Cottage Garden Party

Observances of life in the garden at The Cottage.

Mahogany Splender Hibiscus, The Chinese Kitchen Garden, My Corner Attic, Homestead, and the Philadelphia Flower Show...all on my mind today.

Honoring the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. Also appreciating the Coral Drift Rose's in my garden. A must have for small space gardens.

Life is a brief as the bloom of the daylilly. Brief reflections in the morning...

I have been vacant in this space for a reason. There are only so many hours in the day and realistically, working full-time, gardening, speaking, as well as engaging in the community does make a difference in downtime. I am taking a measured approach to being in the garden as well as sharing the garden. I hope that you stay tuned for the adventures to come - they are worth it - I PROMISE. We will begin to focus on people, places, and plants to keep the interest going.I hope you continue to join me. There will also be small group workshops - stay tuned. The silence has been for a reason! Stay tuned the best is yet to come. I want to say THANK YOU for being patient and continuing to follow me: Https://www.cottageinthecourt.com...Instagram and Twitter: @cottageincourt...Facebook: CottageInTheCourt, and sometimes on Medium: Cottage In The Court Please subscribe to Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts or Pandora Podcasts - if you would like to stay in the know. Dance in the garden and celebrate as if no one is watching!

Gina Lett Shrewsbury is one of the featured profiles in Black Flora. As I spoke with Gina for the book, she shared more than just information about her and her business. Ginas introduced me to Black Girl Florists. Sharing what it means to be featured in a long-overdue book, Gina also shared a few pointers for those who just might be interested in the industry. To find out about Inspirations by Gina, click here To find out about Black Girls Florist, click here. The poem on Spring by heartoftheclass.com   To find out more about The Great Grow Along, click here We are Shuffling to the 2022 Buffalo Garden Walk. Yep - if you are in the DMV - Meet me in Buffalo where we will join Mrs. Know It All and experience this once-a-year event. We are working with Sally Cunningham (A fellow GardenComm and experienced Garden Walk Tour Director) to bring you an A+ Garden Experience. In fact, Sally co-authored a book entitled Buffalo Style Gardens. This book features inspirational ideas for gardens big and small. Buff

Transplanting can be harder than we think. When to do it, how to do it, and why. Mrs. Know It All is here to inform us of a few things to be mindful of as we prepare for seedling transplanting. Mrs.Know It All is a much-loved part of a Sunday morning radio show in Zone 6, The Organic Gardener on Radio.com from 7 - 8:00 am. Her Facebook page, Mrs.Know It All is another popular place to find her and her opinions on all things gardening and a few recipes as well. Click here or here for more details. We are Shuffling to the 2022 Buffalo Garden Walk. Yep - if you are in the DMV - Meet me in Buffalo where we will join Mrs. Know It All and experience this once-a-year event. We are working with Sally Cunningham (A fellow GardenComm and experienced Garden Walk Tour Director) to bring you an A+ Garden Experience. In fact, Sally co-authored a book entitled Buffalo Style Gardens. This book features inspirational ideas for gardens big and small. Buffalo is a city that is considered an urban setting. The yards vary fr

There is an organization specifically focused on Black women who are in floristry. It provides space to grow their businesses, increase their skill set, and collaborate. Black Girl Florists, founded by Valerie Crisostomo, is based in Atlanta. The Board of Directors has members from around the country. This year, Black Girl Florists is hosting its first conference. March 25 - 27th the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel will provide a place for anyone who loves flowers and is interested in supporting Black women in floristry. Black Flora has arrived. This book means so much to me. Long overdue, the complied stories of choices made, healing, and simply pivoting in place is a gift to my community. Seeing others who look like you and are enjoying what they do can be quite meaningful. As the journey continues, I have found many other Black entrepreneurs that are floral farmers, florists, events specialists, and more. It is not hard to take the additional step and seek out a small Black flower farmer and support them. Tak

Here we are again...wondering what can we plant now, expert tips and a trip. All that and more in this episode with Mrs. Know It All. Mrs.Know It All is a much-loved part of a Sunday morning radio show in Zone 6, The Organic Gardener on Radio.com from 7 - 8:00 am. Her Facebook page, Mrs.Know It All is another popular place to find her and her opinions on all things gardening and a few recipes as well. Click here or here for more details.  The Urban Garden - 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine is available for pre-order on Amazon AND arriving in stores (or your mailbox any day now!). Kathy and I collaborated on ideas and concepts that we have encountered in our combined years of gardening in urban environments. You can order this book from most independent booksellers. Click here to order on Amazon. Black Flora is a book written from my heart. This book features profiles of Black flower farmers, growers, stylists, an

