This illuminating garden is beautiful in sunlight and twilight Story and Photos By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon The gorgeous home and garden of Patrice and Richard Ellis is yet another example of the exquisite secret gardens that can be found hidden away in old Baton Rouge neighborhoods. This exceptional property was one of three lovely homes …
15 problems solved in your warm-season vegetable garden Story and Photos By A.J. Heinsz-Bailey Every day there are changes in your vegetable garden. Along with these changes – temperatures, rainfall, insects and diseases – problems arise. The warm-season vegetable garden is a living entity that requires constant supervision to produce positive results (groceries). It is …
Growing summer squash in the home garden By A.J. Heinsz-Bailey Squash: People either love it or hate it. Squash (Cucurbita pepo) has a reputation for being mushy, but not if you grow your own. How could something so beautiful be tasteless and mushy? It’s not! These are not your old grammar school lunchroom nightmares. New …
Story and Photos By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon Native swamp spider lily (Hymenocallis occidentalis) is a moisture-loving perennial plant that sports clusters of 6-8-inch, ghostly white, richly fragrant flowers. The gorgeous spring blooms also attract pollinators, including hummingbirds, and the plants are highly deer resistant. Who could ask for more? In the wild, this easy-to-grow member …
Don’t forget the animals By Dan Gill Although we gardeners mostly focus on plants, we must admit that animals are also a part of our gardens. Many of the animals that inhabit or visit our gardens are never noticed, some are noticed and appreciated, some are decidedly not welcome, and some are tolerated with affection. …
By Yvonne Lelong Bordelon The beautiful fragrant flower clusters of native Piedmont azalea put on a show in early spring just as the leaves are emerging. These hardy, deciduous shrubs, which grow along creeks, swamps, bluffs, and in moist flatwoods, can form colonies and will also hybridize readily with other native Rhododendron species. In the …
Here’s a list of lists about why you should use more native plants in your landscape Gardeners are constantly looking for ways to make gardening easier and more carefree. “Low maintenance” is often the holy grail for most of us. One of the easiest to reduce the “work” of gardening is to use plants native …
Growing your own hot peppers at home By A.J. Heinsz-Bailey If you have never sat at the kitchen table with your eyes watering, mouth on fire, and nose dripping asking for one more ‘Carolina Reaper’ you might be missing a culinary delight. Since you live in the South, you probably like it hot and ‘Tabasco’ …
Tiny terrific tomatoes to tempt even timid gardeners By A.J. Heinsz-Bailey Before you can repeat that tongue twister five times you will have the knowledge to grow your own tiny treasures. True tomato enthusiasts long for that first vine-ripened tomato every spring. To help shorten the wait, consider growing cherry tomatoes. These delicious morsels will …
You don’t need a doctor to tell you the treatment By Dan Gill There is a malady that affects gardeners every year in the spring. Symptoms usually begin to appear around March, although I’m so badly affected I often detect an early onset in February. By the time April arrives, you can stop by any …
