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Upcoming online talks feature garden celebrities and new garden books

Connie Cottingham • November 13, 2020

I am so excited – feels like I just opened a stack of Christmas presents! While researching garden events this morning, I found a treasure trove of virtual events and ended up registering for six webinars (many with garden celebrities), plus three 2020 coffee table gardening books – all for under $100. Half of the events are free.

This afternoon I will be speaking as part of the Georgia Master Gardener Annual meeting. After that, I am all in for learning from others at this conference and these webinars. You can find all of these and more are on my website calendar ( tinyurl.com/garden-events ), but I am sharing direct links for you below.

First, there are three free webinars in the next three days:

Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m.              The Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival

Monty Don, Britain’s treasured horticulturist, author, and broadcaster, and Sue Stuart–Smith, prominent psychiatrist and psychotherapist, reflect on the life-affirming capacity of gardening and nature to soothe troubled minds in our disturbing world. Part of The Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival.

Sunday, November 15, 2 p.m.

OK, this one is not gardening, but looks interesting: Is it possible that the arts could not only survive, but emerge from the COVID crisis and recent social unrest stronger than before? Cultural leaders from the US and UK re-imagine the future of their art forms.

Monday, November 16, 7 p.m.

The world is getting smaller! With more globalization, more efficient technology, and more people, small is now the big thing. Gardening is following the trend as breeders and plant companies select miniature models of plants and pixies for the patio. But, in an ever-shrinking world, we horticulturists shouldn’t forget the friendly giants of the landscape. Jared Barnes will share perennials that are huge both in size and in personality and show how to incorporate them into gardens both big and small. This free event is a partnership with the Georgia Perennial Plant Association and the Atlanta History Center.

Second, The Garden Conservancy has a Fall 2020 Literary Series that is amazing; we have watched two episodes already. Not only did I just sign up for all three remaining talks, but I am going for the opportunity to get the corresponding book mailed to me a week ahead at an amazing price.

Note from GC: Webinars will be presented via Zoom. Links will be sent to registered attendees on the morning of each webinar. If you cannot join us for the live webinar, we still encourage you to register! A link to a recording of the webinar will be emailed to registrants in the days following the session.

November 19, 2 p.m.     $40 for the book and talk, $15 for just the Zoom talk

Garden Portraits: Experiences of Natural Beauty , a painterly collection of sixteen magnificent and diverse landscapes, is the sixth botanical photography book from Larry Lederman, the photographer of the New York Botanical Garden.

December 3, 2 p.m.        $28 for the book and talk, $15 for just the Zoom talk

Windcliff: A Story of People, Plants, and Gardens  follows the course of Dan Hinkley’s plant-obsessed life as he developed his latest garden on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound in Indianola, WA. As he reflects on his property, he also reflects upon the principles of good horticulture gathered from over five decades of gardening.

December 17, 2 p.m.     $28 for the book and talk, $15 for just the Zoom talk

Chasing Eden: Design Inspiration from the Gardens at Hortulus Farm  (Timber Press, January 2020) is a lavishly illustrated roadmap to creating a personal Eden. Together with his late partner, Jack Staub, Renny Reynolds created Hortulus Farm Garden and nursery, a 100-acre 18th-century farmstead and nursery in the rolling hills of Bucks County, PA. Hortulus Farm is not only a model of classical gardening and design teners, but also a showcase of how traditions can successfully be broken.

You can also stream their summer series of speakers for free.  Thank you, Garden Conservancy!

Third, GardenComm is selling tickets for an on-demand play that you can stream anytime Dec. 3-6.

Betrothal is a 35-minute comedy about two iris growers who meet at a competition under a tent during a rainstorm. Natalie and Joe Carmolli will perform in the play by Lanford Wilson, which will be videoed by Adriana Robinson of Spring Meadow Nursery. Pat Stone, publisher of GreenPrints, will entertain with a musical introduction.

I hope this inspires you. My geeky little heart was racing as I found more and more ways to see gardens and learn about gardening. It felt like presents were dropping from the internet cloud.

OK, my registrations are in, all is on my calendar. Alexa, add popcorn to my shopping list.

