When it comes to creating a beautiful and inviting outdoor space safe from prying eyes, nothing beats shrubs for a privacy screen. A living privacy screen not only adds beauty to your yard or garden, it also freshens the air, acts as a habitat for birds, and dampens noise! Here are some tips for designing your own private outdoor space.

• Plan Your Space. You’ll want to make sure that you give plants enough space to grow, but put them close enough they can grow together to actually create a privacy screen. If you’re using evergreen shrubs assume that three to four feet between each will work best.
• Pick the Right Plants. The best shrubs for your needs will vary based on soil, climate, budget, and existing habitat. We have a huge variety of shrubs, and we can help you pick the right kinds for your outdoor space!
• Arrange and Train. Once you’ve planted your shrubs, tie the stems together with string to make sure they grow in a straight line. You’ll also want to train them to grow correctly with judicious pruning so you wind up with the look and shape you want.

At Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA, we focus heavily on landscaping design, including the creation of natural-looking privacy screens. If you’re not sure what varieties of shrub you need, how best to plant them, or just need some help with design, give us a call! We’ve been doing this a long time, and you’ll love what we can create together!  

Spending long evenings in the garden with family and friends is one of the best parts of summer, but–ugh, what do you do about all those bloodsuckers? Mosquito bites aren’t just itchy; they can also be dangerous. Before you reach for the bug spray or smelly chemicals, however, consider mosquito-repellant plants for a beautiful, natural way to keep your skin free of bites.

Most of the plants that repel mosquitoes are herbs, which makes sense: herbs tend to have a pungent smell, which is what dissuades bugs. Perhaps most obviously, citronella plants are great for this! Citronella oil is an ingredient in almost all bug sprays. If you’ve only ever smelled citronella in a chemical candle or bug spray, though, don’t be fooled. Not only are they attractive and super effective but citronella plants have a fresh and clean scent that you’ll love as much as the mosquitoes hate it. If citronella isn’t your cup of tea, or if you’d just like a little more variety, consider strong-smelling herbs like lavender, peppermint, sage, and even catnip! Try tossing sage in the flames next time you gather around an outdoor fire for a little summer magic. 

Herbs aren’t the only plants that keep mosquitoes at bay. There are a couple of different flowers that can also get the job done, including marigolds and ageratum, also called the floss flower. Marigolds are a great choice, since these easy annuals don’t need much advanced care. Both marigolds and floss flowers will thrive in bright sunlight, and will be a colorful as well as useful addition to your garden.

If you’re ready to take control of your mosquito problem, call Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA or come down to our nursery any time. We’d love to help you create a beautiful solution!

With the summer weather so perfect for spending time outside, you’re probably getting a nice long look at your garden. Is it everything you’d hoped, or does it need a little bit of work? Here are some ways to freshen up your garden this summer.

Mid-summer is a good time to cut back your annuals and give them a boost of fertilizer to really freshen up their color. It’s also a good time to assess which plants are working out and which aren’t. Spend some time with your plants and decide which are thriving, which might need extra care, and which are ready to go to that big garden in the sky.

If you have plants in containers, spice them up a bit. Try out new locations and new combinations of scent and color while you’ll be spending a lot of time outside and can decide if you really like them or not. Switch out old pots for new ones, or freshen up old pots with a new coat of paint. This is a great project to do with kids, who can help move potted plants, suggest colors, or even do the painting themselves!

And while you’re at it, give the patio or deck a good cleaning! Sweep and hose down the flooring, trim up the edges, wipe down furniture, and wash slipcovers for a brighter, fresher outdoor space. When you’re done, add cut flowers from your garden to bring a new pop of color that much closer to you.

Summer is also a great time for big landscaping projects. If you’re feeling ambitious about your outdoor space, contact Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA for beautiful, cohesive landscape design!

We know gardeners get worn out in the heat, but did you know your garden can suffer from heat stress too? If your plants have suddenly started dropping leaves or looking wilted or bleached, check the thermostat. Soaring temperatures may be to blame. At Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA we understand the hot Georgia climate and how it can harm your garden. Here are some ways to protect your plants from heat stress.

First, continue to water your plants properly. Enough water is extra important when it’s very hot, because heat increases evaporation and can dry out the soil. You don’t want to drown or rot your plants, so avoid the temptation to overwater–just make sure the soil is as moist as your plants need. When it’s very hot outside, watering early in the morning will help your soil absorb the water before the sun light becomes too strong. 

