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.
Book Notes: Home Orchard Handbook
The Home Orchard Handbook: A Complete Guide to Growing Your Own Fruit Trees Anywhere by Cem Akin and Leah Rottke, 2011, Quarry Books, Quayside Publishing Group. Retail: $24.95 Reviewed by Debra Knapke Harvesting the fruit that you grew is an extremely satisfying...
Garden Happenings: Home & Garden Shows
By Teresa Woodard Hold your breath. Make a wish. Count to three, and enter a world of pure imagination at an upcoming home and garden show. Over the next eight weeks, Midwestern expo centers will be transformed into blooming gardens filled with a bounty of...
Trendspotting: Indy readies for Super Bowl XLVI
Congratulations Indianapolis, host to the Super Bowl XLVI! We Heartland Gardeners discovered this super city in August when we toured gardens at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, community gardens and other sites while attending the Garden Writers Association...
Snapshots: Revised Zones for Midwest
By Michael Leach Baby it's cold outside -- but not as cold as it used to be. At least that's the impression from the just-released Plant Hardiness Zone Map from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. This map shows the lowest temperatures likely during the winter and helps...
Snapshots: Tumbleweeds and Art
By Teresa Woodard Tumbleweeds are rolling into the Columbus Museum of Art. I first spotted a beach ball-sized one juxtaposed beneath a large pop art piece by Roy Lichtenstein. Another rested below a gold-framed...
Good Eats: Apple Cranberry Muffins
By Debra Knapke Winter is a time for comfort food, sustaining us in this dark and cold season. This harkens back to the time when we worked outside and needed substantial meals to keep hale and hearty. While our need for lots of calories in the winter has decreased,...
Snapshots: Country Gardens Turns 20
Happy 20th anniversary to Country Gardens magazine! The recent anniversary issue features six stories with Midwestern ties, including a daffodil garden in Granville, Ohio; a garden retreat in Adel, Iowa; and the Better, Homes & Gardens Test Garden in Des Moines,...
Garden Happenings: 2 Big Trade Shows
By Teresa Woodard Gain a sneak peak at 2012’s newest plants and gardening trends at two of the horticulture industry’s upcoming trade shows – the Mid-Am Horticultural Trade Show at Chicago’s Navy Pier (Jan. 18-20) and the CENTS Show (Jan. 22-25) at the Greater...
The Dirt on Roots: Lesson 2
By Michael Leach Unseen legions of microscopic helpers make gardens grow as much as an army of horticulturists -- but they rarely get credit. They live in a world populated with as many varieties of life forms as the ocean, maybe more. And like the ocean, the sun only...