After the especially cold winter and finicky spring temperatures, we’re ready to grow! Growing a vegetable garden can make even the most patient of people get frustrated with how long things can take to mature, so we’ve got some tips on how you can speed up the process! Even here at Whispering Springs Nursery, when we are ready to grow, we’re ready to grow!

Plant Fast Growing Varieties

Rather than planting veggies that you know take a long time to harvest, mix them in with other options that mature quickly! Arugula takes only 25 days to grow to maturity and mustard greens typically only take 30 days. Rather than waiting almost 90 days for your tomato plants to produce, cultivate the Glacier tomato which will bear fruit in a short 55 days.

Grow Your Own Seedlings

Rather than waiting until the last frost has passed to plant your seeds outdoors, start them inside. This will give you an almost 12 week head start on the growing season. To do this, you’ll need fresh seeds, small containers that are about 2.5″ deep with plenty of drainage holes, and an appropriate seed starting growing medium.

Ready to Try Gardening for Yourself?

Gardening doesn’t have to take up a whole lot of space. Many of our clients will plant on their back porches to keep their tender veggies out of harms way (read: deer). Square foot gardening is a great way to maximize space and get the most out of a raised garden bed with limited size.

Come on by Whispering Springs Nursery today and see what we have in store for you. From beautiful bushes, trees, and hardscape to the perfect spring perennials to add a splash of color to your front lawn we have it all here in Jasper, GA. 

So, we’re going to have a little talk here about the birds and the bees. Believe it or not, if you build an herb garden and it’s not doing well, it’s somewhat because of the lack of bees.Whispering Springs Nursery has tips for you on what you need to do to make your garden more inviting for bees.

The key is making sure that you planted an option that will always provide enough nectar. These top six herbs will make sure that you have something delicious to cook with, and that you are inviting bees into your herb garden to pollinate and help the plants grow!

1. Lavender – It smells great, looks great, and can be used for a wide variety of things. Plant it as a ground cover for a large area.
2. Mint – This herb will not only invite bees, but deter moths that would otherwise feast on sweet leaves of your herb plants.
3. Rosemary – Rosemary grows early, which makes a great early source for nectar for bees.
4. Thyme -Thyme’s fragrance attracts bees and butterflies.
5. Sage – A great bee attractant.
6. Myrtle – This is a great herb that is not only functional, but beautiful. Plant it near the back of your herb garden as it grows rather tall and will add a new height dimension to your garden.

What else will you have growing in your herb garden this spring? Come by Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA and we’ll help you fill a container with herbs that are not only beautiful, but fragrant and delicious!

Img via Flickr. 

One of our specialties here at Whispering Springs Nursery is helping our customers fill up whatever containers they bring us with a beautiful, growing flower arrangement. We love seeing all of the different creative containers that our customers come up with that always make unique planters. To inspire you, here are ten out of the box ideas for where you can find a container for your next flower garden. 

1. Garden Tools – Watering cans, wheel barrows, old boots, etc.
2. Vertical Gardens – Think, up! Vertical gardening is extremely popular right now.
3. Kitchen Tools – Remember that pan you just burnt beyond belief last weekend? Rather than wasting any more elbow grease trying to get it clean, give up the fight and use them as a quirky planter.
4. Reuse Old Cans – Whether you were a junk collector or if you are just of the era to have decorative cans sitting around, they make perfect little planters. Whether you are growing succulents or you are trying to force a bulb, the old time tins were absolutely beautiful.
5. Wall Planters – If you have a large bare wall somewhere outdoors, this is the perfect solution. Simply hang the wall planter on the wall and you have a beautiful piece that is not only meaningful but memorable.

Img vir Flickr.

It’s the perfect time of year to encourage your kids to get out from in front of the TV screens, iPads, iPhones, and whatever other “i-Technology” they have in their hands, and get outside! Teaching your kids to garden has many benefits. Here are 3 great reasons to take your kids outdoors with you today. 

