March 2025—Bee Better Naturally—Outbuildings and What's in Bloom and Berry!

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. Helen Yoest with her Pepper dog, working on her new book by a fire!

I grew up in southeast Virginia and visited Williamsburg every few years. While there, I admired the historic homes, many of which had multiple outbuildings. One common outbuilding was a kitchen because kitchens often caught fire. Typically, there were separate structures for barns, smokehouses, tool sheds, and chicken coops. These structures were built for practical purposes rather than decorative or purely for leisure. The outbuildings in my garden are a little of both.

OUTBUILDINGS 

The Gazebo—Built in 2002

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. The gazebo in the Bee Better Teaching Garden

Photo Credit: Liz Condo

I'm a fan of Raleigh's Flea Market, now called the Raleigh Market. I purchased my gazebo from the Flea Market in 2002. It's a metal six-sided structure with three arched entryways and windows. A few years after I installed it, I decided it needed a roof. I learned of a guy at Campbell Road Nursery who made tall obelisks and wondered if building a roof for the Gazebo was something he could do. I tracked him down. His obelisks were triangular-shaped, and so was the roof frame. He agreed to make it and did a fantastic job.

The Garden House—Built in 2005

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. . Garden House and Pepper

I had to wait before adding the garden house since the kids used the space for their swing set. My kids really liked hanging out there, and David liked pushing the kids on the swings. I knew I would have a garden house, though. I was dreaming big, so I bided my time. 

Raleigh once had the coolest garden stuff store, Market Imports. A few years before the kids outgrew the swing set, I began searching for a garden house; I needed to see what might be available. I found the perfect one at Market Imports. There were two of them, one on display and the other stacked on the top of a tall shelf.

When I was finally ready for the structure, I returned to Market Imports, hoping that one would still be available. The displayed structure had sold, but the stacked one was still on the top shelf, so I purchased it. 

The garden house came in six pieces—four sides, solid at 1/3 at the bottom with window openings and two open roof sections. I installed it myself by propping one side and then another so I could align the screw holes, and then, using zip ties as placeholders, I had four walls standing. Then, I did the same for the roof. It took a minute to screw all the pieces together, mainly because the holes didn't line up well. A couple of years later, I added a tin roof. A couple more years later, I had Plexiglas panels made for the windows. The garden house was affectionally known as the Love Shack since its roof had the effect of a "tin roof, rusted," like in the B-52s’ song "Love Shack." 

Sadly, in 2023, Market Imports closed due to rising rents. Logan's Trading Center took over the space and will open on March 15th.

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. The Coop

The Chicken Coop—Built in 2010

The coop was another outbuilding I had to wait for, and for good reason. When it was time for my mom to go into assisted care living, I brought her down from Virginia to a Raleigh facility. I told her about my plans to have chickens sometime during her six-year stay. At that time, I had three young children and working full time, and my mom asked, "Can that wait? Don't you have enough to do?" Out of respect for my Mom, I waited. So happy I did! Although she would have loved holding a bitty (baby chick.)

I designed the coop to match the garden house and had a friend make it. He has long since passed away. Since 2010, my girls (the hens) have gifted me with fresh eggs daily. After keeping chickens all these years, I learned they require little attention from me, certainly compared to the half-acre garden. By the way, I'm a lifelong egg eater with excellent cholesterol levels!

The Chicken Run—Built in 2012

I waited two years to build the girls' run. This time, the delay was my own making. The design works great, but it doesn’t look very good. I did a crappy job. 

The run couldn't be attached to the coop directly because the coop has covered storage on the back side and needs wheeled access—the lawnmower and the like. I needed to find a way to move the chickens from the coop in the morning to the run and back again in the afternoon. So, I came up with a tunnel design. I surprised everyone—those doubters who didn't think my girls would use the tunnel. They do. I installed a programmable Pullet Shut Automatic Chicken Door, is a godsend for daily chores. I'll redo the run one day so it doesn't look amateurish. My dear friend Joanne thinks it looks fine.

Photo Credit: Liz Condo.. The Mixed Border

Photo Credit: Liz Condo.. The Bulb River Bed.

Some of what’s in bloom in the Bee Better Naturally Garden, Raleigh, NC

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. Rock Garden Iris reticulated

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. Southside” Cronas mas finishing flowering

Photo Credit: Liz Condo.. Southside, Pyracantha coccinea

Photo Credit: Liz Condo.. Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. Celandine Poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’

Photo Credit: Helen Yoest. Dwarf patio peach, Prunus persica 'Bonfire'

Photo Credit: Starflower, Ipheion uniflorum

Photo Credit: Helen Yoest. Mixed Border, Grecian Windflower Anemone blanda 'Blue Shades

Rock Garden. Lesser celedine, Ranunculus ficaria 'Brazen Hussy'

Photo Credit: Helen Yoest. Rock Garden, Nananthus vittatus

Until soon,

Naturally, Helen Yoest

February 2025—Birds, Bees, Butterflies—Are You Ready?

Photo credit: Liz Condo. Oakleaf hydrangea,Hydrangea quercifolia, with green obelisk.

The longer days bring renewed activity in the garden. I can hear the excitement in bird songs and the tremble of the Earth as the spring ephemerals start to push through the soil. Soon, all my wildlife friends will be looking for nesting sites, food, water, and shelter. My garden is ready to welcome these beloved birds, bees, and butterflies.

Photo Credit: Liz Condo, A male bluebird surveying his territory.

Meeting the needs for the birds, bees, and butterflies is my way of life—a life that brings me joy beyond measure. While my wildlife habitat may seem extreme to some, it is just right for me and friends.

A wildlife habitat for birds can start simply with a birdbath, adding a nesting box (bird house), and having a diversity of plants for food and shelter. With these elements, you are providing a habitat with food, water, shelter, and a place to raise their young—the formula for a wildlife habitat.

