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  • By Gail Roos: UGA Master Gardener Extension Volunteer-Cherokee County Originally published in Cherokee County Master Gardener Newsletter Volume 12: issue 1 December 2014 Here’s why I love hellebores: they’re evergreen, tough, long-lived, shade-loving, deer and rabbit resistant, and quietly beautiful year-round. Add to that – they start flowering in the dead of winter when our…

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  • By Marcia Winchester Originally Published in the Volume 13 (2006) of the Cherokee County Master Gardeners Newsletter There are quite a few Osmanthus in Michael Dirr’s Manual on Woody Plants. The one that I’m familiar with and in fact fell in love with is O. fragrans or fragrant tea olive. I feel this plant is…

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  • Soil testing is a valuable tool to ensure success in your lawn and garden.  It provides a quick and accurate determination of the pH (acidity) and the level of several plant essential nutrients like: phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and magnessium.  These results will help guide your decisions on plant selection, soil preparation, and fertilization.  These decisions…

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  • Autumn Tree Planting

    The transition of leaf color is full of symbolism and marks an end of the growing season.  While we may associate this time of year with death and an end to the growing season it is actually the best time of year to start trees in our landscape.  When correctly sited and planted a fall…

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  • The transition of fall color in North Georgia is probably the most beautiful time of the year to enjoy the outdoors.  The show is so impressive that I have received calls from people with friends and family from out of state that plan their vacation to be here at the optimum time to enjoy the…

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  • Edible Landscaping

    During a vacation in France last year I had an awakening of sorts in terms of my philosophy on garden design and plant selection.  A number of the gardens and public parks that we visited incorporated vegetables like Swiss chard and kale in with annual flower plantings.  As an avid gardener and even more avid…

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