Two women yearning to do something different, more fulfilling, and something to connect them with the earth. When horticulture calls, the opportunity to bloom is just what happens along the way. Here is the link. Prepare to sit back and enjoy! Black Flora is also available on bloomimprint.com, Amazon, and Target. Can't find it in your local garden center or botanic garden, ask them to order it! This book is truly a labor of love and the opportunity to see the talent of a few African Americans in the wonderful world of floristry. The Urban Garden - 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine is available for pre-order on Amazon. The excitement is the fuel that keeps me going...and playing in the garden once again.  In the meantime...I am still in the middle of a rebrand/facelift. Stay Tuned the best is yet to come. I want to say THANK YOU for being patient and continuing to follow me: Https://www.cottageinthecourt.com...Instagram and

It is time for seeds and Mrs. Know It All shares some experiences as a small grower and trial judge of AAS Seeds. Enjoy this conversation on what are AA Select seeds and more.  Mrs.Know It All is a much-loved part of a Sunday morning radio show in Zone 6, The Organic Gardener on Radio.com from 7 - 8:00 am. Her Facebook page, Mrs.Know It All is another popular place to find her and her opinions on all things gardening and a few recipes as well. Click here or here for more details. Look for her information about seeds and how much you will really need - it will save you some money! This week's seeds of wisdom are from the book, The Gardener Says by Nina Pick. The words were by Anne Wareham. My first book, The Urban Garden - 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine is available for pre-order on Amazon. My second book, Black Flora is also available for pre-order on Amazon. The excitement is the fuel that keeps me going...and playing in the

When Black women gather, there is bound to be some fun and giggles. With Abra Lee, there is a bond that allows us to know we are doing what we do for a reason. As we unearth some lesser-known horticultural truths as it pertains to African Americans in horticulture, we are essentially sowing seeds to educate and inspire. Horticulture is a field that we know and it offers endless opportunities for anyone - even minority youth - to excel. As I always say, #wegrowmorethancollards and we really do. You can find out more about Abra by clicking here. While we look forward to her book, we know that being a full-time caretaker for her mom is her priority at the moment. Stay tuned for details on the first Ethel Day celebration on April 21. It will be an online Symposium and we cannot say THANK YIU enough to the Morris Arboretum and to one of my favorite places, Chanticleer - A Pleasure Garden.  My first book, The Urban Garden - 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz,

Mrs. Know it all is sharing some words of wisdom about snow. Wisdom about what we need to know when it comes to trees, shrubs, and flowers in our garden is important. Also a hint of our surprise "potential" adventure to see gardens this summer...stay tuned! Mrs.Know It All is a much-loved part of a Sunday morning radio show in Zone 6, The Organic Gardener on Radio.com from 7 - 8:00 am. Her Facebook page, Mrs.Know It All is another popular place to find her and her opinions on all things gardening and a few recipes as well. Click here or here for more details. My first book, The Urban Garden - 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine is available for pre-order on Amazon. My second book, Black Flora is available for pre-0order on Amazon. The excitement is the fuel that keeps me going...and playing in the garden once again. In the meantime...I am in the middle of a rebrand/facelift. Stay Tuned the best is yet to come. I want to say T

As garden communicators, we meet a lot of like-minded people along the way. Some of those very people often are on a similar road and it takes reaching out to know that you are not alone. It has been like that for Mary Kate and myself. Co-authoring a book and have to buckle down and make it happen. The book, The Healthy Garden - Simple Steps for a Greener World by Kathleen Brenzel and Mary Kate Mackey shares diverse perspectives of how we can enhance how we garden. Mary-Kate is originally from the Mid-Atlantic, however, she now resides in Oregon and she writes for Hartley Botanic.   Her column - Rooting for You - covers many topics from roses to extreme container gardening and more. In the meantime...I am in the middle of a rebrand/facelift. Stay Tuned the best is yet to come. I want to say THANK YOU for being patient and continuing to follow me: Https://www.cottageinthecourt.com...Instagram and Twitter: @cottageincourt...Facebook: CottageInTheCourt, and sometimes on Medium: Cottage In The Court Please s