1. Health

Not only is it obviously more healthy to be outside moving around, gardening and playing, but gardening has other benefits. Give your kids the opportunity to grow their own food and they’ll want to eat what they’ve worked so hard to grow. This is a great way to get more vegetables into their diet!

2. Environmental Awareness

Gardening gives you a unique appreciation for the earth and the beautiful landscape that surrounds us. Connecting kids to nature will make them more aware of their surroundings and how important it is to protect nature through appropriate gardening practices and other responsible lifestyle habits such as recycling.

3. Education

This is probably one of the last things that comes to mind when you are thinking about getting your kids involved in gardening, but it’s true! Gardeners need to understand science, math, nutrition, health, and more. Gardening is a great way for your kids to see principles in play that they’ve learned in school at work right in front of them in their garden.

So, this weekend, bring your kids with you to Whispering Springs Nursery and pick out the next flowers you want to plant. We look forward to hearing about how much your youngest green thumb loves gardening!

Img via Flickr. 

With spring here, it’s time for readying your garden for the spring blooms. Many of you will have damaged plants from our harsh Georgia winter, but before you get frustrated and give up on them completely, here are some tips to help you boost your spring gardening plans from Whispering Springs Nursery. 

1. Put the Clippers Away

Before you break out your clippers and try to cut off every ounce of dead branches and leaves from your shrubs, wait! If those shrubs are showing any green leaves or signs of growth, give them a few more weeks. Temperatures are still up and down here in Georgia, so those shrubs might just need a few more weeks before they are ready to come back.

2. Fertilize and Feed

Give your plants the nutrients they need to take off and grow when the time comes. Go ahead and apply an all around fertilizer to all of your bushes and shrubs.

3. Accept the Facts

Some of your shrubs, you simply aren’t going to be able to save. More delicate shrubs such as gardenias probably aren’t going to come back after the harsh winter storms. Go ahead, yank them out, and come by Whispering Springs Nursery this week to pick up replacement gardenias or another more cold hardy shrub for your Jasper, GA landscape! 

Img via Flickr. 

Around Bent Tree and Big Canoe, people have an appreciation for the natural beauty of our surrounding landscape. We often work with clients that rather than changing the landscape around their home, simply want to add to its beauty with woodland landscaping techniques. One of our favorite ways to do this is by planting gardens of low maintenance flowers. The flowers we suggest are suited to our Georgia climates and will grow wild with little to no maintenance. These are Whispering Spring Nursery’s top picks for flowers to grow in Jasper, GA: 

• Obedient Plant
• Iris
• Canna
• Lilyturf
• Southern Shield Fern
• Black Eyed Susan
• Cast Iron Plant
• Phlox

Any of these flowers will make great additions to your garden. Although, if you historically have a problem with the deer feeding on your landscape, these might not be the best options. Instead, choose flowers that are deer resistant. (No plant can be called “deer proof.”) Or, come by our nursery today and talk to us about creating a landscape design for you that enhances your natural surroundings, but will not become dinner for your deer the day after it’s installed.

Whispering Springs Nursery specializes in deer resistant gardens, custom carpentry, water features, landscape design, landscape maintenance, as well as providing beautiful flowers, trees, and shrubs to our clients at our garden center in Jasper, Ga. Come by and see us today!

Img via Flickr.

It’s springtime here in the north Georgia mountains – finally! You are probably looking forward to spending time out in your garden curating your beautiful flowers, or simply sitting on your patio enjoying the great outdoors over a tall glass of sweet iced tea. Warm days and cool evenings make the perfect recipe for a wonderful, bug-free evening outdoors. To get your patio ready for spring, Whispering Springs Nursery offers 5 great ideas. 

1. Grow  a Tower Garden

While you’re busy preparing dinner for your outdoor table, don’t worry about the salad. All you have to do is bring out the bowls and let the guests pick their own ingredients off of your Tower Garden full of fresh veggies! 

2. Fill Your Planters

Planters full of vibrant blooms create an elegant atmosphere and add natural beauty to your sitting space, while inherently deterring the deer population from munching on your favorite plants. 