A row of cherokee purple tomato plants in pots

Why I would not plant a tomato (or pepper) in March in my NW Arkansas garden.

By Connie Cottingham • March 28, 2025
It is late March in Northwest Arkansas, with temps in the 70s, sunny skies and spring fever hitting hard. Plants are in front of stores and garden centers are buzzing. Everyone wants to plant NOW. Although I have seen many peppers and tomato plants for sale, I would not buy one or plant it in March. As beautiful it is today, next week will have three mornings at 40 degrees or below. Yes, that is above freezing, but many tropical plants will die at higher temperatures. Tomatoes should be planted when evening temperatures reliably stay above 50 degrees. Studies say even if the tomato plant looks OK, growth can be stunted when planted before the soil warms up. Yes, it is hard to resist. Here are a few things to do instead. Watch for Blackberry Winter. It’s a thing – practically every year. When the blackberries bloom in early spring, a late cold snap or a frost hits. The average last frost date in Benton County, AR, is April 19 and my blackberries have not bloomed yet, so there is a good chance April will have some chilly nights. Be a rebel - buy the tomato anyway and plant it. You are not risking your children’s inheritance and getting your hands dirty is therapy, so if you want to do it, do it. The biggest commitment is the space in your garden, which could be producing greens and vegetables in April instead. Plant cooler season vegetables now and harvest those until you plant the tomatoes (and peppers) later. There are radish seeds that can be harvested in only 24 days, baby spinach that can be harvested in 28 days, and lettuce and spinach plants for sale, so you could get a crop in before planting your tomatoes. Win/win. I must admit, when spring fever hits hard I sometimes buy a six-pack of lettuce for instant gratification. Lettuce in greens, burgundies, and with speckles look so pretty in a freshly prepared garden bed. March is a good time to plant potatoes. onions, or fruit plants like strawberries and blueberries. There’s plenty of food crops you can be planting now. Are you upgrading your big pots on the front porch? Move the old containers to a sunny side yard and plant potatoes, strawberries, or herbs in them. Use this time to build raised planting beds and enrich your soil.

Helleborus and Eudora Welty’s House & Garden

By Connie Cottingham • March 24, 2025
Jackson, Mississippi

Fennel: Food, Foliage and Butterflies

By Connie Cottingham • March 10, 2025
I recently picked up a couple of fennel bulbs in the grocery store—not quite sure what I would do with them, but completely enchanted by the idea of trying something new. Honestly, this isn’t unusual for me. I often shop in garden centers the same way—choosing things that delight me without a clear plan in mind. Cooking with Fennel Fennel seems to be more common in European kitchens than in the United States. In her Around My French Table cookbook, Dorie Greenspan suggests adding a fennel bulb, cut into strips, while sautéing onions in her leek and potato soup recipe. Her approach is genius: leave the vegetables in the broth, so every serving feels fresh. It can be enjoyed as-is, pureed and served cold as vichyssoise, pureed into a creamy soup, or topped with croutons. This variety keeps leftovers exciting rather than repetitive. While I’ve grown fennel before, it’s always been for my beloved swallowtail butterflies rather than the kitchen. That alone makes fennel a worthwhile addition to the garden. But I’ve since learned its foliage can be used in salads, as a garnish, or even in flower arrangements. Growing Fennel in the Garden Fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare ) is a tender perennial and a member of the parsley family. To grow it successfully, plant seeds in succession during spring and fall, as fennel tends to bolt in summer heat. When thinning seedlings, don’t let the pulled plants go to waste—they’re excellent in sandwiches and salads. Fennel’s versatility extends to ornamental gardening, too. Consider planting it in a flower border where its feathery foliage, especially the bronze fennel, provides striking contrast among flowers and shrubs. Some sources report that fennel doesn’t always play well with other vegetables and can cross-pollinate with dill, so plan your garden layout accordingly. If you’re not growing fennel for seeds, pinch off the blooms to encourage larger bulbs and prevent self-sowing. The blooms themselves make a delightful garnish. For Butterflies and You Whether you grow fennel for its fine-textured foliage, culinary uses, or to host swallowtail butterflies, every reason to add it to your garden is a good one. Swallowtail caterpillars devour a lot of foliage to transform into butterflies, so planting multiple fennel plants is a must if you want to share with them. Bronze fennel, with its deep-hued leaves, makes a particularly striking addition to the garden.
A bottle of eau de toilette sits on a bathroom counter