In my garden, I do so much more than the minimum needed. It took years to be where I am today, but it all started with a humble birdbath. Having lived and worked in this garden since 1997, I’ve added nesting needs over the years, including leaving natural sites, such as snags, logs, and stick piles so the critters can next in or quickly escape predators.

Beyond providing the basics for sheltering needs;, I have also added various structures to the garden made by me, my friends, and even had structures implemented as Eagle Scouts when I still had the nonprofit, Bee Better Naturally.  I still have Bee Better Naturally with Helen Yoest, but I no longer run it as a non-profit.

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. Three-tiered metal fountain found at the Raleigh Flea Market

The Fountain

The fountain went in first, around 25 years ago. As a friend of flea markets, I brought home a three-tiered beauty. Each piece was a different color, so it was clearly not an original set but came together well. I dug a 72” diameter hole in the ground, 18” deep, then added a hard plastic reservoir and painted the three individual pieces black. Once I had it leveled, I tweaked the flow further with pennies, the ideal material for leveling. The sound of running water attracts birds. Did you know that cardinals are likelier to visit a watering hole with the sound of moving water than a standard still-water birdbath? Cardinals are attracted to the movement of water. Other birds are as well.

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. The frog pond with surrounding flowering hellebores.

Frog Pond

Water is a very important part of having a wildlife habitat. I wanted to attract frogs while I have a running water fountain and birdbaths. It was not my best project design since I did it willy-nilly and spontaneously. The pond was squeezed between a crape myrtle and part of the boxwood hedge. Crape myrtles are known for sending up sprouts where roots were cut. I have stayed vigilant in removing these sprouts so they don’t take over. Another faux pas was I dug all the available space with no room to add rock edging. Instead, I added plants. That worked in softening the edges, but it took a while to fill in. Now, it’s presentable. The frogs never minded; they were present within a day or two of adding water. David added a little solar panel to feed a submerged pump in the pond to keep mosquitoes from breeding if the frogs weren’t doing their job. The sound is soothing. Did you know mosquitoes won’t breed in moving water?

Photo credit: Liz Condo. The bee ball made by my glass blowing friend, Barbara Sanderson, owner of GlassGardens.ca.

A Bee Ball

A simple addition to a birdbath is a bee ball, a glass ball with nubs designed to allow bees access to the water without slipping in. My fabulous glassblowing artist friend, Barbara Sanderson, from Canada, made the bee ball through her company, GlassGardens.ca

Photo credit: Liz Condo. The perfect bluebird habitat—food, cover, a place to nest, and water near by.

The Bluebird House with Mealworm Bell Feeder

Bluebirds are frequent year-round visitors in my Raleigh garden; I put out mealworms for these blue-feathered friends daily. Each year, I have at least two broods from one nesting pair and one brood from the other. The bluebirds know there will be food to feed their broods, so they stick around. Soon, the males will scout around for suitable nesting sites.

Photo credit: Liz Condo. Chimney Swift Tower, a bird house for one nest bird annually.

Chimney Swift Tower

When I had my nonprofit, prospective Eagle Scouts looked to me for projects. I obliged. To help the decreasing number of chimney swifts, Chaetura pelagica, I suggested nesting tower project, Nicolas received his Eagle Scout because of it. The chimney swift tower is a site for one nesting pair. Each year since 2019, I’ve had a nesting pair. It may not seem like much, but I feel I’m doing my part for swift conservation.

Photo Credit: Liz Condo, The Air Bee ‘N Bee.

Air Bee N Bee

I was approached by another young prospective Eagle Scout, Leo. He worked with his team to design, build, and gather materials for a nesting site for native bees—mason and leafcutter bees. It works like a charm.

Photo credit: Liz Condo

Bug Bungalow

Before I had the Air Bee & Bee, I had (and still have) the Bug Bungalow. It’s a metal hexagon with hexagon-shaped divisions within it., Nicholas,. I found it as part of a display at Garden Supply Company in Apex, NC, in the section where Keith, the owner, sold bee-keeping supplies.

A few compartments are filled with sections of bamboo, 6 inches long with a 5/16th diameter, that aid in nesting for the mason and leafcutter bees. I filled other compartments with various natural materials such as pinecones to provide small, protected spaces between their scales, acting as a natural shelter for beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and other small critters to hide, nest, and overwinter. Bark pieces, bamboo straws,, and terracotta shards also provide shelter.

Photo credit: Liz Condo

Mud Station

Mud is vital for the female mason bee to seal off her nesting site. Like those in the mason trade, who build with concrete, bricks, stone, and other materials, the mason bee uses mud with a high content of clay. Since I have built up my soil over the years with mulch, most of my garden has friable soil, so I added mud stations.

Photo Credit: Liz Condo

Chrysalis House

Photo Credit: Liz Condo Pipevine Swallowtail chrysalis—overwintering in Raleigh.

Since I first saw the chrysalis house in the JC Raulston Arboretum butterfly display garden in 2005, I’ve pined for one. Finally in 2024, I asked my friend Mark Boone, who hoards scrap wood and such, and who can build anything, if he would build a chrysalis house for me. Mark visited the JC Raulston Arboretum to see what a chrysalis house was. He built it, but I had a heavy price to pay: agreeing to be the program chair for the Gardeners of Wake County for 2025/2026. It’s not too bad, really; I already have the speakers lined up for 2025.

Photo credit: Juli Leonard

Photo Credit: Liz Condo. A log for wildlife

Snags and Logs

Nationwide, dead trees provide vital habitats for more than 1,000 wildlife species. For wildlife, every part of a dead tree offers benefits in all stages of decay.