In my last segment of 2021, Mrs.Know It All shared a few tips on recycling holiday greenery and exploring what is new for the garden in 2022. Mrs.Know It All is a much-loved part of a Sunday morning radio show in Zone 6, The Organic Gardener on Radio.com from 7 - 8:00 am. Her Facebook page, Mrs.Know It All is another popular place to find her and her opinions on all things gardening and a few recipes as well. Click here or here for more details. My first book, The Urban Garden - 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine is available for pre-order on Amazon. My second book, Black Flora is almost finished. The excitement is the fuel that keeps me going...and playing in the garden once again. In the meantime...I am in the middle of a rebrand/facelift. Stay Tuned the best is yet to come. I want to say THANK YOU for being patient and continuing to follow me: Https://www.cottageinthecourt.com...Instagram and Twitter: @cottageincourt...Fa

Big Dreams, Small Gardens was her first book and it simply offered practical tips on how to reconsider the garden. Now she has written her second book, Tropical Plants and How to Love Them,  this time focusing on tropical plants. Meet Marianne Wilburn, The Small Town Gardener. Her latest book is one that will get you through the winter doldrums and dream about tropical plants...or even a trip across the pond. You can find out more on Marianne by clicking here My first book, The Urban Garden - 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine is available for pre-order on Amazon. My second book, Black Flora is almost finished. The excitement is the fuel that keeps me going...and playing in the garden once again. In the meantime...I am in the middle of a rebrand/facelift. Stay Tuned the best is yet to come. I want to say THANK YOU for being patient and continuing to follow me: Https://www.cottageinthecourt.com...Instagram and Twitter: @

Selecting trees for decorating the inside of the home at this time of year can be daunting. Mrs. Know It All has a few tips to share before you go tree shopping. Check out Mrs.Know It All on her Facebook page. She is on the radio bi-weekly on The Organic Gardener on Radio.com from 7 -8 on Sunday mornings.  The poem, Dust of Snow, by Robert Frost was found o poetryfondation.com. I love poetry, don't you? Thank you for being there and being patient with me. The first book, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine, and I were working on is available for pre-order on Amazon. The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty In the City is due March 2022. It is a dream come true to say I am an author...now to finish the second book. In the meantime... I want to say THANK YOU for being patient and continuing to follow me: Https://www.cottageinthecourt.com...Instagram and Twitter: @cottageincourt...Facebook: CottageInTheCourt, and sometimes on Medium: Cottage In The Court Plea

Need a reason to laugh? Might I suggest reading the work of an author by the name of Carol J. Michel? A fellow garden writer with a mid-western sense of humor that allows one to think all while giggling as you realize it simply makes sense. You can find other wonderful books by Carol on her website, https://caroljmichel.com/. As Carol promised, a copy of The Christmas Cottontail arrived in the mail and I cannot wait to read it to listeners everywhere! Stay tuned!! In the meantime, practice saying Thank you to those who have sown seeds of joy as you continue on your garden journey. Encouraging reconnecting with the earth is a beautiful act of kindness. It is one of the best gifts to share with someone who is simply thinking about gardening as a hobby or even a profession. Thank you for continuing to follow me - even after a hiatus as I wrote two books in 2021. Available for preorder now is The Urban Garden - 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City. A collaboration between myself and Kathy Jentz where we s

It has been quite the year. Writing a book -two books - was a lot harder than I thought. However, as I finish my second book, I would be remiss to not say Thank you for the opportunities. Thank you Quarto Books for supporting a book written by Kathy Jentz and myself. Our book is, The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty In The City. This book shares our experiences and ideas about making the most of your garden.  You can pre-order this book for gifting, as it is not available until Spring 2022.  My second book, Black Flora, will also be available in the Spring of 2022. It will introduce you to people who share their passion for flowers from growers to floral designers...and they just happen to be Black. I found such joy in meeting the unknown and well-known members of the flower-loving family that know the meaning of having flowers in your world. More about that later. Today I am simply Thankful and wanted to share my joy, as I return to the airways! Happy Thanksgiving!

We Sow We Grow Summit is a labor of love and community building by Natasha Nichols. You can find her on all of the social media platforms as We Sow We Grow and she can be found by clicking here. Chicago is Blessed to have Natasha building her community and providing food so that others can not just feed their bellies, but also their minds. Thank you for being there and being patient with me. The first book, a collaborative effort with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine, and I were working on is available for pre-order on Amazon. The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty In the City is due March 2022. It is a dream come true to say I am an author...now to finish the second book. This is a collaborative project with Kathy Jentz, Washington Gardener Magazine. We have had an awesome time sharing what we have learned over the years about food and beauty in the City. #wewrotethisbook In the meantime... I want to say THANK YOU for being patient and continuing to follow me: Https://www.cottageinthecou