Otherwise, consider ways to keep direct sunlight off your plants, such as mulching, shade cloths, or row covers. Row covers and shade cloths will keep the direct sunlight off your plants while still allowing proper airflow if you make sure they are placed high enough. Mulch will help keep water evaporation to a minimum and protect your plants’ roots from the sun. This is great for plants that need protection from heat but still need many hours of sunlight. Whispering Springs Nursery has a great selection of mulches, plus the expertise to help you pick the correct one for your specific garden’s needs.

Come by our nursery and let’s get started protecting your garden from heat!

Sometimes it’s exciting to see a deer, but there are definitely places we don’t want them to be–especially in front of our cars and in our gardens! Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA offers a beautiful variety of deer-resistant plants to help keep your garden nibble-free, but here are some other tips to keep these gentle nuisances away.

Your first step is probably deer-proof fencing. Deer are pretty stubborn, but with a little work you can deter them from bothering your garden. In addition to traditional fencing solutions, consider stringing fishing wire around your garden. Fishing wire is tough enough to repel deer, but not injure them. Plus, since it’s invisible, it won’t interfere with your view. 

Look for unpleasant smells. Deer, like many animals, live and die by their sense of smell. There are many deer repellent sprays on the market. Make sure to rotate them throughout the growing season so deer don’t get used to them. Human hair and the urine of predators will also deter deer. Also look for plants with a distinctive, lingering smell, like lavender or other herbs. Deer will try to avoid these smells because they don’t want predators to be able to smell them later.

And finally, if you have a dog, let them into the garden as often as possible! They can keep an eye out for deer when you’re not around, and deer will smell your pup even when he or she is inside and avoid the area.

Still having trouble with deer gnawing on your precious plants? Come talk to us at Whispering Springs Nursery!

Container gardening has so many advantages, especially for a beginner. You can totally control the soil and water, protect your plants from bad weather if they’re in a small enough container, and move it when you are ready for a change. And with a smaller space to care for, it’s easier to keep track of all the little factors that go into successful planting. But where exactly do you start when you want to create a container garden?

First, make sure you pick the right container. Keep in mind that different plants will require different levels of drainage and ventilation, and select accordingly. Also keep an eye on the size of your container relative to your plants–you don’t want them to feel cramped! 

Make sure you also pick the right conditions for your container garden: just like any garden, you want to make sure your plants get the right amount of sun or shade, the best soil composition, and correct water and fertilizer mixtures. Whispering Springs can help make sure you know what your plants need!

If you’re going to mix plants for the fuller appearance of a more traditional garden, look for plants that thrive when planted together. Whispering Springs in Jasper, GA has a huge selection of flowers and herbs that thrive in North Georgia. We can help you select the best plants and either plant them for you, or help you plant them in your own container.  

Come by our beautiful nursery in Jasper, GA and let’s talk about the kind of container garden you want to create!

Fairies have been popular in myths and stories for thousands of years. When the Appalachian mountains were settled by Irish and Scottish immigrants, they brought their stories with them, populating this area with fairy tales. Here are some tips for creating your very own fairy garden to honor this legacy!

• Pick a theme. Do you want to make a bright, whimsical fairy garden with lots of pinks and yellows, or maybe a darker, Gothic garden full of dark purple flowers? Make sure your fairy garden looks cohesive by planning your theme in advance. If you are working on your fairy garden with children, have them decide what kind of fairy lives there and build a garden that reflects their imaginings. 
• Add tiny furniture. Even fairies need a place to sit down! Small tables, fences, etc. can make a charming addition. Whispering Springs nursery has options for every style of fairy garden. You could even borrow a fairy-sized castle from your fish tank–they may be designed for fish, but fairies will fit too!
• Choose plants fairies will like. One of the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream is named Peaseblossom, and Oberon, king of the fairies, famously uses a wild pansy (called “love-in-idleness”) as a love potion. Herbs like mint, thyme, or rosemary will fill the air around your fairy garden with a magical scent!
• Choose plants that like each other. In such a small space, you don’t want half your plants to need a lot of sunlight and the other half to need a lot of shade.
• Ask us for help! At Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, Georgia we have everything you need for an enchanting fairy garden, including years of experience and expertise that we are happy to share.

Give us a call or come down to our beautiful nursery space and let’s start planning your perfect fairy garden!