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Outdoor Kitchens

Since the pandemic created new relationships with living space, homeowners are embracing the opportunity to spruce up and even reimagine what their home and outdoor space can be. One of the ways homeowners are rethinking their outdoor space is to add an outdoor kitchen. From fully equipped to a simple grill and a few chairs, outdoor kitchens are on homeowners’ must-have lists for 2023. Our experts have a few trends to watch for when creating that perfect outdoor space. For many, an outdoor kitchen may seem like a true luxury, but when you spend a significant amount of time enjoying …

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Ornamental grasses and designing with texture

Written by Peter Grimaldi, Vice President of Gardens & Facilities at Cheekwood Ornamental grasses are commonly emphasized in garden design for winter interest, and the summer months present an important opportunity to appreciate and manage our perennial grasses as spring blooms fade and our gardens settle into various shades of green. Imagine your garden in black and white for a moment or, better yet, take a series of black and white photographs over the course of the growing season. The thoughtful use of plants with variation in size and texture creates a visual framework for your garden that helps organize …

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When is the right time to start a garden?

I get asked this question often. Or more often, I hear from friends who are sure they already have the answer: “Isn’t it too late to start a garden?” All the big box store commercials would have us believe that we have a short little window of 4 to 6 weeks when it’s the ‘perfect time’ to start a garden and if we didn’t get our timing just right, then we might as well wait until next year. It was a Nashville summer in 2011. With three small kids in tow, desperate for something new to do at home that …

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Native Plants for Your Garden

by Shanna Jones, Plant Collections Manager at Cheekwood What constitutes a native plant? The general opinion of what defines a native plant summarizes that it is indigenous or naturally occurring in a specific location over a long period of time. However, there is the the human element to consider. Human intervention has influenced what trees and flowers we grow for shade and aesthetic enjoyment as well as what crops we grow for nourishment. We humans, over time, not only transferred plants from one region to another, but we learned how to transfer pollen and, therefore genetics, creating hybrids. And so, …

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3 Tips for Caring for Poinsettias

The rich, velvety red and white foliage of poinsettias have become a staple of any holiday display. But there are a few things to keep in mind when caring for your plants to keep them looking their best. Understanding the plants’ needs will keep your holiday display healthy all season long. Poinsettias are native to Mexico, and if you have ever vacationed to the Mexican coast over the holidays you likely enjoyed warmer temperatures, sunshine, and minimal rainfall. These are the cultural conditions that your poinsettias need to thrive. Use these three tips as your guide to a successful poinsettia …

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3 Perennial Plants that Add Pizzazz

June is Perennial Plant Month, and whether you’re a plant nerd or a novice gardener, perennials are a wonderful addition to any home landscape with their dependability, seasonal versatility, and low maintenance. Perennials also provide nectar, pollen, and nesting materials for pollinators. Here we’ll cover a few perennials that take the cake in performance, bloom longevity, and overall presentation. First up, the peony. These romantic blooms are extremely  hardy and thrive on a proper winter. In order to ensure optimal performing peonies in our region, select early to mid-season varieties over later-blooming varieties. Japanese or single flower forms perform best …

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Dig into gardening trends: Tips to get started

New survey digs into gardening trends: Tips to get started (BPT) – Just like fashion, trends in gardening come and go … and sometimes come back again. Some shifts in gardening were inspired by necessity, like the “victory gardens” of WWII for growing food during years of rationing. Others reflected societal changes, like the green lawns of the 1950s and 1960s, when families spent more time playing and entertaining in their yards than ever before. If you look further into the past, to the 1920s, you see a trend that’s on the rise again — a yearning for going back …

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6 sure-fire tips that save time and labor on yard work and gardening

(BPT) – It’s summertime, and you’ll want to spend many sun-drenched hours in the great outdoors. But while Mother Nature is flourishing, it feels like you’re wasting too many precious summer afternoons and evenings doing chores in the yard and garden. Give some of these labor-saving tips a try so you have more time for your favorite summer activities. 1. Get organized Nothing wastes time like having to search around for misplaced trowels, seed packets and garden rakes. It’s worth the time and effort to create a zone in your garage or shed that’s just for gardening and yard care …

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Bee responsible! How to attract pollinators to your garden and help them thrive

(BPT) – It’s been in the news for years now: the decline of pollinators such as honeybees and butterflies, and how it’s upsetting our world’s healthy ecosystem. We need pollinators for the growth of many of the foods we eat each day – according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, some scientists estimate that one in three bites of food we take result from the work of pollinators. Berries, apples, oranges, almonds, and scores of other foods, not to mention flowers, rely on pollinators. If they disappear, those foods will fade along with them. So, why are pollinators declining? They …

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Ideas to help you reap big rewards from your garden

Get active outdoors with a hobby more satisfying than binge-watching another television series. As a pastime, gardening can help you eat delicious, more flavorful food while transforming your patio or yard into a colorful hangout for butterflies and bees. Many people don’t realize how easy it is to have a fresh supply of crisp veggies, fragrant herbs or fresh-grown flowers. Whether you have a balcony, rooftop or patio, gardening is a hobby that quite literally allows you to harvest big rewards. One of the most exciting parts of gardening is deciding what to grow. With thousands of plants to choose …

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