Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, Georgia knows that it is the time of year for outdoor events to really start rolling. From garden parties to graduations to weddings, the spring and summer months are simply ideal times to move events outdoors. To help we thought we’d offer a few tips and ideas to get your outdoor space ready for guests!

Basic Preparation

• Clean up the area by removing any toys, random items (like lawn or gardening equipment) and debris sticks, branches, dead leaves and foliage off of your lawn.

• Regularly water and mow your lawn. By keeping your lawn care on a nice schedule, your green space is more likely to stay healthy and well-kept for your event.

• Watch out for troublesome insects. Pests such as fire ants, bees and mosquitoes, have the potential to make your guests pretty miserable. Ridding yourself of these pests may include trying a ‘whole lawn’ treatment for insects, but be very careful of using harsh chemicals that may affect your garden plants. If you have an edible garden, using pesticides and chemicals may not be an option at all. For mosquitos, try removing any standing water that mosquitoes could use to lay larvae in. For ants, use an ant spray or try a natural solution, to eradicate the ant hills before they turn into a huge problem at your event. Bees and wasps may be a bit trickier; in serious cases a pest control or wildlife removal service may need to be called.

Landscape Upgrades

• Add a Water Feature. Whispering Springs can build water features with beautiful flow, that provide maximum sound and enjoyment while looking like a natural feature on your property.

• Add an Arbor, Pergola or Bench. Nothing dresses up your green space more than a lovely wooden accent! We can build you a gorgeous pergola to weave stunning vines and flowers through for a wedding, or craft you a bench (or two!) for a lovely place to sit in your garden.

• Add softscapes to your yard. Whispering Springs offers homeowners a variety of softscape services, including adding perennial beds, seasonal color beds, deer-resistant plants (common problem in Jasper), or landscape design including hardscapes and plantings.

As you can see, our Landscape division offers so many features to get your yard ready for your next big event! We offer landscape advice, design and installation for softscapes, hardscapes,  irrigation, water features, fencing, arbors and much more.

Whispering Springs Nursery hopes that your outdoor event is fabulous, but we’d love to help get your green space ready in any way we can help, from flower suggestions to landscape design and installation. Please contact us today or stop by sometime to discuss how we can help you!

The past couple of weeks Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, Ga., has had a Greenhouse Growing Series of blog posts, explaining why some gardeners prefer to grow in greenhouses instead of outdoors. As a nursery, we at Whispering Springs grow much of our vast plant selection in our greenhouses. To recap our past posts, some reasons to greenhouse grow are to protect your plants from pests and the elements; to collect solar energy to heat your plants, which do this by releasing thermal energy slowly through the night; and sometimes the look of a greenhouse (shape, style, function, etc.) may be appealing and give your green space a more little character and value. For Part Three of Greenhouse Growing, we shall review the growing seasons and challenges that come with greenhouse growing.

Growing Seasons

One of the great features of greenhouses, are their ability to allow gardening all year round. This means you’ll have all four seasons of gardening and growing to look forward to once your greenhouse is up and running!

• Spring– Use this time to create seedlings. Start the seeds in trays and then move them into larger pots as they grow into seedlings. When all chances of frost are over, they can be moved outside.

• Summer- Summertime is the ideal time to start perennials and fall flowers.

• Fall- Get a jump on the holidays by starting your holiday plants, like amaryllis bulbs or Christmas cactus, during this time.

• Winter- Use your greenhouse to protect annuals and other tender plants during this time. Winter is also a great time to grow cold-hardy vegetables, like spinach or kale.

Greenhouse Growing Challenges

While the benefits of having a greenhouse are incredible, there are still a few challenges to contend with on occasion:

• Pests- If insects that are considered to be ‘bad bugs,’ get into your greenhouse, it is very easy for them to quickly infest it. This is because they will have plenty of food, water, shelter, and no natural predators around to eat them up. Keep your eye out for any pests!

• Plant Diseases- Viruses, mold and fungi enjoy warm and humid conditions, making your greenhouse a perfect spot. Combat these by keeping your greenhouse well circulated and by isolating any affected plants.

