Tools and techniques to help in the garden when life throws you a curve By Margeaux Emery Injury, illness, arthritis, and other health conditions can bring the need to change how one gardens. A stroke, for example, can result in loss of strength in hands and arms. Arthritis causes pain in movement. Whatever difficulty life …
The Three Little Pigs got it right! Story and Photography by Susan Jasan We enjoy what we see in our home and garden, but what you don’t see is critical to the long-term enjoyment of your landscape and your gardens. Just as the classic children’s tale The Three Little Pigs teaches us, it’s important to …
Everything you need to know about fertilizing your potted vegetables Story and Photography by Kathryn Fontenot Vegetable gardens come in all sizes and shapes. One of the lowest maintenance vegetable gardens is one growing in a container. In an age where working people are constantly “at work” thanks to email and text messages and parents …
A one-of-a-kind refuge Story and Photography by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey In 1995, the Boswells discovered 43 acres with a mix of woods and cow pastures located in rural St Tammany Parish. Surrounded by sprawling horse and cattle farms, it was love at first sight. The acreage was exactly what the Boswells had been looking for to …
Using living plants to control energy costs Story and Photography by Helen Newling Lawson Everyone knows how soothing a carpet of green grass feels on bare feet or how the shade of a large tree offers relief on a summer’s day. But did you know you could harness the cooling effect of living plants to …
Story and Photography by Yvonne Lelong Bordelon You’ll enjoy growing garden balsam, an easy-to-grow, upright heirloom Impatiens species that was a favorite in Victorian gardens. Both the showy single-flowered variety and the double camellia-like form are making a comeback. The lovely flowers attract pollinators, including bees and butterflies, to the garden. Balsam does well when …
Keep these plants away from each other By Diane Beyer Everyone has had an experience with a bad neighbor. There are various reasons for considering a neighbor “bad,” but most of them have an element of “chemistry” in them somewhere. Some people just don’t get along. It’s no different in the plant world. Since plants …
How to make a whimsical chair planter Story and Photography by Carolyn Tomlin Creative gardeners are always on the lookout for unusual objects that provide a whimsical touch in the garden. Giving a second life to a discarded item is not only economical but adds a fun-loving spirit to your space. One such treasure was …
From ball fields to vegetable fields By Kathryn Fontenot East Baton Rouge residents recognize Hillar Moore, District EBR Attorney, from evening news reports and local newspaper articles regarding criminal activity. But his friends and family know him as a coach, and more recently, as an avid gardener. To conduct this interview, I met Mr. Moore …
Dealing with sunlight transitions in the landscape Story and Photography by Annie Barbas Instant garden changes came in the form of a tornado flinging branches on rooftops and toppling trees. Live oaks (Quercus virginiana), some more than 70 years old fell, clipping the gable and splitting the satsuma tangerine tree (Citrus unshiu) while also eliminating …
