Containers are my favorite way to add instant beauty to a garden. They are great for beginner gardeners and for people who want to get the most bang for their buck and effort! You can find space for a container almost anywhere: on a balcony, in a shady corner, as a screen for privacy, at your front door, or on your outdoor window sill. And they can be adjusted as needed: lifted to create a pleasing arrangement or moved with the seasons! Here is how... 1. Choose a Containe

Some may think of the warm growing season as the only time to enjoy harvests from your garden. Here in WNC, we have the advantage of four distinct seasons, all of which have their own unique gifts to offer. With the holiday season upon us, many of us hope to not only share the beauty of our personal gardens and landscapes with our friends and family, but take advantage of our plantings for holiday decor. When it comes to arranging your harvest, look for contrasting texture an

​ After the hard work of maintaining a garden for the growing season, I am eager to enjoy the fruits of my labor and share my garden with friends. My favorite way? A party! With a bit of forethought and a few simple preparations, I can throw a garden party with minimal stress. Here's how... Choose a Date and Time: Choose a time that suits your objective and target audience for the party. A leisurely weekend brunch? Perhaps the evening when the sun is less intenseand guest

Behold the season's first blooms! This is always an exciting time, one that often creeps up on even the most seasoned gardener. From the depths of gently warming soil, bulbs are some of the earliest to stir. These silent performers break ground, bud and bloom in what seems like the blink of an eye. The result is the most welcome display of color and frill at the end of a long winter season Blooming bulbs remind us spring is indeed here, even in the midst of lingering frosts a

'Arctic Fire' red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) in the winter garden. Welcome to February, a month when the garden may appear to be in total slumber. Look a little closer and you will find the tiny stirrings of spring. Roots and shoots are on the move, and certain specimens are in the midst of their peak seasonal performance: winter blooming witch hazel, brilliant red twig dogwood, and flowering Lenten rose. Winter is a time when a garden designed with all seasons in mind can

Although the official no-more-frost date does not arrive until mid-May, March is the ideal time to begin preparing the garden, or prospective garden, for the upcoming growing season. Cold-hardy crops can go in the ground soon, ushering the early promise of fresh produce. In the spirit of staying ahead of the game, two local garden professionals share their tips. Garden designer Mardi Letson of Gardens by Mardi and organic specialist Ruth Gonzalez say it’s time to get started.