Shrubbery plays an important role in landscape design. When landscape is properly designed, shrubs can add form to an outdoor space (such as when they function as walls or dividers), or they can be purely ornamental, adding texture and color to the landscaping. Keeping your shrubs pruned properly will help them mature into the superstars of your lawn or garden, so here are some of our top shrub pruning tips to help you trim your shrubs like a pro:

• Buy the Right Tools – Cheap tools will do a poor job. Regardless of whether you’re using a saw, shears, or pruners, you need to get quality tools.
• Prune at the Right Time – Pruning at the wrong time of year may cause your ornamental shrubs to flower less. In general, plants that flower before May should be pruned after they have already bloomed, while summer-flowering plants should be pruned before their spring growth begins.
• Cut to a Bud, Trunk, or Branch – Don’t just make your cuts wherever. If you fail to cut a branch back to either the plant’s trunk, to a bud, or to a lateral branch, you will leave an unsightly stub behind.

Of course, another way you can ensure that your shrubbery, trees, and lawn get expert care and attention is to call the professionals at Whispering Springs! Our North Georgia lawn care services include pruning both shrubs and small trees, along with many other services. Contact us at 770-893-1254 for more information about our lawn care services or landscape design services.

Dress up your porch or patio, add a splash of color to your pool deck, or bring the outdoors into your screened porch with container gardening. The possibilities are endless, whether you want to grow vegetables and herbs, flowers for cutting, or ornamental plants.

These are some of the best plants for container gardening:

• Coral Bells – This beautiful perennial has leaves that range from burgundy to peach and does very well growing in a container.
• Tomatoes – This is a great option if you’re trying to grow something to harvest. Tomatoes require a little larger container than some of the other plants on the list, but there are lots of tomato varieties that do well in containers.
• Nemesia – This plant produces wonderful small, densely spaced flowers that bloom in whites, purples, yellows, and pinks.
• Basil – Basil requires a relatively small amount of space so long as it is properly pruned. Make sure to harvest it regularly to keep it from getting too woody and tree-like.
• Mint – There are tons of mint varieties and they nearly all do well in containers. In fact, mint is so fast growing that it is often considered an invasive species. It’s for that reason that mint should generally only be planted in a container or otherwise secure area.

If you want to beautify your porch, deck, or indoor space with a container garden, our Jasper Georgia nursery is here to help you choose the perfect plants for your home’s growing conditions. And if you’d rather have that plants in your lawn or garden, then we’d also love to help you with all your North Georgia landscape designs needs! Contact us at 770-893-1254 for more information about our landscaping design or nursery services.

When done properly, hardscaping can transform your North Georgia lawn or garden, making it more beautiful and more usable.

What is Hardscaping?

Hardscaping simply refers to the man-made features used in landscape design. These features include things like water features, rock gardens, decks, patios, retaining walls, and walkways.

Why Use Hardscaping?

When properly designed and installed, hardscaping can drastically change and enhance your lawn or garden’s appearance and functionality. Hardscaping can beautify an area and help delineate green space and space for use. Hardscaping is also a great investment as hardscaping materials like concrete and stone rarely need to be replaced and require a relatively small amount of upkeep.

Hardscaping Ideas for Small Yards

Even small yards and gardens can benefit from hardscaping. Here are a few ideas for small areas:

• • Small Patios – A small patio can be the perfect compliment to a small area. If you have enough space for a small cafe table and a chair or two, we can provide a nice spot for you to  enjoy your outdoor space.

• • Retaining Wall or Raised Planters – These hardscaping features add dimension to a space and can help achieve height with plants to create a lush, private feeling.
  • Firepit – There are so many options these days for compact fire pits and fire tables that you can add a cozy winter spot to even a very small yard.

Regardless of your hardscaping needs, Whispering Springs Nursery is the premier North Georgia landscape design and installation specialist. No matter the size of your space, we can help you design the perfect lawn or garden for your family.

One of the best things about visiting a beautiful garden is taking a little inspiration from them to translate into your own home garden. So this National Garden Month, celebrate by visiting one (or more!) of these amazing nearby gardens:

• • Gibbs Gardens – This large garden offers a variety of wonderful experiences including their Japanese Gardens, the Monet Waterlily Gardens, rose gardens, sculpture gardens, and more.

• • Ball Ground Botanical Gardens – This wonderful little garden is located right next to city hall. While it’s smaller than the others on this list, it’s a unique garden that packs quite a punch into a compact area. The bridges and butterfly garden are especially nice touches.

• • Smith-Gilbert – This little Kennesaw gem of a garden features over 3000 different species of plants!
  • Atlanta Botanical Gardens – This one is a little bit a drive, but if you’re willing to go the extra mile we think you’ll be happy you did. The Atlanta Botanical Garden is a huge, 30 acre garden located in the heart of Atlanta. In addition to its many breathtaking floral specimens, their unique Canopy Walk is not to be missed.

Once you’ve gotten a little inspiration, come visit our Jasper Georgia nursery and make all your garden dreams come true! Our expert staff is incredibly knowledgeable and is more than happy to help pick the best plants for your garden. We also offer North Georgia landscape design and installation (including hardscaping and softscaping), so we can help make even the largest garden aspirations a reality.