Love, Kent Beauty

By Connie Cottingham • February 25, 2025
I know Connie has sung my praises many times, but just look at me. I was put in this vase a few months ago; the water is long gone. Outside, dried, brown, perennial seedheads are feeding the birds. Azalea flower buds are capped with snow. I am in the warm house, pretty in pink, a reminder for Connie to buy more Ornamental Oregano ( Origanum ‘Kent Beauty’ ) in spring, because I am: A beautiful dried flower, Fun to add to a flower arrangement. My thin stems fit in even tiny bottles and drape over the sides of bigger containers, A thick, weed choking, low perennial, Good for containers, Able to take full sun (I was cut from a plant that drapes over the street curb), Deer resistant, and Very pollinator friendly. Give me full sun and good drainage and I will give so much back. If you are looking for an herb to cook with, plant a culinary Oregano for better flavor. I can’t do everything!  Love, Kent Beauty
A thank you letter to anna may with a picture of an older woman

Thank You, Anna Mae

By Connie Cottingham • February 25, 2025
I stumbled upon these pages in an old cookbook, and they instantly took me back to a cherished memory. Have you ever driven by Searles Prairie on the corner of Hudson Road and Dixieland Road in Rogers? This little patch of nature holds a special story—one that I’m grateful to share. Years ago, while participating in the same garden club as Anna Mae Searles, she welcomed me into her home and shared her plans to safeguard her land. With a quiet determination, she was preparing to grant a conservation easement to the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. Her passion was evident when she explained that the prairie was home to “prairie pimples” (yes, it’s a thing—look it up!)—quirky natural formations that make the land uniquely beautiful. Anna Mae couldn’t stand the idea of her beloved prairie being bulldozed for development. Every time I pass by that spot, I feel a surge of gratitude for Anna Mae’s foresight and dedication. In 1988, she took a stand, protecting a rare piece of land. According to a 2012 article in the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, this land is “10 acres of wild grasses and wildflowers in Rogers that is believed to be the last tract of virgin prairie in the region. Virgin as in prairie that has never been plowed. That makes Searles Prairie unique.” The article also said Anna Mae had been offered half a million dollars for the land but her vision was for it to be preserved and used as a teaching tool. This piece of land holds even deeper meaning for me. My mother’s last apartment had a balcony that overlooked this natural haven, and those views are a cherished memory. So, yes, thank you Anna Mae.

The Rose On My Doorstep

By Connie Cottingham • December 16, 2024
My first Black Friday purchase was an order of four roses from Heirloom Roses, which arrived on my doorstep this week. I ordered two ‘Belinda’s Dream’ roses, one of the most carefree everblooming roses to grow, for two planting beds I am creating in my back yard now.

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By Connie Cottingham • January 7, 2024
2023 was my first full year in my new home and my kitchen garden on the west side. This is a sketch of my garden plan, with the beds and posts built as my fence was being installed. Overall, I am thrilled with the design and decision. I thought I would share some of the […]

Stunning, dark leaves on Eclipse® Bigleaf Hydrangea

By Connie Cottingham • January 5, 2024
I met First Editions® Eclipse® Bigleaf Hydrangea when Bailey Nurseries hosted a tour and evening at their headquarters in St. Paul, MN, during the 2023 GardenComm (garden communicators) conference. I had never toured a growing location at that scale before. Each attendee was given an Eclipse® Bigleaf Hydrangea to take home and trial. But I also was able to […]

How to shop a plant sale. This works for buying plants at local nurseries too.

By Connie Cottingham • April 25, 2023
With a little thought and preparation you will come home with the best plants for your garden. 1. Know where you need plants. This helps you target one area of a sale instead of distracted wandering (blooming plants are like puppy videos – totally hijacking your focus). 2. Research the plant sale. Some sales post […]

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