Heartland Gardening bloggers
(left to right: Michael Leach, Debra Knapke and Teresa Woodard)
Michael Leach, Teresa Woodard, and I were in Indianapolis in 2011 attending a GWA – The Association of Garden Communicators – conference. After a garden writers workshop we went out to dinner. Not an easy thing to do in a city where three other conferences were also in session. Over the second bottle of wine, while waiting for our table, we decided to create a blog together. We not only launched the blog, Heartland Gardening, but developed deep friendships.
In June, 2021, Michael passed, Teresa became more involved with her writing – please look for her book American Roots and her next book, Garden to the Max which will be published in March 2025. And I became involved with projects that focus on care for the Earth and and all who live on it. Teresa and I felt that it was time to let our blog settle into an archive as a beautiful testament to three gardeners who shared their passion for plants, people, and collaboration.
Enjoy.
Designing Edible Landscapes and Gardens – PART 3
By Debra Knapke (Abridged version of an article published in the Perennial Plant, Winter 2013, a publication of the Perennial Plant Association) Plants for the Edible Garden that is in partial sun: Not all of us have full sun (6 + hours) areas for our food gardens. ...
Designing Edible Landscapes and Gardens — Part 2
By Debra Knapke (Abridged version of an article published in the Perennial Plant, Winter 2013, a publication of the Perennial Plant Association) Plant Selection – We often think of this first, but it should come in much...
Gardens to Drive For: Daffodils
Daffodils to fill our hearts By Michael Leach The most dependable and numerous spring-flowering bulbs in my garden are daffodils. Despite planting hundreds, there are never enough. When I see them blossom, how can I not think of the poet Wordsworth, the most...
Designing Edible Landscapes and Gardens — Part I
By Debra Knapke (Abridged version of an article published in the Perennial Plant, Winter 2013, a publication of the Perennial Plant Association) Edibles are everywhere. This “new” garden trend has its roots in the Victory gardens of WWI and WWII. When times get...
Gardens to Drive for: Hellebore Day at Yew Dell
By Michael Leach What long-lived perennial has winter flowers and boasts handsome, evergreen foliage year-round? Hellebores of course. The modern hybrids of the flowers commonly known as Lenten and Christmas roses are...
Trendspotting: Go Green
By Teresa Woodard It’s no blarney. Emerald green is the hot color this spring and not just for St. Patrick’s Day. Pantone, the creative industry’s color authority, has designated this radiant jewel tone as the 2013 color of the year in...
Trendspotting: Patio Fruits
Trendspotting: Patio Fruits By Teresa Woodard Gardeners no longer need an orchard for fruit growing. Rather, they’re growing fruits on patios, balconies, and other small spaces. Thanks to recent introductions in the nursery industry and some ages-old techniques,...
Catch Us If You Can: Home & Garden Show
Michael Leach helps find many of the speakers and programs for the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Stage and the Backyard Patio Stage at the Central Ohio Home & Garden Show. It shouldn't be surprising that the bloggers will be appearing. Teresa...
Favorite Flora: Variegated Solomon’s Seal
Announcing the 2013 Perennial of the Year By Debra Knapke A shady garden: a place where you go on a hot day to settle into cool-ness and calm-ness; a place to catch your breath. This year the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) has chosen one of my favorite...