Spring is here, and that means it’s time to give your garden a little attention. Here are a few spring gardening tips to help determine what plants should be harvested and cycled out and what new plants are in their planting season.

Plants to Harvest in the Spring

Leafy greens, like kale and collards, are hardy plants generally planted in the fall. If they’ve survived our Georgia winter, now is the time to harvest them. Likewise, collards and cabbage are also harvestable now. If you have any root vegetables left in your garden, now is a good time to harvest them too. Alliums, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans, and onions are all having their harvest season right now. If you have many herbs in your garden, go ahead and harvest your parsley, cilantro, chives, mint, thyme, and dill too.

What Plants to Plant in Spring

Now that you have made a little more room in your garden, you should have room to plant some new plants. Right now is a good time squeeze in a second round of turnips, mustard, and radishes. Beets, carrots, various lettuces, peas, Irish potatoes, and spinach will also do well if planted now.

Don’t get overwhelmed trying to plan your garden because our Jasper Georgia nursery is here to help! At Whispering Springs Nursery, we have the perfect plants for your Georgia garden, and one of our specialists can even help you pick the right plants for you based on the season and how much sunlight and rainfall your garden gets. And if you’re looking to beautify your whole yard, we offer North Georgia landscape design and installation too!

Punxsutawney Phil was right – spring has sprung! Flowering trees and shrubs in North Georgia are already showing their colors, and along with the profusion of blooms, we’ll soon be doused in the familiar pollen that accompanies them.

If you haven’t started preparing your garden for spring, now’s the time to grab your spade and get to work! Here are some spring gardening tips to help you prepare for the growing season!

• Get rid of debris – Clean up any dead plants, weeds, leaves, and fallen branches. This is also a good time to prune if any of your perennials have gotten a little out of hand.
• Clean and organize your tools – A little soap and water should take care of most tools, and mineral spirits can be used on wooden handles to help keep them from cracking.
• Refresh your soil – Start by raking and tilling your soil. You will also want to add a little compost or manure to help keep your soil nutrient-rich.
• Make a plan – We can help! Consider what you want out of your garden, from deer-resistant plants to pollinator-friendly blooms, low-maintenance landscaping to show-stopping stunners.

Whatever your garden goals may be, we can help you bring them to life with North Georgia landscape design and maintenance, hardscaping and softscaping, and our amazing Jasper nursery full of woodland-friendly plants that perform well in the low mountain environment of Pickens County. Contact us at 770-893-1254 for more info about our plants and lawn care services!

If you’re considering hiring a commercial landscaping company, you’ve come to the right place! Read on to learn how commercial landscaping can not only take a chore off your to-do list but can also help your business grow.

Make your first impressions count

What does your landscaping say about your business? Lush, tidy, thriving landscaping shows that your business is thriving as well. However, if your landscaping is sloppy, sad, and struggling, potential customers may perceive your business to be that way as well.

Stand out from the competition

Curb appeal isn’t just for selling houses, it can also help you sell your products or services to potential customers! Professional commercial landscaping can attract the attention of passers-by, helping your business to stand out from your neighbors and competitors. Something as simple as a flower bed around your sign can capture attention and get people interested in your business.

Leave it to the experts

People hire you or buy from you because you’re an expert at something. However, no one is an expert in everything! We can help you choose the perfect plants for your business, so you can feel confident that your landscaping will stand the test of time and even grow better with age.

Owning a business means wearing many hats, but sometimes it’s best to delegate certain tasks so you can focus on what you’re passionate about. If you’ve ever considered hiring a commercial landscaping company, get in touch with us to learn more about our services! We have the passion and experience to give your commercial property a great look, whether you need help solving a landscaping problem or just want to add some style to your property.

Summer may be coming to a close, but there is no “off season” concerning yard work. For those who love to get their hands dirty and work in the garden, you’ll love these yard maintenance tips that our team at Whispering Springs Nursery put together for you. Consider the following yard maintenance tips to keep your lawn looking beautiful:

Be Mindful While Mowing

Many people make the mistake of mowing their grass too short. When grass is cut too short, the water that the soil has stored dries up and grass quickly turns brown. When you mow, make sure your lawnmower is set to the highest blade setting, so it leaves plenty of grass.

Keep Your Lawn Hydrated

Due to the summer heat, you’ll want to make sure your grass is well hydrated. However, it’s important to know when and how often to water your lawn. In general, your grass needs roughly one inch of water for optimum growth (yes, rainwater counts!). Water your lawn early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the summer sun from evaporating the water.

Rake When Necessary

When you see leaves and twigs on the ground after a rainstorm, do your best to rake them or remove them as soon as possible. It’s important to keep your lawn free of debris so your grass is not suppressed. Also, this allows the sun to reach the soil and help your lawn grow green and full.

These summer yard maintenance tips may seem overwhelming, but we promise that they will transform your lawn into a beautiful haven. If you want our team to help, we’d be more than happy to! We offer yard maintenance services – from pruning trees to maintaining ponds – the team at Whispering Springs Nursery is here for you. Contact us today with your questions.