shrubs in the garden. But, why would Mother Nature spend...
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All About Growing Edible Sweet Potatoes
Since North Carolina leads the nation in sweet potato production, and I have lived in the Old North State for 33 years, you would think that I would know a thing or two about growing edible sweet...
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It’s Not Too Late for Summer Bulbs!
Colorful late summer drama provided by bananas, cannas and elephant ears in a private Indiana garden. May is the perfect month to include summer bulbs in landscape and container plantings. Why do we...
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Craig LeHoullier’s (aka NCTomatoMan’s) Top Six Heirloom Tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes are always popular at the North Carolina State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh. I hated tomatoes as a child. You couldn’t get me to eat one, even with sugar sprinkled on it. The only...
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Delicious, Hardy ‘Mustard Family’ Greens for Fall
Rows of the pretty kale Brassica oleracea ‘Lacinato’ are lined up for fall growing. “Eat your Greens!” is a familiar directive to consume some form of the Mustard Family, formally referred to as...
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The African Violet, America’s #1 Houseplant
A myriad of colorful African violets await adoption at your local garden center. African Violets (Saintpaulia hybrids) are America’s favorite houseplants according to The African Violet Society of...
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When is an Azalea a Rhododendron?
The tube-shaped, golden-orange flowers of the Florida azalea (Rhododendron austrinum) show the warmer side of the color wheel. (photo by Jessie Keith) When is an azalea a rhododendron? Always! The...
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Big, Bold, Beautiful Blooms
The quintessential, evergreen Southern magnolia can have flowers reaching 12” across. Is there a stronger magnet that draws one into a landscape than a huge flower? I’m talking about blossoms the size...
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“Weed” is a Four-Letter Word
Reusing cardboard can add new life to the garden, if properly applied. Ever notice how many challenges in the garden are four-letter words? Wind, hail, rust, mold, cold, vole, mole, deer, bugs, ouch,...
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Mum’s the Word
There’s nothing like a fall patio bursting with colorful mums. “The white chrysanthemum Even when lifted to the eye Remains immaculate” ∼Matsuo Basho When the air is crisp and leaves start to change...
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Traditional Fall Harvest Pies with a Twist
Savory tomato pie is a perfect side for dinner or addition to a holiday breakfast. Unlike the cool berry and citrus pies of summertime, pies made with fall fruits and veggies are warmer, spicier, and...
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Repotting House Plants
Before repotting, bathe smooth-leaved house plants in tepid water to help remove dirt or dust. It is midwinter. You are occasionally stuck indoors, but your fingers are itching to play in the dirt. Why...
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Designing Small Garden Spaces
Uniformly colored patio furniture that echos a garden’s color theme is perfect for a small garden. The good news is that your landscape is small. Less outdoor area to maintain means more free time for...
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Tips for a Four-Season Garden
A dramatic yucca blends beautifully with this summer perennial garden and becomes a featured soloist in winter. Every gardener wants a colorful garden that can be enjoyed throughout the entire year....
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Southern Summer Annual Herbs
A beautiful borage flower ready for picking. Defining an herb can be so confusing. Botanists say if something is “herbaceous” it is a seed-bearing, non-woody stemmed plant, but this term refers to all...
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Fun Fall Decorating with Pumpkins
This elaborate collection of pumpkins and gourds annually graces Lisa and Jeff Tice’s home in Greenville, SC. (Photo by Marian St Clair.) Once upon a time, pumpkins only appeared briefly as round,...
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Holiday Houseplants
A bright white cyclamen makes an attractive seasonal floral centerpiece. Stumped about what small token of appreciation to take to a holiday open house, a close friend’s party, or your annual family...
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Black Gold At the Summer Green Road Show in Hickory, NC
Teamwork at the Summer Green Road Show provided by: (left to right) Wayne Bagwell, Sun Gro Professional Products Rep. for North Carolina; Pam Beck, Black Gold Community Expert Garden Writer; Scott...
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