How to Prune Trees and Shrubs
March 9, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views
Recently I attended a pruning workshop sponsored by the Fayette Master Gardener Association. Anna
Hauser, owner of Fine Pruning in Atlanta, gave us great tips on pruning and demonstrated exactly what to do by pruning several trees and shrubs in master gardener Barbara Buckley’s beautiful garden. Anna is a trained horticulturalist and an ISA certified arborist.
Anna [...]
Get your garden off to a great start!
March 3, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views, outdoor
Yes, spring really is here! Perhaps you have ignored your landscape over the winter. Don’t wait any longer – get outside and start tackling important spring maintenance tasks. If you give your garden some attention now, it will reward you in the weeks ahead with beautiful, healthy plants. Here is your spring garden “to do” [...]
Read More...Easy Ways to Vegetable Garden
February 20, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views, outdoor
Many people don’t want to take the time and energy to dig up a vegetable garden plot and amend the existing soil. Not to worry! There are several other ways to garden that are easy and almost “dig-free!”
For expert advice, I visited master gardener, Janet Lester, at her Fayetteville
home to learn easy options for those [...]
Best Roses for the Southern Garden
February 10, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Etcetera, Garden Views
Many women are looking forward to receiving gorgeous bouquets of roses for Valentine’s Day. While these arrangements are stunning, cut flowers last only a short time. Why not enjoy a profusion of beautiful blooms that last for weeks every spring and summer by adding roses to your garden?
My friend, Virginia Landrum, President of South Metro [...]
Delectable Herb Recipes
February 1, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under At Home, Food, Garden Views
In this month’s issue (February 2010) of Fayette Woman Magazine, I interviewed local herb expert, Paula Johnson,
about starting an herb kitchen garden. Paula gave detailed information on herbs to plant, a soil recipe and suggestions for using a raised bed or whiskey barrel for planting.
Paula doesn’t just plant herbs for their beauty – she uses [...]
Grow a garden library with these great reads
January 25, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views, outdoor
Whether you’re a casual gardener or a weathered landscape professional, you need tried-and-true resources to ensure a healthy garden and avoid making costly mistakes. Local gardeners recommend these books, magazines and websites for green thumbs.
Read More...On the Trail at Skidaway Island State Park
January 22, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views
Skidaway Island State Park is just a short distance southeast of Savannah and offers the opportunity to hike through a scenic marshland bordering the Skidaway Narrows, part of the Intracoastal Waterway. My husband and I hiked the park during a recent visit to Savannah and really enjoyed the unusual scenery. It was a beautiful, sunny [...]
Read More...Savannah’s Secret Gardens
January 17, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views, Travel
My husband and I just celebrated “milestone” birthdays. I won’t tell you which milestone but let’s just say the number puts us definitely into the senior category! Rather than commiserate, we decided to commemorate the occasion with a trip to Savannah to enjoy the historic district and the natural beauty of this coastal area.
The historic [...]
A Snowy Garden
January 8, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Etcetera, Garden Views
We southerners don’t often get to see our gardens dressed in winter white. All gardens look charming and mysterious with a dusting of snow, hiding any defects! Take a moment to go outside and photograph your garden. Include your family in some of the shots and you’ll have your Christmas card ready to go for [...]
Read More...83 Species of Birds Sighted during Peachtree City’s Annual Christmas Bird Count
January 4, 2010 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views
While most of us were shopping and wrapping presents for the holidays, thousands of bird lovers across the country were participating in the 110th annual Christmas Bird Count, held this year between December 19 and January 5. The Peachtree City area count took place on December 19 between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm in a [...]
Read More...Tips to Be a Better Gardener in 2010
December 30, 2009 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views, outdoor
Whether you have a “brown thumb” or are an experienced gardener, you can become a better gardener in 2010. Gardening is a great hobby that provides numerous personal benefits. Need to lose weight and get moving? Gardening gets you outside in the fresh air where you will get lots of exercise doing something productive. Need [...]
Read More...Seeing Beauty in the Little Things
December 10, 2009 by Bonnie Helander
Filed under Garden Views
Recently a friend was visiting and complimented me on my garden. I was surprised to hear her comments because winter is here, the flowers are gone, the trees are bare and I have a big list of things that need to be done before spring.
She looked at my garden and saw the beauty that was [...]