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My North Carolina Winter Garden
My North Carolina winter garden is a sight to behold right now. Winter storm Jonas has been all in the news this week. It left a blanket of snow and ice from the South in the US right up the corridor to New England. Winter storm Jonas may break some records on the east coast! […]
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Creative Ideas for Fall Decorations
These creative ideas for fall decorations make use of the natural colors and textures that we find outside in nature. Most can be put together for very little cost and expense. Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved the change from summer to autumn. I love all of the seasons but there […]
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17 Tips for Creating a Cottage Garden
I love a cottage garden. I am not a rule follower by nature, especially when it comes to gardens, and I love the way a cottage garden throws caution to the wind in the rule department. Do you like lots of flowers, flowing lines and a not so formal look? Then a cottage garden might […]
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Cozy Courtyards – For when Space is at a Minimum
10 Fabulous Cozy Courtyard Spaces. I have a good sized yard now so I can pretty much do what I want with my garden beds. But there have been times in the past when I had just a strip of space between me and my neighbor, or a tiny back yard that could only hold […]
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5 Generations in One Garden Bed
My family has long loved gardening. It all started with my great grandmother (and I am sure her mother before this but I never knew her). She loved vegetable gardening and particularly yellow pole beans. The seeds from her pole beans have been passed down from generation to generation and are now growing in my […]
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It’s Lily Time – Varieties of Lilies in my Garden
My husband used to buy me lilies all the time because he loved the look of them so much. I love them too, but not as cut flowers indoors (they have a stinky smell inside that I don’t like.) I never had the inclination to tell him that they were not my favorite cut flower […]
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Container Vegetable Gardening for Small Spaces
Container Vegetable Gardens are a great way to garden when your yard is small. Vegetable gardening is such a satisfying experience. There is nothing quite like biting into a tomato that was just picked from your garden. The flavor is nothing like that of the ones bought from a store, even the vine ripened ones. […]
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My Front Garden Make Over
It’s time for my front garden make over! This has been a year of garden make overs for me. I spent so much time last year dealing with my squirrel problem and tending my vegetable garden that I did not have a lot of time to deal with my flower garden beds. And I can […]
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20+ Plants for A Shade Garden plus My Garden Make Over
Trying to get color and interest in a shade garden can be a challenge. But there are some that don’t mind it at all . In fact, these 20+ perennial and annual plants love the shade. There is a lushness about them that I really enjoy, too. Keep reading to learn what you an grow […]
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My Garden In June – Early Summer Garden Tour
Join me for an early summer garden tour. Let’s discover my garden in June! Spring starts early here in North Carolina, so many of my plants have been flowering for a while. It’s been a long spring with a ton of work put into my gardens. So many of them were overgrown, and neglected last […]
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Elizabethan Garden Statues – Manteo – Roanoke Island
My husband and I recently attended a wedding on the coast of North Carolina. While we were there, we took the time to visit the Elizabethan Gardens at Manteo on Roanoke Island. Seeing statues that depict characters from real life is so inspiring. For another post on this type of experience, be sure to check […]
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My Vegetable Garden Make Over
I love vegetable gardening. There is nothing quite like harvesting and cooking vegetables that you have grown. If you like to grow vegetables, be sure to ready my post about how to troubleshoot vegetable garden problems as well as some solutions. One of the problems that can happen when you start a vegetable garden is […]
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Natural Paths for Garden Beds
Anyone who has priced hardscaping lately knows how expensive it can be, particularly if you have large areas to cover. I am redoing my whole area that I used last year for veggies. Long story short, the squirrels were a nightmare for me and I don’t plan to go through that experience a second time. […]
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My Garden in May – Lots of Flowers in Bloom Now
This year has been a series of set backs in my garden. It is almost the end of May and I’m way behind, but finally have some progress to show for all my work. Things that set me back were: My father’s death in February which resulted in two trips to Maine. A very long […]
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My Garden In March – Spring has Sprung (or at least it is trying to)
It’s time to check out my garden in March to see what is blooming for me. This has been the longest winter ever. I used to live in Maine and am used to long, cold winters. But here in North Carolina, normally, I have a lot of things growing, especially vegetables, by this time in […]
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Growing Perennials and Vegetables in one Garden Space
Squirrels in my garden last year made vegetable gardening a nightmare for me. This year, I decided to try combining perennials and vegetables in one garden bed to see how it worked out. I have long been interested in growing perennials. Adding some vegetables into the mix gave my garden beds an interesting new look. […]
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The Garden Charmers Share their Favorite Facebook Pages
Facebook has so many great pages devoted to gardening, but the way the site now shows the content of pages, it is sometimes hard for them to get seen on news feeds. Facebook is one of the most popular of the social media channels. I thought it would be fun for the Garden Charmers (a […]
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Raleigh Botanical Gardens Visit
One of my favorite things to do when I have some spare time is to visit Raleigh Botanical Gardens. I love the new perennial and annual plants that I learn about and it just de-stresses me like nothing else seems to do. Raleigh has a great Botanical Garden called JC Raulston Arboretum. The beauty of […]
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The Best of The Gardening Cook in 2013
January is always a time of reflection for me. I look back over the previous year – see what worked and what didn’t and make plans for the new year. Often the plans have to do with my weight. Alas, I always seem to have a new year’s resolution aimed at something to do with […]
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Garden Seating Areas – Favorite Places to Sit, Hide and Dream
Garden seating areas are a place to site, to hide or to dream. Which of these ideas come to mind when you think about your garden seating areas? A garden sitting area can mean something very different, depending on the person you ask and their perspective. It can be as simple as two chairs on […]
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Garden Seating Ideas for Your Garden – Get Some Inspiration
These garden seating ideas show how easy it is to have a relaxing place to enjoy your garden, up close and personal. I have several places in my garden where I love to sit and admire the garden beds, and also to relax and de-stress from my busy day. To me, what makes a great […]
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Shed Makeover – My Garden Shed Needs some TLC
It’s time for a shed makeover. My garden shed is definitely in need of some decor. I see so many garden sheds that are as sweet as can be. Some are tiny, some are huge and all seem to have character. I have one of the “huge without character” types. My husband and his friend […]
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Creative Garden Planters – Garden Bloggers Share Creative Planter Ideas
What is better than an idea for a creative planter? Why, many creative garden planters, of course! I recently asked some of my gardening friends to share their creative planter and container ideas and they did not disappoint. Their ideas are a cascade of fun and will add a great look to any garden setting. […]
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Gardening Signs – Fans of the Gardening Cook Share
I love gardening signs of all types. They add a touch of whimsy to any garden setting and give you an idea of the personality of the gardener too. Just about any saying can be made into a garden sign. All you need, really, is a piece of wood, some paint and a paint brush […]
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Progress on my Test Garden
Readers of my blog will know that my project for this year (and the next two) is my test garden. I have a model that I am emulating from Garden Gate and will grow shade, semi shade and full sun plants in it to write articles about for my blog. Read about the beginning here. […]
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My Test Garden Transformation in July
Earlier this year, I wrote about a test garden that I will be having in my back yard. I am using the garden bed to grow all sorts of things as test plants for the blog posts that I write. Some grow well there and some don’t like it at all, but everything gives me […]