I hope you will join me when I write about the garden’s other structures next month.

Naturally,

Helen Yoest

January 2025. Sunrise in the Garden—Finding Peace

Morning light with me and my Pepper girl! Photo Credit: Liz Condo

The garden becomes visible at sunrise on the first day of the new year; the time is 7:25. For my taste, January hosts too many cold, short, and dark days. I don’t tend to find relief until the 20th day sunrise.

I venture outside, still toasty from my bed, coffee in hand. I’m wrapped in wool to stay warm while sitting on the daybed nestled on the back covered porch, Pepper by my side.

My day is greeted with bird sightings and song—the American robin, bluebirds, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina chickadee, Carolina wren, dark-eyed junco, woodpeckers—downy, red-bellied, and yellow-bellied sap sucker. Also in my hearing range is the golden-crowned kinglet, house finch, Northern cardinal, ruby-crowned kinglet, white-throated sparrow, and the yellow-rump warbler.

With a soft breeze blowing, I raise my face towards the sky, and my smile widens, welcoming my morning.

The Girl’s run. Photo Credit: Liz Condo

Glancing to my left, I see my “girls” are down from their roost, having yet to venture into the run. We recently had a hawk penetrate the run, taking the life of one of my girls. As I sit quietly, I’m waiting for their cackling, otherwise known as clucking or a squawking sound, to signify one has laid an egg, half of my daily breakfast. Another cackling sound soon follows, then another.

Edgeworthia. Photo Credit: Liz Condo

Glancing to my right, I see the edgeworthia has lost its leaves, but flower buds hang ready to delight me with early spring fragrance, and it is just steps away from the porch. The fig in my line of sight, Ficus carica ‘Brown Turkey’, is bare, pruned, and prepared to serve me well in the summer. Several other figs cannot be seen from where I sit. I like figs.

There’s more in the garden, but these sights capture my attention today.

Moving Forward by Tinka Jordy. Photo credit Liz Condo

It’s Wednesday. It’s time to move forward. I look straight ahead to the mixed border and find a sculpture by Tinka Jordy called Moving Forward. She reminds me I need to make something of my day. But before I ready myself, I stop to watch the squirrel trying to reach the suet feeder and then admire the evergreen plants that, in part, make up the mixed border.

While the January mixed border is considered bare by summer standards, what remains in winter offers texture through colorful ground covers, flowering shrubs, and fruit-bearing trees. Oak leaves I collected from the curb warmly dress the bed adding additional texture, food, and protection for wildlife.

GROUND COVERS

There are evergreen ground covers like bugleweed, Ajuga reptans, creeping strawberry, Rubus rolfei, and crinkle root, Cardamine diphylla.

Recently, I added a low-growing juniper, Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana' from Campbell Road Nursery to the border, which adds an interesting sculptural form and softens the edge of the retaining wall.

Arborvitae ferns, Selaginella braunii, which is neither an arborvitae nor a fern, makes a good evergreen plant with an interesting texture.

Coral bells Heuchera × villosa ‘Carnival Peach Parfait’ and ‘Caramel’, which the rabbits love to nibble on, offer a soothing color other than green.

Parts of the border are also covered with the evergreen Solomon’s seal, Disporopsis pernyi, common ginger, Zingiber officinale, and white wood aster, Eurybia divaricata.

SHRUBS

In the fall of 2023, I added several evergreen shrubs to the mixed border for structure, including three yellow anises, Illicium parviflorum ‘Florida Sunshine’, introduced by Tony Avent with Plant Delights Nursery. ‘Florida Sunshine’ brightens a part sun/shade landscape, and it’s carefree.

I also added a winter Daphne, Daphne odora, three ‘Swing Low' distylium, Distylium ‘PIIDIST-VI’ PP29,779, and an abelia, Abelia × ‘Frosty’. I considered ‘Rose Creek’ but I ruled it out since I manage the size of plants and placement in the mixed border and felt it wouldn’t fit.

The border structure was enhanced with two good viburnums, ‘Moonlit Glow’ and ‘Raulston Hardy’. These shrubs joined the existing arborvitae Thuja applicate ‘Whipcord’, which must have taken years to form as a standard; ‘Whipcord’ made its home in the border 2015, already in its desired form.

DECIDUOUS FRUIT TREES

1-10-25 A rare snowy day in Raleigh. Sadly, I missed the event since I was at the COTtAGE at Emerald Isle beginning my next book; David sent this photo . Our pomegranate tree (see fruit) and two of the three ‘Florida Sunshine’ anise.

The pomegranate tree, Punica granatum, is still full of fruit, which provides beauty and food for the wildlife after my family has had our fill. Unlike the sweet cherry tree, Prunus avium ‘Stella’, which has never provided my family with fruit. After 15 years in place, it’s likely the tree’s location doesn’t provide what the cherry needs. Perhaps not enough light, although it gets six hours of sunlight a day.

No accident the Bird on a Fence Post by Marina Bosetti complements the oakleaf hydrangea’s winter color.

One of my favorite parts of this bed was a gift from my husband, David—big boulder steps to take me from the lower to the upper garden, installed by Phil Hathcock of Natural Stone Sculptures.

***

At the end of my day, I return to the covered porch, exhausted but already looking forward to tomorrow.

In the evening, the night lighting shows the way until 9 pm. I have it set to turn off as I rest for the evening and for darkness for the night-visiting wildlife.

Steps and boulders by Phil Hathcock.