3. Build a Pergola

Make your outdoor sitting space comfortable day or night and build a pergola that will be the structure for a vine of confederate jasmine to grow and cast shade over your late afternoon retreat.

4. Create Seating Space

Whether you want to opt for store bought patio furniture, a custom bench, or building your own outdoor furniture, make sure that your guest have plenty of space to rest from a long day.

5. Keep the Bugs Away

Citronella candles do wonders for deterring unwanted flying guests at your dinner table. Simply light and place in the area where you’ll be spending your time. The scent and smoke helps keep bugs at bay.

Every landscape has a low spot or two. An area where the sun just never seems to shine, the ground is always wet, and nothing will seem to grow. This is quite common around the Big Canoe area, as most people have heavily wooded landscapes which leads to shady flower beds. Rather than leaving that corner of your yard to become your dog’s mud pit, Whispering Springs Nursery offers three alternatives for taking that corner of your yard from a “before” to an “after.”

Lay a Stone Patio

A great option to make a corner of your yard that was once useless, functional! It not only increases the visual appeal to your landscape, but also increases your livable space. Large, flat rocks look the best for Jasper, GA homes – they appear natural and blend into the beauty of nature’s landscape. You can fill in the spaces in between the rocks with either a grout/concrete mix, or with your favorite ground covers.

Shade Loving Ground Covers

This is one of your cheapest options for turning that ugly corner into a beautiful piece of property. Simply choose a ground cover that is deer-resistant, and plant away! You don’t have to pay for any construction expenses, and you still have a beautiful result.

Install a Pond

Rather than trying to fight to keep the moisture away from that low spot in your landscape, just give in and create a small pond or waterfall.

We look forward to hearing from you, and helping you create the landscape of your dreams!

March means that springtime is finally here! With warmer weather right around the corner, now is the time to start checking things off of your gardening todo list, so that when it comes time to plant, you can enjoy creating a beautiful landscape. Whispering Springs Nursery can help you get your Big Canoe landscape ready for spring.

• Get your vegetable seeds started in indoors. Start them now and they will be ready to set outdoors in April.
• Cut back and fertilize your roses now to promote a flush of growth. Remove dead canes, and cane that rub. You can cut back knockout roses severely, and as long as they are properly fertilized, they will grow back with a vigor and full of blooms later this spring.
• To encourage fruit production on your blueberry bushes, fertilize them with cotton seed meal.
• Clean up all of your fountains, ponds, decks, and fences. Now is a great time to call in a pressure washing company to spray away any built up mildew. You’ll also have the opportunity to inspect and replace wood rot, as needed.

Do you want to create a beautiful landscape, in less than half the time and effort? Whispering Springs Nursery offers landscape maintenance, landscape design, and installation services for customers in the surrounding areas of Big Canoe and Jasper, GA. Call today for a quote for your dream yard!

The winter has been harsh to us here in Georgia this year. With two snow storms and many nights well below freezing, we’ve had to deal with canceled school days, hours stuck in traffic, and damage to homes and cars. Your landscape is also taking a heavy beating this winter. Many people want to know if their plants are dead or damaged, and whether or not they should go ahead and removed their damaged areas. Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA has got some advice on how to deal with your cold damaged plants. 

Are They Alive?

It’s easy to tell if a plant is alive or dead. Simply try to bend one of its branches and if it bends easily – it’s alive – if it snaps easily – it’s probably dead. You can also scratch of a small area of the outer skin of the plant. If you can see a thin film of green underneath, your plant is thriving despite the weather.

To Prune or Not to Prune

Don’t prune just yet. Hopefully, your plants will shed their fried leaves and grow a full flush of greenery in the spring. Or, your plant might suffer either partial or full dieback. There’s no way to really know until the plant starts growing again this spring at which point you should prune away all of the damages areas.

Don’t worry too much – even if you have to prune your favorite bushes to the ground, if they were large plants they will have large root systems and they will grow back quickly. If you need help or advice on how to revive your landscape after the winter storms, just give us a call here at Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA!