Although photography was not allowed at Biltmore Estate‘s exquisite Tiffany lamp exhibit (open through Oct. 23), the gardens are open to photographers — and some of the Tiffany lamps’’ themes (dragonflies, butterflies etc.) are in evidence throughout the gardens. From the kitchen gardens to the fish ponds to a great heron in flight, it was […]
Tag: Farm & Garden
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Top propagator
Dick Bir has a twinkle in his eye and stories to tell. He knows every nursery grower in Western North Carolina and just about everybody else who’s seriously involved with plants, whether as a professional or a hobbyist. Bir loves WNC’s people and plants equally, which is likely why he was so good at his […]
Green Thumb: For top propagator Dick Bir, WNC nursery industry is his legacy
Dick Bir has a twinkle in his eye and stories to tell. He knows every nursery grower in Western North Carolina and just about everybody else who’s seriously involved with plants, whether as a professional or a hobbyist. Bir loves WNC’s people and plants equally, which is likely why he was so good at his job.
From the roots
Ever wonder why all the yards in a neighborhood feature the same forsythia or Bradford pear? How did every grandmother end up with the same grape-bubblegum-smelling iris and pink peony? From academia all the way to retail garden centers, the plant industry plays a major role in which plants are available to the public for […]
From the roots: Cullowhee conference promotes native plants
This year’s Cullowhee Native Plant Conference happens Wednesday through Saturday, July 27-30 at Western Carolina University. Keynote speaker Allan Armitage (pictured) is a UGA horticulture professor and proponent of regionally appropriate gardening. Photo courtesy of Timber Press.
Striking back
Every once in awhile, the perfect volunteer for a particular job shows up just when you need her. Such was the case with Corinne Duncan. RiverLink relies on a host of dedicated volunteers, but Duncan, who studied environmental science and rangeland ecology at Oregon State University, is a plant ecologist who knows how to eradicate […]
Green genius
Great gardens are experienced the same way fine art is — as an emotional connection. The Biltmore gardens, designed by pioneering landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted under George Vanderbilt’s patronage, are a work of genius. Now 116 years old, the gardens refresh and inspire more than a million visitors per year. Parker Andes has been […]
Get your hop on
Feeling hoppy? On Saturday, July 16, from 9 to 11 a.m., visit the "hop yard" at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in Mills River. The aim is to provide useful information to local brewers, Western North Carolina hops growers, those interested in becoming hops growers and folks just plain interested in hops. Researchers will […]
Mission organic
Roughly one-third of Western North Carolina farms are organic; many home growers also choose this path of least resistance. But figuring out how to make it work (not to mention profitable) can be tricky. That’s where the Mountain Organic Research and Extension Unit in Waynesville comes in. Many Tar Heel agricultural programs work to keep […]
Mastering the craft
At some point, all gardeners find themselves stumped: What the heck is eating my plants? When do I prune my hydrangeas if I ever want them to flower? Master gardeners, the county extension agents’ strong right arm, are the certified experts we turn to when the going gets rough. Here’s a rundown of the questions […]
Exploring darkest Asheville
Gardeners are explorers. Always on the hunt for the next great find, they seek out obscure nurseries, order from distant catalog companies and peer over neighbors’ fences. Like the great naturalists of the past, gardeners are never content with what they have, secretly yearning to discover some unknown specimen. But not everyone who picks up […]
Green Thumb: Tulips galore
More than 100,000 tulips will bloom on the Biltmore Estate this spring, but that’s just one aspect of the annual Festival of Flowers, which runs April 2 through May 15. For instance, there’s live music every day in the Conservatory and Winter Garden. Visitors can visit the “Ask a Gardener” station, featuring the estate’s horticulture […]
Organic Growers School rolls out its fourth annual True Nature Country Fair this month
Homesteading to health and healing, permaculture to primitive skills, gardening to green building, there’s something for everyone at this do-it-yourself fair.
Organic farming lessons at Red Wing start March 27
Starting on March 27, 2010, Red Wing Farm will be offering a 4-part series of classes on basic organic gardening, meeting one Saturday per month for the months of March, April, May, and June. The classes are highly interactive, hands-on, participatory, experiential classes to help students learn what they need to know to create a […]
Organic Growers School comes to Asheville March 6, 7
Sign up now for the upcoming Organic Growers School Spring Conference that will be held at UNCA on Saturday and Sunday, March 5 and 6. This year, the OGS is offering over 100 classes and workshops. More than 1,300 farmers, gardeners, activists and consumers are expected to gather for the southeast’s largest sustainable living conference.
The Dirt Scoop: Garden & farm news and events
This week highlights the West Asheville Garden Stroll, grant funding for greener foods at three local elementary schools, and the state’s focus on food safety.
Vote for ArtSpace’s Good Food Garden NOW
Help ArtSpace get a $10,000 Good Food Grant by going online and voting. But hurry: There’s a June 18 deadline.
ArtSpace needs your vote for garden grant
Help ArtSpace get a $10,000 Good Food Grant by going online and voting. But hurry: There’s a June 18 deadline.
Edgy Mama: Tending shoots, leaves and children
My kids are veggie-challenged, green-phobic, liable to screech annoyingly before letting a sliver of broccoli touch their lips.
If you’re into herbal medicine, you need to know about this two-day symposium
Warren Wilson hosts a weekend of collaboration, brainstorming, environmental advocacy and education, with a team of experts, including James Duke, author of The Green Pharmacy. April 17-19. $65.
Growing with the times
Now in its 15th year, the Organic Growers School takes place on Saturday, March 8, at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock. Flat out: Jenifer Miller of Fisher Branch Farm in Marshall teaches the basics of seed-starting at last year’s Organic Growers School. Courtesy Ogs Begun in 1993, with 100 attending, the OGS has […]