Naturally, Helen

To read more of Helen’s writings:

BOOKS

Beginner’s Guide to Garden Planning and Design: 50 Simple Gardening Ideas for Adding Style & Personality to your Outdoor Space, Sustainable Gardening, Using Containers, and More

Plants With Benefits: An Uninhibited Guide to the Aphrodisiac Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & Veggies in Your Garden

Good Berry Bad Berry: Who’s Edible, Who’s Toxic, and How to Tell the Difference

Gardening With Confidence: 50 Ways to Add Style for Personal Creativity—Out of Print

Edible Gardening in Small Places

MAGAZINES

Our State Magazine

Triangle Gardener

Walter Magazine

Sorry, there are no links for the following.

American Gardener

Better Homes & Gardens

Country Gardens

Martha Stewart Living

Perennial Magazine

Southern Living

BLOGS/ONLINE

Fine Gardening

Garden Rant

Houzz.com

Moss and Stone Gardens

2024 December—ANNOUNCEMENT--Bee Better Naturally with Helen Yoest

Hemingway’s typewriter was photographed while visiting Cuba with the JC Raulston Arboretum. In earnest, I’m not suggesting I’m of the same caliber as Earnest Hemingway, but I promise not to be as wordy!

Starting in January, I will change my blog to be more prose. As you know, I’m a garden writer, but I rarely write about my garden. I will post on the 15th of each month since I want to be more within the month, and I’m looking for a pro photographer to take about five pictures each month to represent the monthly posts. I hope you will follow me along.

This is not meant to be political, but half the US is in mourning; I hope I can bring tenderness to us as a whole…

Until soon,

Helen

#WeCanAllBeeBetter!

Leave the Leaves, Bee Better Naturally's Take

This the time of year we hear a lot about the campaign, #LeaveTheLeaves. Here is my take

The Nationwide campaign to #LeaveTheLeaves isn’t for every garden. It works well in the forest, though. The campaign is ideal for natural areas, not our cultivated lawns and gardens. 

Fallen leaves can provide food, shelter, and bedding for a variety of wildlife, offering an ecosystem to a host of living creatures, including chipmunks, earthworms, caterpillars, and thousands of species of insects. Without a layer of leaves, there’s little habitat for critters who need this type of ecosystem, and you’ll see fewer birds, which forage in the leaves for food. And as the leaves break down, the organic matter helps feed the soil. But if the leaves are mulched too thickly and matted down, it can smother your lawn and harm your cultivated garden.

In addition to the benefits above, fallen leaves feed a vast number of microbes in the soil, which are the most critical crop you can grow, considering that all plant life in your garden depends on healthy soil biology.

Some Triangle neighborhoods drop a tremendous amount of leaves, with leaves falling from October through December or longer. Removing falling leaves is essential for maintaining a lush lawn; too many leaves can quickly harm a lawn if allowed to sit on the turf. The grass will suffer from the weight of leaves, especially wet leaves, and the lack of sunlight impeding photosynthesis. Also, it’s imperative not to let the leaves or mulch sit right up against trees, shrubs, and perennials; this becomes a pathway for insects, rodents, and diseases. 

Many will tell you to rake the leaves on the lawn and let the mower chop them before putting them back in the garden bed or storing them; this helps break down leaves faster, but I can’t help but think that we are also chopping up all the wildlife in those leaves. Yet, I still think it is a good idea; at least you are getting the benefits of a ready mulch and the remaining wildlife food.

There are several approaches to managing your fallen leaves. Here are some recommendations for lawns and cultivated beds. 

LAWNS

If you like to rake leaves, you’re in luck! For everyone else, mow them instead.

1. If you have grass, mow your lawn using a mulching blade weekly. Let the chopped clippings stay on the grass. What remains is valuable organic matter that will quickly break down, providing nutrients to your lawn.

2. In the weeks when the leaves are too abundant, mow with the mulching blade on the highest setting and then again at a lower setting. Continue to mow until all of the leaves are off of your trees. And it’s best to mow when the leaves are dry. Don’t let the rain turn them to mush. 

3. To save for later use, pile captured clippings in a discrete area to create a cold compost pile; no turning is necessary. Compost is black gold for gardens. Your chopped leaves should be ready to spread around the garden by next spring. Along the same lines, store chopped leaves in plastic bags or cans for later use. This method makes the contained mulch easier to maneuver.

4. If you have acreage and a forest, remove them to the forest edge—not your garden beds. 

GARDEN BEDS

Make no mistake, those leaves can be good for your garden. But be smart. We like a dusting of snow, right?  But when 12 inches are predicted, we are paralyzed. So true with too many leaves blown on your cultivated garden beds! 

1. If you bagged your lawn/leaf clippings and want to use them as mulch in your garden beds later, they can be added to garden beds once the initial clippings break down. Once chopped, they will break down quickly.

2. Carefully rake or blow leaves out of your cultivated beds to the lawn. Mow and replace them up to two-three inches. Don’t place clippings right up against plants.

3. In the Bee Better Naturally Teaching Garden, we have only a few trees that work as mulch, and I need more to meet my standard each fall. I drive around and pick up other people’s leaves to nourish my garden. Crazy, right? What’s important to know is that I designed the garden to support this type of nourishment.

So what are we to do? Be smart; you don’t have to use every leaf on your property. Just like you wouldn’t add four- to six- inches of another mulch, the same is true for whole or chopped leaves. Don’t feel guilty about bagging some or most of your leaves for pick up at the Wake County Yard Waste Center. If you are not in the county, removing to the forest edge, composting, or bagging for later use. 

When used in moderation, fallen leaves offer several benefits—bedding for wildlife, food, and fertilizing the soil as they break down. As with everything, moderation is key!

2024 August Bee Better Naturally with Helen Yoest

How I became a sustainable gardening advocate!

My friend Roger Montague’s garden. My new book discusses the placement of arbors. Here’s an excerpt from my new book:
”Arbors have the ability to set mood. Romantic, rustic, formal, Asian, European, or cottage—an arbor knows no architectural boundaries. The connection between house and garden is extended when the style of the arbor matches the home. Repeating interesting architectural details found on the house, such as a porch railing pattern, gable pitch, color, or even a pattern found in the window mullions, will help add continuity between the house and the garden.”

