Gardens

Nothing says spring in Atlanta quite like azaleas. The fragrant blooms, ranging in color from white to pink to fiery orange, first appear in early March, transforming the Southern landscape into a blaze of color. For Atlanta gardeners, the burst of azalea blooms can seem all too quick, leaving behind a humdrum bush of green leaves. But with some thoughtful planting, it’s possible to enjoy azaleas all the way into deep summer.

From Virginia-Highland, Brookhaven, and West Paces Ferry, these three garden styles are bound to give you some inspiration for your backyard.

For Anne Knutson, the highest praise arrived in a snarky blog post loaded with backhanded compliments. Her next-door neighbor, designer Sherry Hart, took mock aim at Knutson in her popular blog, Design Indulgence, after Knutson invited her to stop by and see the results of the prolonged landscaping activity Hart had been hearing through the bushes.

Marigolds are a good pick for Georgia’s spring and summer. If the plant is destined for a pot, pick a short variety. Otherwise, pick any variety. They come in orange and yellow, from big and puffy to tiny and dainty.

Chip and Janice Wilmot walk through their Lilburn garden, which spans across all sides of their house, pointing out more than 30 different edible varieties: pineapple guava, figs, bee balm, lemon balm, lemon thyme, alpine strawberries, blueberries. The list goes on.

Winter has driven most plants to death or dormancy, but no Deep South freeze is bad enough to kill mint, the kudzu of herbs—and the gardening slack season is as good a time as any to start growing.

As Georgia’s weather starts its spring ascent toward another sweltering summer, it’s time to plant ginger. Here's how to grow it so that it'll be ready for fall pie season.

Gardens can get a bad rap in late summer—with wilting flowers and fewer blooms than in spring—but interior designer and author James Farmer added architecture and heat-tolerant plants so that his backyard excels even in August.

The amaryllis plant has a superpower: In just a few weeks in a tiny pot of dirt, this giant onion-looking thing sprouts a giant trumpet-shaped flower—in winter.

When Laura Gaby wants to take a mental health day (or hour), she need only step into her wooded backyard. There, her glass garden house serves as a year-round retreat for reading, napping, and enjoying nature.