The Blog

If you live near the woods, you probably know about the heartbreak of gardening with deer. In the morning, just as you step out front to admire the flowers, you find them eaten down to a green nub. At that moment, it’s easy to feel like you’re at war with nature. But...

Online shopping is something we all seem to do now. Imagine you’re surfing the web after thinking about an untouched corner of the yard. You wonder how it would look transformed and landscaped. You see a “Buy Now” button for a colorful Japanese maple or a tall Green...

We love poinsettias for their velvety and colorful leafy bracts and deep green leaves, but poinsettias have a reputation for being sensitive. The truth? They are actually quite hardy if you follow a few general rules. Here is your ‘checklist’ for making your...

Top 3 Overall (218 ballots) #1.  Ice Punch  #2. Luv U Pink  #3. Red Ribbons  Top 5 Red #1 Red - Red Ribbons#2 Red - Christmas Mouse#3 Red - Toro Red#4 Red - Fortuna Red#5 Red - Christmas Bells Top 5 White #1 White- Princettia White#2 White- Rinehart Pure White#3...

Classic Oatmeal Cookies Recipe enhanced by Jim Mitchell Yield: Makes a "big batch" (Approximately 4–5 dozen, depending on size) Oven Temperature: 350°F (175°C) Bake Time: 10–12 minutes Ingredients The Wet Mixture 1 cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1 cup white...

There is a serious myth among casual gardeners that the gardening season ends towards the end of fall. Real growers know the truth, though, the winter season does not have to be a landscape of idle emptiness. After the summer flowers have faded, winter offers a chance...

We are often happy to answer questions, and I wanted to share a few of my favorite resources for helping our gardens and wildlife thrive. These are my go-to references for growing and observing the wildlife of North Carolina. For the Plants in your garden: NC State...

There is a special kind of magic that happens amidst the soil, the seasons, and planting seeds. Share that magic with the generations behind us. We can’t afford to have the knowledge and skills of our past become a forgotten pastime. We live in a world that often...

Hey there, garden growers! I have got to tell you about a new discovery in my garden journey, the Yezberry Solo (Lonicera caerulea), also known as Honeyberry, Haskap, or Blue Honeysuckle. This is a cold-hardy, low-maintenance, superfruit plant! What’s Yezberry Solo?...