My new book was released July 18th.

AUGUST

I'm glad July is behind me. The first half was brute, but the rains returned.

I’m often accused of renovating my garden every year. In truth, it’s every five years. This is not a bad idea. I recommend reevaluating your garden every five years for upgrades and even downgrades. As we age, we may not want as much garden maintenance, or you may want to try something new to replace something that never panned out as hoped. Take the hellebores around the Soccer Field out back, for example. They are all gone, and I couldn’t be happier. As I mentioned last month, they always needed maintenance—cutting off ratty leaves, cutting back foliage around Christmas so the flowers would show better, and then cutting off the flower heads once seedheads form so I don’t have even more plants to worry about. I thought of them as high-maintenance filler. See below in Back 40 (ft.) I‘m thrilled about what I did as a replacement.

A crape myrtle was removed from the Front Entrance Garden last year. I left the bed area just as it was. Why, I’ll never know. The area is so visible that I can’t imagine why I didn’t give it more love. Now, I will turn it into a perennial flower garden. I still have the stump to deal with. See below in the Entrance Garden.

It’s that time of year again! It's time to design and begin filling the bed for the NC State Fair! See below in the State Fair Educational Garden. This year’s theme will be adding garden seating, with an excerpt from my latest book. Planning and Designing Your Garden will be shared.

Outdoor seating can be a cheerful, inviting touch that also provides functionality. A bench like my friend’s, for example, becomes a focal point that adds to the home’s curb appeal, makes for a handy place to gather goods, and of course, is a place to sit a spell, either coming or going. When a table and chairs are a part of your garden décor, you can take advantage of outdoor seating by dining al fresco. In general, seating outside can be placed anywhere a respite might be welcome. With the right consideration, you can plan places to sit in your garden that will both look attractive and serve as a place where you will be able to sit and admire the view.

Another area I reworked was the Garden House. The entrance to the House wasn’t symmetrical, and only a few slate pieces acted as steps. I made more of a landing. As my crazy need for symmetry goes, the edging on one side of the house was longer than the other. With an angle grinder, I made both sides even.

The Back 40 (ft)—-This was one area I didn’t need to do much with. The watering had to be kept for the new plantings I planted after the pine trees were taken down. Around July 11th, we started getting good rain. It was welcomed! The area I call the soccer field edges up against the Back 40, and the Mixed Border had an area. This is the area where I took out the hellebores. Before Genya’s 60th birthday party, hosted in the garden, I took out a patch of Petasites japonicus. Hallejuhla!

The Gazebo Corner—Still looking good even without the flowers. The area behind the Gazebor Corner had pokeweed popping up. I hand-pulled it and racked the area so it didn’t look messy.

The Epimedium Patch—I still have rabbits nibble one of my five, but leave the rest alone!

The Mixed Border, South to North—This border did well despite the drought. I didn’t need to water it, but I was going to the next day, and rain arrived overnight.

Spring Ephemeral Patch, formally The Wildflower Patch—I’m refocusing this area off the back patio. While I referred to the wildflower patch, it’s about spring ephemerals. Same with the extension.

The Ostrich Fern Garden—The drought took its toll on the bed. It’s in an Oasis Zone, so I could have watered it but chose not to. I’m hoping for a recovery once the rain returns.

The Front Fountain Garden—I haven’t groomed this area yet. Hopefully soon.

The Food Forest-

It was a good year for fruit. Lots of peaches, which the squirrels got, the persimmon is laden with fruit. But the Barlet pear is so heavy with fruit, the limbs have bent towards the ground., and few branches even broke. The cucumbers are coming along so fast we can’t keep up. The are many huge and yellow on the vine. My girls (chickens) love them, so not all is lost.

The Food Forest Extension—The blueberries didn’t do well this year. I could blame the drought, but I did water them occasionally. I began to think it was the pH. Blueberries need a very low pH. I tested the soil and found the pH to be 4.2, so it wasn’t that!

The Raised Beds—The lettuce is done for the season. My calendar is already market to sow beets, lettuce, and kale on October 5th. All the tomatoes did well. I’m sharing it with lots of friends. I still need to find spinach seeds.

The Entrance Garden—The area wasn’t showy. It was a time, but again, it was too high maintenance! I have three Mahonias there, and they will stay. The branches were getting gangly, so I pruned them well. There was a lot of mondo grass, the straight species, not ‘Nana.’ It was taking over. I like it as an edge, so I removed all but that. Tradescantia spp. Looked nice, but the rabbits were a problem. And there was Alstroemeria, which was pretty but needed more maintenance than I wanted to provide. I dug out the area and planted to put wildlife becoming perennials in the bed.

The Parterre—I made a good choice for this area by planting it with low-growing thyme. The sections are filling in nicely. No reno needed here!

The Raspberry/Succernongs—I moved the iris from this area to the Chimney Swift Tower area because they needed more sun. The East side of this bed gets more sun than the West side. Still, I added six more raspberries shared by a friend.

Added some mulch.

The River Bed—Big changes are happening here. This bed held hardy mums, ‘Sheffield Pink’, for two decades. I was ready for a change. In preparation, I removed all the mums, shared many, and let the bed be fallow until fall planting. I will order from Brent and Becky’s and turn this bed into a year-round bulb show. This will be exciting all year round, not only in late fall.

The Pollinator Garden—As expected, the Pollinator Garden held up nicely despite the drought. I added milkweed plants and a Red Hot Poker, Kniphofia) spp.

The Rock Garden—I haven’t worked in this area in a while. I’ll get to it soon.