This completes our Greenhouse Growing Series! We do hope this short series has been informative.  Regardless of whether you choose to grow indoors or outdoors, please stop by Whispering Springs Nursery sometime. We would love to show you around our vast selection of plants and flowers, and help you create some incredible garden plans for your home!

Questions or concerns? Please contact Whispering Springs Nursery today and don’t forget to give us a review or comment on our Google+ page!

Located in Jasper, Ga., Whispering Springs Nursery offers a variety of plants to choose from, the majority of which are grown onsite in greenhouses. Just as a brief recap of our Greenhouse Growing – Part One post from last week, we are explaining why some gardeners prefer to grow in greenhouses instead of outdoors. A few reasons to greenhouse grow are to protect your plants from pests and the elements; to collect solar energy to heat your plants, which do this by releasing thermal energy slowly through the night; and sometimes the look of a greenhouse may be appealing and give your yard a little character.

Other advantages to greenhouse growing include: Starting seeds earlier, wintering over tender plants, growing exotic plants and growing vegetables year round.

Using Your Greenhouse

The features of your greenhouse greatly depend on the style and type that you purchase or build. Some greenhouses have extensive setups, with electricity, temperature control, shelving and seating, irrigation, etc. While these features are impressive, they are pricey and generally unnecessary if you’re a hobby gardener. Pre-made greenhouses can usually be purchased at your local hardware or home store (Lowes/Home Depot) or can be made from ‘scratch’ with some wood and plastic covering.

For the purposes of this blog, let’s review some of the features EVERY greenhouse needs to be functional:

• Greenhouse Benches: No, these are not for sitting; these benches are the tables that your plant trays go on. Greenhouse benches or either wooden or metal, and have mesh or holes that allow for water drainage. DIY greenhouse benches are relatively easy to build.

• Ventilation: Proper ventilation is a must in any greenhouse because it helps to control the temperature of the space. You should have either vents that can be opened on the top or sides of the greenhouse, flaps that can be rolled up or an electric fan system that comes on automatically depending on the rise or fall of the temperature. It is typical practice to prop open vents and doors during the day and to close everything up at night (varies by weather of course).

• Temperature Control: Shade clothes can be used to aid in lessening the amount of sunlight in the greenhouse during the summer months; this can prevent the temperature from rising too much. Shade clothes can be removed for wintertime. The above mentioned vents also control internal temperature.

• Humidity: While high humidity is pretty normal in Georgia already, you may need to add even more to your greenhouse for specific exotic and desert plant species. You can add humidity one of two ways:

  • Add trays of pebbles with water in them under your plants or…

  • Place stone or marble chips under your plant tables and water them. (Both methods will cause humidity as long as the rock is damp enough to allow evaporation to occur.)

Stay tuned for Part Three next week, when we go over the growing seasons and challenges that come with greenhouse growing. Until then, come visit our Whispering Springs Nursery greenhouses and see how we grow our gorgeous variety of plants. We would be happy to help you and give you some suggestions for what to get started growing!

Questions or concerns? Please contact Whispering Springs Nursery today and don’t forget to give us a review on our Google+ page sometime. Happy gardening!

Whispering Springs Nursery knows just how tough and disheartening the crazy weather can be when it comes to motivating yourself to do your outdoor gardening in the rain, cold, etc. One solution we’ve found is to grow our plants in greenhouses. While greenhouse growing isn’t ideal for everyone, it can be a great choice for those with the time, space and funds to get it started.

Greenhouses: An Introduction

Whether you chaulk it up to climate change, pollution or any other number of factors, the weather patterns affecting the state of Georgia have definitely changed over the past decade. The ‘unpredictable’ weather of this past winter, and even the extremely rainy and hot to cold days during this year’s spring, may have dampened your desire to get outside in your garden. However, hobby gardeners and serious horticulturalists alike can both benefit from using a greenhouse to grow their organic and/or edible gardens.

Functions of a Greenhouse:

• Provides protection from the outdoor elements, such as storms, extreme temperature changes, damaging wind, snow, etc.

