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!

Nestled in the small town of Jasper, Whispering Springs Nursery is home to some of the most beautiful greenery and landscape designs in Georgia. But we’re also a great garden center if you prefer to design your own masterpieces! One of our favorite things to watch gardeners design is fairy gardens. There are several different elements associated with these “magical mini-landscapes” that make them perfect for any home! They are visually attractive, creating a small community of plants and pots in your own yard. Beyond that, they are incredibly easy to create and upkeep. One concern that often accompanies gardening is the difficulty to keep it trimmed, tended, and visually attractive. Fairy gardens are a fun project for the whole family, and they’re easy to design and maintain, even for kids!

Are you looking for the perfect gift for Mother’s Day? Something thoughtful and creative that she can keep? Fairy gardens are a great gift for mom, providing a thoughtful gift, a new skill, and an opportunity to spend the weekend together as a family constructing your own magical fairy garden!

The wide selection of options provided by at Whispering Springs makes it’s nearly impossible to create a visual clash. We have endless options of miniature fairy huts, tiny gardening accessories, and small scale plants to complete your fairy garden. You can choose from a variety of designs, colors, and plants that go along with the design of your real life home or garden.

As you continue to search for ideas and ways to revamp your yard and spend time with the whole family, visit to Whispering Springs Nursery. Swing by before Mother’s Day to begin your family fairy garden adventure!

The New Year brings plenty of opportunities for new growth. If you’ve vowed to start fresh this year, you’ve probably already thought about how to spend more time with loved ones, budget better, travel more, or live a healthier lifestyle. But have you thought about making a fresh start in the garden?

7 New Year’s Resolutions for Gardeners

1. I will compost more. Composting helps the environment, reduces the need for fertilizer, gets rid of home waste, and makes plants grow bigger and healthier.
2. I will plant native plants. How do we love native plants? Let us count the ways . . . Native plants enrich the soil, help prevent soil erosion, and help protect bees and other wildlife.
3. I will start a vegetable garden. Food fresh from the garden is just as gratifying as fresh-plucked bouquets. And you don’t even have to wait for spring! Plant a winter vegetable garden with carrots, collards, English peas, Irish potatoes, lettuce, mustard, spinach, turnips, and radishes.
4. I will keep my garden clean. Nobody wants diseases to crop up this spring!
5. I will plan. Haphazard planting is all well and good, but with a little forethought, you can cultivate healthier plants and a more elegant landscape. Group plants by color, texture, and how much sunlight and water they require.
6. I will plant for all seasons, not just spring and summer. Hardscaping is a great way to do this. So is finding plants with strong branches and elegant shapes.
7. I will prune wisely. Now is the time to prune trees and woody shrubs. But remember: you can always prune more, but you can’t put chopped branches back on the tree.

Visit Whispering Springs Nursery for landscaping ideas and gardening supplies in Jasper, GA.