The Girl’s Garden—There have been big changes here. The winter honeysuckle I planted decades ago has morphed into six or more plants. I removed all but one, or maybe it was two. It looks better opened like it is now.

The Mixed Border—North to South

2024 State Fair Demonstration Garden.

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Glossary

Until soon,

Helen

#WeCanAllBeeBetter!

I've had it with rabbits!

In Spring, I wrote a piece called "The War on Rabbits, Goodbye Rudbeckia spp!" Now for part 2. My garden, the Bee Better Teaching Garden, has lost interest. The color and pollinator activity has diminished significantly. 

I'm taking a new approach to bring back my beloved coneflowers and black-eyed Susans!

The concept—chicken wire! And, more specifically, black chicken wire.

Black recedes, so it's not in your face, causing a significant distraction. 

Many products are cuter but also costly. Black chicken wire, on the other hand, is a cost-effective solution.

15 inches high of black chicken wire to make lengths to form a cylinder around the plant. I secured the ends with zip ties and then used a short rebar woven through the wire to hold them in place.

While it is true that new growth sticking out from the wire will get nibbled, at least the plant will remain. If left to a rabbit's own devices, the plant will be nibbled to the ground. I have personal knowledge of this!

Until soon,

Helen Yoest

#WeCanAllBeeBetterNaturally!

Bee Better Natural, War on Rabbits, Goodbye Rudbeckia spp.!

The Triangle area has had a rabbit infestation for the last few years! It's war now! Gardening is expensive enough, and to plant one day only to see plant nubs the next is infuriating! Rabbits are more than a nuisance to gardeners; their cost to deter them could require you to postpone retirement if you are not careful. 

They avoid only a few plants, but their appetite ranges from herbs and vegetables to shrubs and even tree bark. 

In the Bee Better Teaching Garden, the bunnies favor five plants in particular, including any in the family of Rudbeckia, those delightful and colorful black—and brown-eyed Susans, Echinacea spp., coneflowers of all colors, which happen to be my particular favorite, Zinnia elegans, zinnias, Coreopsis spp., tickseed, and lettuce, which I grow for my family and the chickens.

I've used garlic-based spray-on types, but they don't hold up well after rain. I used to love it when it rained, but now I can scream! At least that is better than being out of town when it rains and I'm defenseless; I have no means of reapplying!

Then, my friend Mac Williamson, with the Gardeners of Wake County, recommended Plantskkyd. This granular product was touted as lasting through light rain. I bought some, and it worked better. As a gradual, it takes longer to break down. It's the same with the I Must Garden product, which works the same. But each still required attention, and I quickly became attention deficit with a garden the size of the Bee Better Teaching garden! 

Some perennials and bulbs are more rabbit-resistant than others, but few are genuinely rabbit-proof. That's because, like people, different rabbits have different favorite foods. Also, like people, rabbits will eat just about anything when they are hungry enough!

Like deer, rabbits are said to avoid smelly plants, like those in the onion family, Allium spp. But then there was the time last year after they finished off all my zinnias, they ate all the Album' Millennium'. So you see, they were hungry enough!

I've yet to lose baptisia, bee balm, catmint, daffodils, daylilies (if you have deer, you don't have daylilies unless you are doing your own heroics!), foxglove, fritillary, hellebore, iris, lamb's ear, lavender, lungwort, peony (thankfully since the bloom period is short enough as it is!), salvia, and supposedly yarrow, but not true in my garden.

I'm often asked how to tell if the damage was from rabbits or deer. That's easy. Rabbits leave a clean cut at about 37º, whereas deer rip the stems. Don’t let their cuteness complete you; they are not garden-friendly!

SIDEBAR

Other plants rabbits find delicious! 

Aster, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Bachelor's button, Centaurea cyanus 

Balloon flowers,  Platycodon grandiflorus

Bellflower, Campanula spp.

Clematis (Clematis spp.)

Cockscomb, Celosia argenta cristata

Coral bells-flowers only, Heuchera sanguinea

Cosmos, Cosmos bipinnatus, 

Crocus, Crocus spp. 

Gayfeather, Liatris spicata 

Hosta, Hosta spp.

Impatiens, Impatiens walleriana

Iceland poppy, Papaver nudicaule,

Iris, Iris spp.

Japanese anemone, Anemone x hybrida

Lilies, oriental and Asiatic, Lilium spp.

Maidenhair fern, Adiantum pedatum

Marguerite daisy, Felicia amelloides

Morning glory, ipomoea purpurea 

Nasturtium, Tropaeolum

Oriental poppy, Papaver orientale

Pansy. Viola x wittrockiana

Petunia, Petunia x hybrida 

Phlox, tall, garden, Phlox paniculata

Phlox, creeping, Phlox subulata 

Rose moss, Portulaca grandiflora

Snapdragon, Antirrhinum majus

Sunflower. Helianthus annuus 

Sweet pea, Lathyrus latifolius, 

Tulip, Tulipa hybrids, 

Verbena, Verbena x hybrida,

Vervain, Verbena rigida

Wishbone flower, Torenia, 

Zinnias, Zinnia elegans

Until soon, Helen

We Can All Bee Better!

2024 July Bee Better Teaching Garden with Helen Yoest

How I became a sustainable gardening advocate!

JULY

My latest book was released on June 18th.

I’m always happiest when July is over. (The same can be said for January!) Despite the heat, it should be chill time. Wait until fall for further planting unless you can keep everything watered!

I’m still working with several private clients, including, of course, the Joslin Garden. I’m very fortunate to be acclimated to the heat. (Don’t get me started on cold weather!)

Despite the heat, I have been working in the garden. Oh, about every five years, I rework the garden somehow. Typically, it’s to reduce labor or rearrange things. This is the summer of reducing labor.