• Allows the ability to regulate plant and soil temperature within the compound. The sunlight that warms the air within the greenhouse is releasing thermal energy slowly throughout the night to keep the plants warm.

• Collects solar energy; light is easily converted into heat due to the light materials the greenhouse is made of (usually clear glass or plastic).

• Provides some pest control for the ‘bad’ garden bugs and animals that tend to eat up your plants or edibles; you can skip the chemical sprays to keep them away.

Types of Greenhouses:

• Hoop Houses

• Cold Frames

• Hot Beds

• Shade Houses

• Coolers

• Growth Chambers

• Germination Chambers

Greenhouse Types and Structures
AGS 250 Horticulture Science
via online at yc.edu

This concludes part one of our WSN blog’s greenhouse series; however, be sure to check back next week for a more in depth look at controlling temperatures, humidity, and more, in your new greenhouse.

Questions or comments? Please contact Whispering Springs Nursery of Jasper, Ga. anytime! Our lovely team will be happy to assist you in any way we can.

It’s the time of year when people start moving outside to enjoy their yards and gardens; and also when they begin watering their plants more frequently due to the warmer weather. Most Georgia counties have posted water restrictions that must be obeyed during this time of year, making some plants not exactly the most viable of options as others may be (especially in the case of a drought). Whispering Springs Nursery has a few ideas to help you conserve water in your Georgia garden and landscape, so check them out below!

Eco-Friendly Garden Ideas

• Go on a Sustainable-Garden Tour- These tours can give you great  ideas about how you may wish to proceed with your eco-friendly green space. (Plus, they’re just fun!)

• Permeable Pavement–  This material is made of concrete that is bound together loosely, so water can penetrate it; this reduces runoff and improves water flow to surrounding plants. Many people use permeable pavers in their garden areas.

• Use Mulch- This helps the covered soil to retain moisture longer than ‘exposed’ soil.

• Create a “Rain Garden”- These gardens are designed in shallowly built areas of the ground (usually depressions are dug in the ground), that capture rainwater running off of roofs and/or pavement. This is a huge helper for stormwater runoff that can overflow local drainage systems and spread pollution into our water systems.

• Plant Native and Drought Resistant Plants- Not all native plants are considered ‘drought resistant,’ however, native plants do tend to do well without extra watering of effort. Drought resistant plants need less water (as the name implies); or plant low water-use trees around your yard as another option.

Species Specific

The following are just a few suggestions of hearty, drought resistant and native plants for your Georgia landscape or garden:

• Annuals: Vinca, Amaranths, Cocks Comb, Gold Button Plant, Petunias, ‘Byron’s Beauty’ (Passiflora), Cosmos, Mexican Sunflower, Moss Verbena, Hybrid Blue Salvia, Zinnias, etc.

• Perennial (Natives): Lilies, Blue Stars, Queen Ann’s Lace, Red Honeysuckle, Yellow Yarrow), Clematis, Pink Sundrops, Blackberry Lily, Asters (native species), Purple Cone Flower, Spiderwort, Woodland Ageratum, Cross Vine and more.

Whispering Springs Nursery of Jasper, Ga. enjoys bringing new ideas to fellow gardeners, but did you know that we also specialize in landscaping services? Softscapes or hardscapes, we do it all! Please contact us today about our landscape design services for your property at 770-893-1254.

There are plenty of ways your garden can save water; a little research can save you a lot of time and money, plus help the environment & give you and your family a beautiful green space to enjoy!

At Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, Georgia, we are always looking for tips to give other gardeners to help them out with their garden plants. One important tip we have to talk about is moisture retention for your plants, which is always important, but especially as the temperature begins to rise and the days become more hot than not!

Moisture Retention

So how can you keep the soil you’ve planted in moist, even during warm weather? The answer is by using mulch. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines mulch as, “a protective covering spread or left on the ground to reduce evaporation, maintain even soil temperature, prevent erosion, control weeds, enrich the soil, or keep fruit clean.” Which is true, because mulch does all of these things! Did you know that soil without mulch can actually lose up to 80% of it’s moisture, but soil with mulch may only lose up to 10%? Crazy!

