Carter’s Garden Blog

Making a better world one “Habitat”at a time

Tennessean’s are special people . We love our land , we protect our environment and we pass these love’s and traditions on to our children . Some of my most precious childhood memory’s are in the garden or in the woods with my dad or grandad . My grandmothers on both sides were gardening guru’s in their own rights and they taught me many things that I still use in my everyday life . It stuck with me and now I make my living designing gardens and landscapes for other people and it is indeed a way of life for me and something I truly love .

A ‘Special’ Design

Not long ago I was asked to help in the development of a ‘Teaching Pond’ at a local school . The school found me through a program that I take part in called ‘Ponds for Kids’ . Ponds for Kids is sponsored by N.A.W.G.S ( North Am.Water Garden Society)  http://www.nawgs.org/ and is an amazing program .
I met with the faculty and discussed their wants and needs for the teaching pond to aid in the development of the design/plan . After doing some extensive research , I found a program that fits perfectly with what they wanted to do ! It’s called the Schoolyard Habitat Program and it’s sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, http://www.nwf.org/schoolyard/. What a great idea ! An entire ‘Habitat’ with a pond , garden , bird feeders , bird houses & more . I immediately sat down and started drawing a plan , a plan that would have a teaching pond and a native garden with all the requirements to qualify to be a Schoolyard Habitat .
This habitat would provide an Awesome teaching environment ; Science , Biology , Ecology , Art , and a long list of other things could be taught and communicated through this classroom.
In the end this was a combined effort between the students, faculty and my company and it went great ! This Schoolyard Habitat will help educate kids for generations to come and it has and will continue to have a positive impact on the community . We’re sowing seeds for the future folks .

Gardening for Wildlife , Gardening for Life

All wildlife requires food, water, cover and places to reproduce and raise their young. Sound familiar? Our worlds are not that different. These four (4) elements are the basic requirements for creating a habitat .
It doesn’t stop at schoolyards either ! The NWF has a ‘Backyard Habitat’ program for folks who want to enjoy all that mother nature has to offer , right in your own back yard .What does it take you may ask ? The same four (4) basic elements (food , water , cover & places to reproduce and raise young) . How does a waterfall and pond sound , how about a blackberry patch or a native thicket of flowering fruit trees ? Trumpet honeysuckle and native perennials are also great for nectar and pollen in your new garden . Put up a few bird feeders and bird houses . How about a butterfly or bat house . All these things not only help support the wildlife in our areas they enrich our lives as well . How you manage your landscape can really have a positive effect on your health, your environment and your community. This is truly living the life Abundant ! Once you start , your hooked for life . For more information on making your backyard a ‘Backyard Habitat’ go to http://www.nwf.org/backyard/ .

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful gardening season !

– Here’s to the ‘Life Abundant’ !