For one, I’ve removed most of the reseeding hellebores. They were edging the boxwood hedge around the kid’s old soccer field. Years ago, I dug 90 up from my friend Beth’s garden. I begin to be burdened by them with ratty leaves, cutting back old leaves in the winter so the flowers show better, plus cutting off seedheads so they don’t go crazy, which they will. Instead, I lined with a few big terracotta pots for a muhly grass. We’ll shall see how that does.

We are having a heatwave and drought.

Summer finally arrived on June 10th, not the 21st, as one would believe. Summer, to me, isn’t the length of the day; it’s the heat! It was bound to come, but I enjoyed the cool, wet spring. At least the garden had a good time while it lasted. I’m fortunate or acclimated, but the summer heat doesn’t bother me. I can work through it, and I’m strategic about it. You will not find me in a sunny location from 11 on.

I’m fortunate or clever because my garden was designed with waterwise principles. At least I know it will survive without me dragging a hose around. Still, I must keep perennial plants I planted in the spring and even shrubs planted in the fall, which need special attention. I’m keeping a close eye on those.

Back 40 (ft.) with a wilting native azalea. It was only planted in spring, so I need to keep an eye one with the drought we are having.

Back 40 (ft.) with hellebores gone.

Back 40 (ft.) new open area.

The Gazebo Corner

The Back 40 (ft)—I’ve planted perennials and shrubs here. Removing the pine trees and the chestnut opened the space for new plantings. So far, I’ve put in a Rhododrun minus, three native azaleas, goldenrods, bee balm, an elephant ear, and a native persimmon. Removed all the hellebores around the soccer field! I’m removing all the reseeding hellebores—too much maintenance with little reward. By the end of this month, I will only have a few special hellebores. I also cut back the acanthus foliage. This helps with transpiration, and the summer acanthus puts out new leaves.

Epimedium patch

The Epimedium Patch—This seems crazy; the rabbits like one kind of epimedium but not the others.

Pathetic Spring Ephemeral Patch—Killing drought.

Spring Ephemeral Patch, formally The Wildflower Patch—I’m refocusing this area off the back patio. While I once referred to the wildflower patch, it’s about spring ephemerals. Same with the extension.

The Mixed Border is a Transitional Zone that proved well since May 27th.

The South Side

The South Side—You know what’s exciting? After three years, Mason Bees found the Air Bee & Bee and are burying nests!

The Ostrich Fern looking pretty sad without water.

The Ostrich Fern Garden—I’m holding off watering this area. While these ferns are in an oasis/transition zone, they have done well. We were blessed with 1.5 inches of rain on June 30th. #Grateful.

The Fountain Garden—I haven’t been running the fountain much due to the drought, and the lack of splash affects the surrounding fern.

The Food Forest—The raised beds are doing great. We are enjoying eggplant and finishing the lettuce, and the new asparagus bed is doing well. We have so many pears that branches are breaking. We are Working on a landing into the raised bed area that’s practical and artistic.

The Food Forest Extension—The blueberries are producing…for the birds. The bushes are small. I’ve moved them several times. They are in their final location, receiving the right amount of sun and water. While at the beach, I decided to buy bags for the blueberries. But they were mostly gone, and what remained was hard and spent. Although I watered them during this year’s drought, I guess I didn’t water enough.

The Parterre—The thyme is filling in!

The Raspberry/Succernongs—Cut back old raspberry canes. This freshened up the area. Weeded the area, and others groomed it.

The River Bed—All dried up and decided it was time for a change. For 15-plus years, the bed held a hardy mum ‘Sheffield Pink’. I’m starting over with this bed. It will be a year-round, as best as I can select, bulbs.

The Pollinator Garden—Added mulch. It’s dry, but the area can handle it. Added another milkweed,

The North Garden—Cut back acanthus leaves. Rake all the magnolia and kumquat leaves to the edge for bagging.

The Girl’s Garden—Removed the hellebores at the entrance. Cut back the winter honeysuckle

The Rock Garden—Doing well with these dry conditions.

The Garden House

The Garden House—I decided to redo the entrance to the Garden House. I am still working on it, but the beach is calling my name! As I reworked this area, I noticed after 20+ years that the number of boxwood at the curve wasn’t the same on each side. I plan to did two out from the west side.

Leading to the Coop. I’m so happy with the removal of the hellebores.

The Coop—The run often gets lumpy as the girls scratch around. I leveled the run and potted up enough enriched soil to add to the new posts around the soccer field!

I don’t typically mention the back foundation plantings. Last year, we had a termite problem. While the area mostly had various boxwoods in containers, I had to move them to work there. They are back now, but many didn’t make it. I replaced the empty pots with pollinator plants. I’m hoping there is enough sun for them.

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Glossary

Until soon,

Helen

#WeCanAllBeeBetter!

South Africa 2/18/24--Le Petit Karoo Ranch

After an amazing breakfast with a fabulous view of the Indiana Ocean in the Pink Lodge, we headed to George for the Botanic Garden. The botanical garden was little, but a nice walk around.

David and I went on a three-mile walk along these hills.

Then to La Petite Karoo Ranch. We are the only ones here but even beyond that, it is so quiet. It feels like a ghost town! After a 3-mile walk along the mountain range, we sat by the (very cold) pool and heard nothing except a sign swinging like you would imagine in the old west.

We picked up cheese and crackers for dinner since there was nothing around, but we didn’t want to go anywhere anyway.

Lovely breakfast then off to the Hot Springs in xx

South Africa 2/17/24 Wilderness

Traveled to Wilderness on the coast. We gassed up and continued on until we spied a Saturday Market. We got there around noon, just as they were closing. But we had time to have a look around. I found a wrapped, wired giraffe. Love it!

