This has been a year of garden make overs for me. I spent so much time last year dealing with my squirrel problem and tending my vegetable garden that I did not have a lot of time to deal with my flower garden beds. And I can really tell when looking at them. They definitely…
Trying to get color and interest in a shade garden can be a challenge. But there are some that don’t mind it at all . In fact, these 20+ perennial and annual plants love the shade. There is a lushness about them that I really enjoy, too. My shade garden is thriving. I planted this…
It’s been a long spring with a ton of work put into my gardens. So many of them were overgrown, and neglected last year when I spent most of my energy on my vegetable garden. Months of tilling, planting and transplanting have gone into my garden beds this year. I enlarged my test garden by…
My husband and I recently attended a wedding on the coast of North Carolina. While we were there, we took the time to visit the Elizabethan Gardens at Manteo on Roanoke Island. Seeing statues that depict characters from real life is so inspiring. For another post on this type of experience, be sure to check…
I love vegetable gardening. There is nothing quite like harvesting and cooking vegetables that you have grown. If you like to grow vegetables, be sure to ready my post about how to troubleshoot vegetable garden problems as well as some solutions. One of the problems that can happen when you start a vegetable garden is…
Anyone who has priced hardscaping lately knows how expensive it can be, particularly if you have large areas to cover. I am redoing my whole area that I used last year for veggies. Long story short, the squirrels were a nightmare for me and I don’t plan to go through that experience a second time. …
This year has been a series of set backs in my garden. It is almost the end of May and I’m way behind, but finally have some progress to show for all my work. Things that set me back were: My father’s death in February which resulted in two trips to Maine. A very long…
This has been the longest winter ever. I used to live in Maine and am used to long, cold winters. But here in North Carolina, normally, I have a lot of things growing, especially vegetables, by this time in March. Not this year though. It teases me into thinking it is spring and then we…
Squirrels in my garden last year made vegetable gardening a nightmare for me. This year, I decided to try combining perennials and vegetables in one garden bed to see how it worked out. I have long been interested in growing perennials. Adding some vegetables into the mix gave my garden beds an interesting new look.…
Facebook has so many great pages devoted to gardening, but the way the site now shows the content of pages, it is sometimes hard for them to get seen on news feeds. Facebook is one of the most popular of the social media channels. I thought it would be fun for the Garden Charmers (a…
One of my favorite things to do when I have some spare time is to visit Raleigh Botanical Gardens. I love the new perennial and annual plants that I learn about and it just de-stresses me like nothing else seems to do. Raleigh has a great Botanical Garden called JC Raulston Arboretum. The beauty of…
January is always a time of reflection for me. I look back over the previous year – see what worked and what didn’t and make plans for the new year. Often the plans have to do with my weight. Alas, I always seem to have a new year’s resolution aimed at something to do with…
8 Gardeners Share their Favorite Tools Garden tools come in many shapes and forms. They can be old or new, vintage or right out of the box. Whatever the tools are that gardeners use, they are usually very special to them. The right garden tools makes any job in the garden much easier, whether you’re…
Relax in style in one of these Garden Seating Areas. To Sit, To Hide, or To Dream… Which of these ideas come to mind when you think about your garden seating areas? A garden sitting area can mean something very different, depending on the person you ask and their perspective. It can be as simple…
A place to Sit, Hide and Relax in these Garden Areas I have several places in my garden where I love to sit and admire the garden beds, and also to relax and de-stress from my busy day. To me, what makes a great seating area is not what it looks like when you see…
Let’s Play Dress up The Garden Shed I see so many garden sheds that are as sweet as can be. Some are tiny, some are huge and all seem to have character. I have one of the huge without character types. My husband and his friend built it. We store things in it and never…
What is better than an idea for a creative planter? Why, 13 of them, of course! I recently asked some of my gardening friends to share their creative planter and container ideas and they did not disappoint. Their ideas are a cascade of fun and will add a great look to any garden setting. Many…
Gardening Signs Welcome you to a Little Patch of Heaven I love garden signs of all types. They add a touch of whimsy to any garden setting and give you an idea of the personality of the gardener too. Just about any saying can be made into a garden sign. All you need, really, is…
I would love to have an area of my back yard that I can use as a place to retreat, and perhaps meditate. The aim of a meditation garden is to provide a soothing and peaceful setting which will make it a lovely place to unwind after the stresses of daily life. May 3 is…
My test garden has been included in a garden hop. A gardening group that I belong to on Facebook has put together a group of garden tours to be featured on Facebook, Pinterest and Home Talk. The tour will take place this weekend and is being heavily promoted on all three sites. Let’s go To…
Enjoy your outdoor space with these lovely patios There is nothing quite like enjoying your back yard setting from a lovely patio that you have customized to your own personal tastes. The sky really is the limit with patios. They can be simplistic or quite ornate. The main things that are needed are some seating,…
How my Test Garden has Grown! Readers of my blog will know that my project for this year (and the next two) is my test garden. I have a model that I am emulating from Garden Gate and will grow shade, semi shade and full sun plants in it to write articles about for my…
There is nothing quite like relaxing in a garden on your own property that gives you a feeling of serenity. Pride, relaxation and so many other feelings go along with this type of garden. These Lovely Gardens are photos that some of my readers have submitted to share their outdoor living spaces. Lovely Gardens from readers…
Earlier this year, I wrote about a test garden that I will be having in my back yard. I am using the garden bed to grow all sorts of things. Some grow well there and some don’t like it at all, but everything gives me more knowledge of what grows well here in NC. The…
A fan of my Gardening Cook Page on Facebook recently shared with me some photos she took on a recent Garden tour of Stott Garden in Goshen, Indiana. Stroll down the paths of Stott Garden with Janie Newton Teel. Janie said “the garden is a private huge garden but they give tours to the public. …
Beauty in nature – The Famous Gardens of Kyoto Japan Kyoto Japan is jam packed with stunning Japanese gardens, and it is a must visit in any Japan itinerary. If you love beautiful gardens and large temples, this place needs to be on your travel bucket list. The gardens, often part of temples or old…
