All right, maybe I’m exaggerating. People don’t really live in glass houses, unless the people you’re talking about are gardeners, and the houses are greenhouses. Many of us would practically move into that kind of “glass house,” if it meant having more time to enjoy and work with our plants. Recently I received a catalog of some of the most beautiful [...]
Here’s the buzz: the humble honey bee has gone missing from our gardens lately. In case you hadn’t heard, there’s a shortage of our fuzzy, buzzy little friends, and fewer of them are visiting our fruits, flowers, and vegetables for the pollen that they turn into rich, sweet stores of honey. Researchers think the bees are disappearing because of a [...]
Back in the Victorian Age, flowers were filled with meaning. A man who gave a woman a rose might never say a single word, but the flower in his trembling hand spoke volumes about his love and passion for her. Other blossoms symbolized other feelings. Sunflowers meant pure, lofty thoughts, while violets indicated faithfulness. Rosemary was for remembrance, and clover, good luck. But woe [...]
Any blog that focuses on passion, which of course is the theme for the 2009 Southeastern Flower Show, has to mention Monteen McCord, who is absolutely, passionately devoted to all things wild and wonderful. I met Monteen several years ago, while buying sunflower seeds for our backyard cardinals and chickadees. She was seated in the middle of [...]
It’s not everyday that you learn to make raspberry jam alongside the retired captain of a nuclear submarine, listening to Captain Nemo-like stories of the dark and briny deep—but I did. My chance came a couple of years ago, while on assignment for Delta Air Lines’ Sky Magazine. My editor wanted a story that combined travel and education, and [...]
I fell asleep last night to the sound of rain, always a pleasant lullaby–until the weather got intense, and the rain began to pound against the roof. I started to picture our gutters overflowing and all my good garden topsoil floating away down the hill. Still, after years of drought, rain is always welcome here. Besides, it [...]
Remember The Color Purple, by Alice Walker? In a memorable line from the book, a character says that God doesn’t like it when we walk by a field of purple flowers without noticing them, because He wants to share the good things He has made. I’m crazy about purple flowers, and I do notice them. But there is one color that’s hard [...]
No offense, but –leave your Lima beans at home when you visit the Southeastern Flower Show on opening day. Why? Because keynote speaker Mike McGrath, host of the nationally syndicated public radio show, ”You Bet Your Garden,” hates Lima beans with a passion, that’s why. Hey, we’re cool with that, Mike. After all, the theme for the 2009 show is passion, and that intense [...]
Do you get sticker-shock when you buy groceries? Fresh produce is always pricey in the winter, but with the current economy, fruits and veggies are more expensive than ever. But when times get tough, we gardeners dig deep, if you’ll excuse the pun. If you’re planning to feed your family from your garden next year, I’ve got some great ideas to help you save money [...]
Most of us have heard of the volunteer training program that allows you to become a Master Gardener here in Georgia. Administered through county offices by the UGA Cooperative Extension Service, it’s a wonderful educational opportunity. Once you’re certified in horticulture and other areas, you pass on your knowledge by helping to train others. Since its launch in [...]