Through the Garden Gate — ‘The neighbors are gonna talk!’ –

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This bottle tree was found in the woods near a gardener’s home in Albemarle County.

Quirky Southern gardeners see wine bottles as multi-purpose construction materials in their gardens.

MeIf you grew up in the South at a certain age, you’re probably familiar with this phrase. Parties, the inability to make decent biscuits, especially the garden and the state of the garden.

Southern gardeners are often strong, quirky individuals with clear ideas about beauty and practicality. But regardless of one’s perspective on aesthetics, Southern gardeners almost always have the ability to grow just about anything, even plants that would not be viable in certain climate zones. They also tend to have a slow, stress-free approach to gardening and some weird ideas.

So… how do you know if you’re a quirky Southern gardener? Here’s the test. Do you like to sit on your porch at night and enjoy the intense scent at 4 o’clock? A tough plant that your great-grandmother probably grew along the edge of your porch or in a circle in your backyard? , do not flower until about 4:00 pm and remain open until early morning the next day. The scent is intensified by the hot, humid air of summer and can be felt at considerable distances from the plant. A love of magnolia fragrance is also important.

Do you secretly love unusual lawn ornaments? Not necessarily gnomes, but repurposed items such as old tires, stumps, discarded toys, ancient farm equipment, and bottles. Especially wine bottles. The quirky Southern gardener’s domain almost always includes bottle trees. Or what Felder Rushing called the quirky gardener of Atlanta a redneck Chihuly sculpture.

It can be constructed of rebar, cleverly arranged with bottle color combinations, gnarled dead wood or just about any bottle a gardener can find. When all else fails, live trees can be decorated with bottles attached with long strings that sway in the breeze to create movement. I also like to

Do you have rows of cluttered plants in recycled containers cluttered in the back of the garage while they wait for their forever home? They believe there will always be someone who craves green enough to be sure they will get it. It’s okay if these plants die off shortly after being handed over to an inexperienced gardener.

Similarly, would you like to participate in a plant swap? Is the idea of ​​getting a new plant for free too much to bear? She left the club when she stopped exchanging. Some Southern gardeners have friendship gardens that contain only plants that have been given or exchanged with friends.

Are you generous with both praise and criticism? Quirky Southern horticulturists have more practical knowledge at their fingertips than most people with a horticultural degree ever had, so if it’s hard to make a relationship with a mere horticulturist They are quick to praise and encourage aspiring novice gardeners.

Do you like plants that others consider weeds? For example, bayberry or dandelion. It might even be poison ivy. Want to secretly plant kudzu in the lattice at the edge of your veranda? Felder Rushing loved what he called “well-placed weeds.” He understood that one person’s weed could be another person’s treasure.

Your garden hose is spread all over the ground with no regard for visitor safety, but are you ready to use it next summer’s dry season? Because you are not obsessed with tending your garden to perfection. The fact that the garden hose is untied means that gardening is an ongoing process and the gardener is preparing for the next crisis. It means that

Finally, do you drive around the countryside, scanning abandoned farmhouses and cemeteries looking for rare plants, especially roses, that need rescuing? Definitely a quirky southern gardener. Your guts and passion for gardening are second to none.

I know my neighbors will come talk to me, but who cares! Southern gardens offer spaces full of character and creativity. Besides, there is a stump that I desperately want to turn into a quirky garden sculpture.

Dr. Cynthia Wood I am a master gardener. Her email Her address is her cynthia.crewe23930@gmail.com.