Category: Uncategorized

In my last blog post, I wrote about the wonder and excitement of my first trip to a carnivorous wetland.  In this second part of the blog, I’ll share how to bring a small piece of this unique southeastern native landscape into the classroom.  Building a carnivorous bog with students is a fun way to […]

In a perfect world, I would take every student I meet to experience a wild carnivorous bog for themselves. Still, it is possible to bring a small piece of this native habitat into the classroom. As you read through these next few blog posts you will see why and learn step-by-step how to create one with […]

Excitement is buzzing around the 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census (GSePC) that will take place on August 22 and 23, 2025.   As the South Carolina Census coordinator and an avid pollinator gardener, I am always excited to share the GSePC with every gardener and pollinator enthusiast I meet, which in my line of work is […]

The Charleston County Public Libraries John’s Island branch seed library promotes vegetable and herb gardening as well as native plants for pollinators.

I usually grow the same staple vegetables in my garden year after year.  Tomatoes.  Cucumbers.  Zucchini.  Peppers.  Don’t get me wrong – I love growing them, and they are delicious!  But this year, I decided to mix things up a bit and grow some less traditional vegetables – fennel and pineapple tomatillo. I started my […]

Lavender (Lavandula sp.) is a beautiful perennial herb grown for its purple flowers, calming scent, and medicinal qualities. It is a perennial herb that develops woody branches and grows up to 3 feet tall over the years. The bright purple flowers bloom on the end of spikes and release a lovely fragrance. Not all lavender […]

Thyme is a low-growing, perennial herb from the Mediterranean with small, oval leaves that produce a strong aroma when crushed.  Thyme features clusters of lilac flowers that attract bees and butterflies. While used for cooking primarily, it also works well as an edging or groundcover because of its low height, mounding nature, and attractive flowers. […]

Dill (Anethum graveolens)  is a feathery herb great for cooking and attracting pollinating insects. It tops out at around 3 feet tall with yellow umbel shaped flowers. Swallowtail butterflies use dill and other members of the carrot family (Apiaceae) to feed their young.  So if you are trying to attract more butterflies to your landscape, […]

Herbs make useful and versatile additions to any garden. Culinary herbs such as mint, rosemary, and thyme are perfect for snipping into recipes and are easy to grow, thriving in patio pots and kitchen gardens.  Fragrant foliage and flowers are useful in creating herbal teas and adding fragrance to potpourri, lotion, and soap.  Many herbs […]

Planting flowers, vegetables, and herbs from seeds is an excellent family-friendly activity. There are so many lessons to be found in the simple act of starting seeds. If you plan on growing a large garden or you prefer a wider variety than found at the garden center, starting a garden from seed can be more […]