Author: Laura Lee Rose

School gardens make sense in many ways. In addition to learning ABC’s children and adults can learn much more than where food comes from by engaging in one of the most popular American hobbies, gardening.

Chilly nights, shorter days and lots of moisture can be a great combination for establishing or moving woody shrubs and trees. Planning is always a good idea when the weather is too cold to work outside, and a drawing or picture of the property is helpful.

Folk medicine and herbal teas have always fascinated me, so when I was asked recently to do a program for the Hilton Head Herb Society I got out my pocket guides and clippers. Our yards and gardens are veritable pharmacopoeia and whether a plant is grown intentionally or branded a “pesky weed” we are very lucky to have so much regional diversity of plants. Many of them are useful on their own for teas, salves, cordials, and others attract birds and insect pollinators. Here are a few of the locals.

Now is the time to get out the catalogs and make plans for adding color and interest to flower gardens. The axiom is that spring blooming bulbs are planted in the fall.

I just got back from a wonderful conference up in Cullowhee, NC, and wouldn’t you know I’d have to learn some things that took me out of my comfort zone of landscape design. It’s not fair to be an old gal and have to learn or relearn new tricks!

Want to show off a plant or design a garden space? There are tools to help you. Once you know the principles of design you can bend (or break) the rules.

Pests in the garden are certainly problems. Weeds are wildflowers in the wrong place, according to some, but they have adapted over the centuries to adversity and poor soil. In rich garden soil they can thrive! At best they compete with your fancy posies for space, water, and nutrients.

  Whether it’s an overgrown shrub, hedge, tree or trellis you should have a goal in mind when you prune. Unfortunately many shrubs and trees were improperly planted in the landscape. Foundation plants may be too close to the building and too close to each other. Trees may have been installed as specimens but over time began to crowd or shade other plantings.

One strategy for optimizing garden harvest is to plant early and often. According to my planting chart it is time for some seed sowing and soil preparation. Of course a soil test will help take the guess work out of your fertilizer purchases. Don’t guess, do the test.

  Living by the seat of our gardening pants is my usual gardening style. There is a time to every season and a right time to do most tasks. The logical order is plan, prepare the soil, plant and of course harvest.