Atlanta and Southeast Gardening
Discover the joys of gardening
Subscribe to my blog for updates on the gardening scene in Atlanta and the Southeast. Check out the events calendar for the region's only curated calendar of sales, shows, workshops and other garden events.
My latest blog: Welcome to my new site
My website recently came up for renewal. It turned out that I had to renew the site on an AI platform. I have spent a month or so figuring out how to do that. Truth is, I'm still figuring it out! Nonetheless, the new site has launched, and I am introducing it to you here. My latest blog explains how the site will affect you in the way you will receive alerts to new blog links and new and expanded content I've added to the site. One thing that will not change. My blogs will continue to be just that. My blogs. AI offered to write them for me. I politlely declined!
Read the story
Blooming now in my garden
Meet Gemini. It is a hybrid tea rose that is popular with rose growers, including those who grow roses for exhibition. In 2000 it won the All American Rose Selection (AARS) award. Before the award was discontinued in 2013 (and started again under a new name in 2016), it was considered the rose industry's seal of approval for new roses. Only about 4 percent of roses ever tested recieved the prestigious AARS honor. The plant grows to about 4-6 feet tall and the flower is lightly fragrant, Whether you are growing for the exhibit table or for your own enjoyment, Gemini is a worthy addition to the garden. You likely won't find it at retail garden centers. Look for it at Roses Unlimited or Jackson & Perkins
In progress: A children's picture book
I am seeking a literary agent for a children's picture book I have written about the monarch butterfly. I have a completed draft that has received a very positive professional review. While I have an extensive journalism background, I have found that becoming a debut children's book author is a big hill to climb. One step at a time ...
Gardens, Nature and the environment
What I'm reading, plus magazine articles I've written you might enjoy
Islands in a Common Sea
Jenny Jefferies
A fascinating new book featuring stories of farming, fishing and food from around the world — 25 next-generation farmers and fishermen linked by a universal quest to feed a hungry world.
Lightning bugs
Tom Oder
A feature story in Georgia Magazine about Lightning bugs — those magical summer insects that light up the night in gardens across the South.
Atlanta Botanical Garden turns 50
Tom Oder
A feature story in Georgia Magazine celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Atlanta Botanical Garden — one of the South's most beloved horticultural treasures.
Monarchs' magnetic sense
Dec. 23, 2025
A New York Times story exploring the remarkable science behind how monarch butterflies use a magnetic sense to navigate their extraordinary annual migration.
Plant sales, shows, workshops & more in atlanta and the southeast
Garden events calendar
Listings are free! Use the button to the right to provide information about your event.
DSGA Daylily Show & Plant Sale
The Daylily Society of Greater Atlanta holds its annual daylily show alongside a public plant sale. Daylilies for sale are donations from member gardens. For more information, visit http://www.atlantadaylily.org/plant-sales.html
Southeast Plant Show
A showcase of plants from across the Southeast, featuring vendors, exhibits, and plant enthusiasts from around the region. For more information, visit https://www.southeastplantshow.com
Cullowhee Native Plant Conference
An annual gathering celebrating native plants of the Southeast, featuring workshops, field trips, and presentations by leading horticulturists and conservationists. For more information, visit https://www.wcu.edu/engage/professional-enrichment/conferences-and-community-classes/the-cullowhee-native-plant-conference/index.aspx
Edible Fall Container Gardens
Learn how to grow a variety of edible plants in containers for the fall season. Participants will take home a grow bag and 3–5 plants to get their fall garden started. For more information and to register, visit https://www.active.com/alpharetta-ga/gardening/classes/edible-fall-container-gardens-2026
Great Southeast Pollinator Census
A citizen science event inviting gardeners and nature lovers across the Southeast to count and record pollinators in their gardens and green spaces. For more information, visit https://gsepc.org/
Birmingham Botanical Gardens Fall Plant Sale
The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens' annual Fall Plant Sale features a diverse selection of perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, herbs, and vegetables selected for the region. Members enjoy early access and a gift plant. For more information, visit https://bbgardens.org/plant-sales/
Coastal WildScapes Fall Native Plant Sale
A fall native plant sale featuring vendors from across the coastal Georgia and South Carolina region, including pre-sale options from multiple nurseries. For more information, visit https://www.coastalwildscapes.org/Native-Plant-Sources
Chattahoochee Nature Center Native Plant Sale
Over 100 varieties of native plants that attract butterflies, pollinators, birds, and more. Herbs and veggie seedlings also available. Free admission, rain or shine. Plants $5–$35; CNC members receive a discount. For more information, visit https://chattnaturecenter.org/events/members-only-plant-sale-2/
DSGA Booth at Duluth Fall Festival
The Daylily Society of Greater Atlanta will have a booth at the Duluth Fall Festival, offering daylilies from member gardens for sale. For more information, visit http://www.atlantadaylily.org/plant-sales.html
American Rose Society Convention and Show
The annual American Rose Society national convention and show, bringing together rose enthusiasts from across the country for exhibits, education, and celebration. For more information, visit https://medleyofroses.org
Midlands Fall Plant & Flower Festival
Celebrate the season at the South Carolina State Farmers Market with a wide selection of fall plants, flowers, pumpkins, seasonal décor, and handcrafted items from local vendors. Certified SC Grown produce available. Master Gardeners on hand to answer fall planting questions. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit https://www.lakemurraycountry.com/event/midlands-fall-plant-flower-festival/2026-10-09/
Georgia Mountain Fall Festival
Two great weekends at the historic Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds featuring first-class music performances, arts & crafts, carnival rides, Pioneer Village, and a glimpse into North Georgia's rich history and culture. For more information, visit https://georgiamountainfairgrounds.com/localevents/fallfest
Blue Oak's Fall For Natives Plant Sale
Join Blue Oak Horticulture and a community of native plant enthusiasts for a fall native plant festival and sale. Local native plant growers open their fields for this event. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/894176399964651/
FallFest at Atlanta Botanical Garden, Gainesville
Celebrate the beginning of Scarecrows in the Gainesville Garden with this family-friendly fall event featuring live music, food, activities, performances, a Plant Doctor table, mini-market, and crafts. 2026 date TBA. For more information, visit https://atlantabg.org/calendar/fallfest/
Spring Starts in the Fall: Bulb Gardening
A free hands-on class hosted by Cherokee County Master Gardeners covering bulb selection for the Georgia climate, lasagna bulb planting, soil preparation, and planting depths and spacing. Held outdoors at the BAES Garden at Veterans Park. Registration required. For more information and to register, visit https://cherokeemastergardeners.com/event/spring-starts-in-the-fall-bulb-gardening/
Alabama Plant Show
The Alabama Plant Show in Huntsville, featuring plant vendors, exhibits, and enthusiasts from across the region.
Invited to Taiwan twice as an international journalist by the government of the Republic of China to write about Taiwan's signature agricultural export, the Phalaenopsis orchid.
Won the Chicago Horticultural Society Medal at a Southeastern Flower Show for organizing a greenhouse exhibit about orchids and their light requirements.
Served on the boards of two plant societies, the steering committee of a native plant conference and as the president of the Atlanta Orchid Society.
Awarded the Bill Farley Service Award by the Atlanta Orchid Society.
Founded and edited an international orchid journal, Phalaenopsis, for the International Phalaenopsis Alliance.
Awarded the American Orchid Society Affiliated Societies Award for dedication to excellence at the recommendation of the Atlanta Orchid Society.
Get in Touch
Contact me
Questions, comments and inquiries from editors and literary agents welcome.