After the Market, we pulled into Knynsa where Westley likes the copy of the Black Pearl. We walked around and shopped.

xxx

Dad got the girls purchase and I got the bracelets.

Arrive in Wilderness.

The Pink Lodge view from the ocean. Clearly, there is an erosion problem.

The view from our room!

Our room.

After 1.5 hours of driving, we arrived at The Pink House Lodge on the Indian Ocean. While Jeffreys Bay is also on the Indian Ocean, the waves were steady, smooth, and beautiful. Here, the ocean is wild and beautiful. We immediately went for a long walk. Surreal!

We have eaten well throughout South Africa, and dinner here was no exception! I had Hake with Atchar source. It was beyond delicious! David and I shared calamari. Best so far; David had a 1/2 xxx chicken salad.

South Africa, 2/16/2024—Knynsa to walk with the Elephants

Another wonderful breakfast with a view of Jeffreys Bay! After we check out at 10:00, we Knynsa for a walk with the elephants! We could only stay for one night since they were fully booked for the weekend.

Before we arrived at the Knysna Elephant part, we stopped at a little coffee show/restaurant for coffee. The selling point was a garden and a lovely one at that! Then on to Knysna, but wait, we made another stop to see the Big Tree.

The trail at Big Tree, and this was a good section!

The Big Trees is a 1000-year-old yellow wood. Amazing. We then decided to walk the 2.1 Km on the yellow trail. Probably not our best decision because we needed to be in Knysna by 4:00. We made it by 3:15 but felt stressed, especially since the trail was very hard. We did it, though!

David feeding the elephants!

Zebras chillin with the elephants!

We got to feed the elephants and then did the elephant walk, where we brought the elephants back to their resting area. It was AMAZING!

We ordered dinner in our room. I had the ribs; they were the best ever!

We lingered in the morning over breakfast. We only had a 1.5-hour drive to get to Wilderness.

South Africa 2-2024 Bellevue/Addo Park

2-12 thru 2-14

BELLEVUE 2/12/24 through 2/14/24

2-12-24 Today’s high at Bellevue—: 105.8

Again, with windows wide open, the breeze flowed like a tropical paradise.

The evening in the Flat was fun. I slept from 7 PM to 8:15 AM, Still jet-lagged, but hopefully tonight I’ll feel better. I’m good during the day, but I start to feel it during dinner. Today is a new day.

It was a crazy 3.25-hour drive. About 30 km was on a rocky dirt road, where we wondered if we were going the right way. It was, but it was dodgy. Along the way, we found a stand of giraffes. It was an amazing sight!

Elephants in Bellevue Park. Photo taken with iPhone 15.

We finally arrived at our tent at Bellevue Lodge at 14:18. We are roughing it in a tent, like the old Colonial days. So charming. We returned from dinner when it was dark and had to figure out the fans and lighting. It took a while, but we got it.

Dinner was ready when we returned. We met a couple from Hamburg, Germany, and their 2.5 YO son. Tomorrow night, David and I will split our main course and dessert. Too much food, but it was delicious!

They had us going straight away, with Bradley giving us a safari tour. We say animals, kudos, zebra, springbok, blesbok, warthogs, baboon, antelope, But just as we left, we saw a herd of elephants up close and personal. It was amazing.

The night sky was so different from anything I ever expected. The Milky Way was very clear; the moon was only a sliver.

I woke in the middle of the night, like I do. I looked straight ahead to see stars in the night sky. It was like watching TV!

2/13/24 Bellevue Lodge

Today’s high 90, but with the humidity so low, it is not hot at all!

7:30 Meet Alex again for the giraffe walk in the Bellevue game park. It was incredible! We got so close we could touch them, but we knew better. Afterwards, we returned for breakfast of fresh eggs, over easy, fruit, and coffee. Met another nice couple from Germany, traveling with her mother.

2-13—2024 Addo Elephant Park. Elephant Walk

10:00 Elephant walk at Addo game park. So many elephants. Addo has about 650 elephants in the park; these parks are huge! The Bellevue Lodge had lunch waiting for us. I did a little shopping, found a scarf ($10.00), stickers ($1.00), and earrings ($2.00).

Lots of zebra too!

South Africa 2/11 through 2/12, 2024 East London

EAST LONDON 2/11/24 through 2/12/24

Sky flower, Duranta erecta.. Since it is native to the Americas, so I wonder if it is invasive here! In the garden at Blue Hills Lodge.

Security abounds.

The back of Blue Hills Lodge. David is in his “office” on the right.

After another delicious breakfast, served by Linda, we waited for Gramme and Nic to take us to the airport for East London. It was sad to leave the Blue Hills Lodge, but we needed to go to further our big adventure.

King Phalo airport in East London. It was even smaller than the airport in Havana.

Another uneventful flight, thank goodness.

We got our Avis car rental.  I forgot my license, so David has to do all the driving. Honestly, it didn’t occur to me since I had my passport for identification.  I should have thought through it further. Gramme was on our flight to return to the flat to load up the furniture for Cole’s new apartment at University.

High today, 77ºF. Windy.

I met Wesley and Tish and visited David’s (NexClean) abattoir water system. I was impressed.  Over the years, David has spoken of the clean water system. I just had no idea how BIG it was. And I got the see where Aster worked for six months.

Shanties outside abattoir.

The squalor outside the plant was hard to digest, not only how they lived but how the land had just been taken over, and if not shooed off within 30 days, they could stay. No running water.

Tish is the sweetest thing! We all went to dinner at Shanghai. I had the best crispy fried chicken thighs with black pepper sauce.

We picked up water for our trip. Unlike Joburg, where we could drink the water, not so in East London or anywhere else until we arrived in Cape Town.