Types of Mulch

The different types of mulch that gardeners typically use include:

• Pine Straw

• Wood Chips

• Grass Clippings

• Leaves

• Newspapers

The type of mulch you will need depends on the type of plants you are working with. For example, certain plants (like those in your vegetable garden) may need a boost of nitrogen or nutrients from an organic mulch like grass clippings. However, some vegetables and fruits may be better suited with pine straw as a mulch, because they prefer more acid in the soil.

The following infographic from fix.com gives some great examples of what types of mulch to use on your garden plants. Check it out and see what type of mulch could work best for your garden!

If you are a hobby gardener or simply a plant enthusiast, we would love for you to stop by Whispering Springs Nursery for a visit anytime! We would be happy to walk you through our latest spring collection of plants and flowers in the nursery, and answer any questions you may have. You may even want to learn more about our wonderful landscaping design and installation services.  Whatever the reason, we look forward to seeing you soon!

Please Like us on Facebook for more fun updates about us!

Source: Fix.com

Whispering Springs Nursery of Jasper, Ga. wants to help you out this spring (yes, spring is finally here!) by going over your flower bed edging options, especially if you frequently use mulch and have trouble keeping it in place.

Bed Edging Options

• Low Cost:

  • Trenching ($0)- Dig a three to four inch deep trench around the border of the flower bed. The theory here is that the trench will catch mulch before it is blown or washed away in bad weather. This is the cheapest option available, as digging is free; unless of course, you need to buy a lawn tool to dig with!

  • Mulch or Pine Straw Edging ($)- Gardeners who use ‘hearty’ mulch like wood chips and bark nuggets can attempt piling it deeper around the edges of the bed to form a low barrier; the same is true of pinestraw. These mini “walls” can also help prevent the mulch or straw from spreading around your yard. (Pine straw may seem too light for this, however, the needle tend to interlock making it a feasible solution.) Trying this method shouldn’t costs too much more than your usual mulch or pine straw costs, because it doesn’t require much more of the same materials.

• Variable Cost:

  • Landscape Edging ($-$$$)- Many people take the extra plunge with low to high costs, in order to purchase nicely made wood, metal, plastic, or stone edging to help keep mulch in its designated area. These are all great options to use as long as they are several inches higher that the mulch. For example, if you edge a bed with a concrete border, but then fill the bed with mulch up to the top of the concrete border, you shouldn’t be surprised when the mulch still washes out of the bed.

When in Doubt, Call the Experts!

Whispering Springs Nursery has long offered excellent landscape design and installation services to our customers. These services even include softscapes and hardscapes, to make sure you get what your yard needs.

To learn more or to schedule a consultation, please contact Whispering Springs Nursery at 770-893-1254. We look forward to helping you make your specialized landscaping plans this spring!

Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, Georgia offers a wide selection of lovely woodland garden plants that perform well in area of Pickens County and many other surrounding areas. We specialize in a vast array of deer resistant plant materials and offer a large variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and more, that are all of excellent quality and well suited to our area.

Many people who have outdoor gardens have probably run into the problem of animals nibbling here and there on their plants and flowers. While some of these smaller creatures can often be deterred, larger animal like deer, can be a bit more difficult to keep away. The common White-Tailed Deer that is found in Georgia is known for eating just about anything that grows from the ground (grass, clovers, leaves, nuts, etc.); however, certain plants can deter it’s appetite and make it move along quicker. Just remember, if a deer is hungry enough it will still try to eat the following deer resistant plants.

Deer Resistant Plants  

The following is a list of plants noted for being deer resistant that grow in the south:

• Bear’s Breeches

• Butterfly Weed

• Caryopteris

• Chrysanthemum

• Crocosmia

• Dianthus

• Epimedium

• Goldenrod

• Hens and Chicks

• Joe Pye Weed

• New Zealand Flax

• Red-Hot Poker

• Rosemary

• Russian Sage

Whispering Springs Nursery is always here to help guide gardeners in Pickens County and beyond with advice about our plants. If you have any questions about deer resistant plants, please stop by or contact us so we can help!