On Hope, a Haven of Tranquility, and Allergy Tea
No. 12 | Spring Gardening in Greenville, SC
Spring spring spring spring spring! I can’t remember feeling this excited about budding hydrangeas, tiny alyssum sprouts, and little violets everywhere in a very long time.
I feel so entirely present.
After a Fall That Raged, I realized somewhere in early December that I had missed that season all together, like I had spent it hovering high in the dark clouds while everyone else celebrated at a bonfire right below. I was there, but too distant to be part of it. I was grieving, troubleshooting, adjusting.
From that cloudy height (that whipped itself into a literal hurricane), my fall planting was pretty pathetic, and I couldn’t be bothered to protect anything from frost all winter long. We ate arugula until it bolted in early March heat, but little else from the garden. Just herbs. A surprise radish here and there. A glorious number of Meyer lemons from the tree sheltering in the garage.
And now, this waking up of things dormant is positively enchanting.
Last spring, azaleas ablaze, a neighbor stopped to comment that our home, and specifically our yard, seemed to be a “haven of tranquility.” I smile now remembering how it made me feel to have a stranger feel the peace I feel in my garden and in our home.
Of course, my two children weren’t around at the time she made that observation… but still :)
We work hard to cultivate peace, constantly. And then when we can’t, like last fall and all winter, it repays our investment by showing up and showing out when I need it most.
This spring, little evidences of past investment are surprising me:
The salvia I planted last year never died back, even with all that frost.
The bees and butterflies are predictably emerging.
I found parsley and bok choy volunteers growing in the pea gravel and elevated them to home in the raised beds.
Siena rescued the garlic growing under the porch (from cloves I thought had gone bad) and moved it to her little garden.
Two kale plants popped up against all odds.
The native flowers I installed last fall have multiplied and reappeared when they seemed to have just vanished.
Life is big, and hope never feels so easy as in the spring.
P.S. Did you see I was on Access Carolina with Ava Braatz earlier this month? I had a moment, as a writer driving to a TV station, when I thought, "What AM I doing?" Ha! But it was ultimately fun, and I hope it encouraged some more people to plant something this spring!
P.P.S. The Blankenships and I are working on another spring plant swap. Mill Village Farms was a fantastic host last year, but they are under construction this year, so we're looking for a new location. Stay tuned.
P.P.P.S. I'm excited to share that my gardening zine "The Uncomplicated Gardener" is part of the East Fork Pottery Spring Collection, which launches in stores tomorrow! Look for it at East Fork in Asheville, Atlanta and Brooklyn!!!
Life is big, and hope never feels so easy as in the spring.
Spring 2025
What I’m Reading & Listening To
Create a Dreamy Cottage Garden On A Budget | 10 Essential Strategies
Tessa Pinner (Greenville)
The Simple Guide to Starting a Garden the Right Way
Tabatha Davies (Simpsonville)
101 Organic Gardening Hacks: Eco-friendly Solutions to Improve Any Garden
Shawna Coronado
What I’m Growing
A list of what is actively growing in my kitchen garden right now. I have LOADS of seeds started, but the won’t go in the ground until after April 15 (our average last frost date). In case you missed it, I shared my uncomplicated method of seed starting—all outdoors—on Instagram.
Garlic
Blueberries
Herbs: Rosemary, thyme, chives, green onion, oregano, peppermint, spearmint and sage. And can I just say, thyme is hitting its high note in this early spring weather.
Kale
Radishes
Fig
Strawberries
Meyer lemon
And… I’ve decided to stop listing the flowers, as the sheer number of them is just getting out of control. This newsletter would get far too long :)
Resources
Plants Map - Paper Routes - Good Printed Things
A map I wrote featuring great places to buy plants locally here in Upstate, South Carolina. Illustrated by Charis JB.
The Uncomplicated Gardener - Good Printed Things
My zine sharing six steps I’ve learned over time that brought me success and joy growing and tending plants without overcomplicating things. Illustrated by Jennifer Bilton.
Spring Plant Sales
Spartanburg Community College Horticulture Program, Spartanburg (Giles) Campus | Horticulture Greenhouses - April 4
SC Botanical Garden, SCBG Nursery in Clemson - April 5 and 26
SC Native Plant Society, Conestee Park - April 12
Mill Village Farms, West Greenville Plaza - April 12 and May 10
Traveler's Rest Farmers Market Opening Day Plant Sale, Trailblazer Park - April 26
Greater Greenville Master Gardeners, Jeff Lynch Appliance & TV Center - April 26
Piedmont Spring Plant & Flower Festival, Greenville State Farmers Market May 1-4
Community Garden Giveaway
As an independent publisher who loves books and plants, Good Printed Things wants to support a community garden that’s just getting started.
Enter information about your garden for a chance to win a set of The Uncomplicated Gardener zines for each member of your garden.
Recipe: Allergy Tea
Years ago, we had a tea shop in Downtown Greenville called Tealoha, which was divine. I worked at JDPR, on Coffee Street, at the time. I’d take walks on my lunch break during pollen season, and my throat would get so scratchy I could hardly breathe. I used to get the “Carolina Honey Lemon” tea from Tealoha and sip it while I walked, which helped significantly.
The shop is sadly gone, but I now make my own version of that tea I like to call “Allergy Tea.” Here’s how I make it, but it’s endlessly customizable:
Boil a few handfuls of lemongrass for 10 minutes and turn off the heat. Add peppermint leaves and maybe a few sprigs of lavender and let steep 5-10 more minutes, until you like the flavor. Stir in honey to taste; then chill.
Serve over ice with lots of fresh lemon juice.
Sip it while you’re outside when your nose and throat are begging you to go in but you just don’t wanna.