Author Archives: roxannward_eplwpc

In this stressful time, I look forward to every sunny morning I can walk into the garden and watch my plants waking up from their winter sleep. It is spring in the South, and each day brings a new surprise. So much changes in the hours between sunset and dawn that a quick walk acrossContinue reading “Easy Perennials for Southern Gardens”

The organic gardening discussion has been going on for decades, and in 2021 the availability of organically-grown food is something we take for granted. While it is easy to pick up that container of organic strawberries to add to your morning yogurt, I wonder how many home gardeners have embraced organic practices as the bestContinue reading “Organic Gardening: Giving Up the Blue Stuff”

If you live in the city, with perhaps a ground-level paved terrace that sees a bit of watery sunshine on a clear day, you may only envision your tiny outdoor space as a place for napping on a chaise lounge, or sipping a glass of wine on a summer evening. I love both of theseContinue reading “A Shade Garden for City-Dwellers”

Garden design may seem like a mystery for anyone new to gardening. It’s a bit like trying to understand why an interior designer chooses geometric print wallpaper instead of a stripe. When making any type of design decision, it helps to know what you like and what will work for a particular situation. For thisContinue reading “Garden Design 101: How Designers Choose Plant Material”

Opposites attract. A social butterfly meets a quiet, calm soul and well,  you know the rest of the story. So what happens, along the path of life, when one of you falls in love with all things green? At this point in the story, there are two ways it can go:  either your partner enjoysContinue reading “My Life with Grass Man”

There is nothing more heart-breaking than walking through your garden with a glass of wine at the end of a long workday, and realizing that all of those exotic-looking lilies you lovingly planted as bulbs in the fall are toast. Gone. Every bud and bloom devoured. It’s a common problem in the South, and asContinue reading “Deer Don’t Eat Camellias, and Other Lies I’ve Told Myself”

Lenten Rose, or Helleborus, is a winter-flowering beauty that should be included in every garden with a shady spot. With evergreen leaves and nodding flowers in shades ranging from pure white to deepest purple, Lenten rose blooms typically emerge in late January in the South, and often persist until late April. They prefer good gardenContinue reading “January Beauty”

Winter is the perfect time to look at your landscape with fresh eyes. If you have shrubs flanking your front door, or along your sidewalk, that are in need of an update, consider tackling this project while temperatures are cool, from January through March. In the South, planting shrubs in cool weather is a goodContinue reading “Thinking Outside the Box(wood)”

One of the things that drew me to gardening was the freedom to create.  I am not a skilled artist, nor am I good at looking at an interior space and envisioning the perfect paint color, or furniture choices.  For the first half of my life, I was never satisfied with the results of anyContinue reading “Design Freedom”

Containers are a great way to dip your toe into the gardening world.  I see containers as mini gardens that are moveable, inexpensive, and easy to change up when you have a new idea.  The key to container design is to begin with an anchor plant for a bit of height.  In summer, this mightContinue reading “Garden Design 101: Fall and Winter Containers”