Len Foote Hike Inn

The Rhododendrons flanking the entrance of the Len Foote Hike Inn displayed splendid blooms on May 15. This pink one on the right and an equally spectacular white one on the left side of the steps leading up to the office, first of four buildings that make up the inn.

Following a conversation about Georgia native plants and their importance in our world, I promised to post a list of nurseries where native plants can be purchased on this blog. The list is far from complete, but here it is:

Bannister Creek Nursery
3769 Rogers Bridge Road
Duluth GA. 30097
770-497-9905
http://www.bannistercreek.com/

Nearly Native Nursery
776 McBride Road
Fayetteville, GA 30215
770-460-6284
http://www.nearlynativenursery.com/

Wilkerson Mill Gardens
9595 Wilkerson Mill Rd.
Palmetto, GA 30268
770-463-2400
http://www.hydrangea.com/

Walker Nursery Farms
2024 Walt Stephens Road
Jonesboro, GA 30236
770-471-6011
http://www.walkernursery.com/

Autumn Hill Nursery
4256 Earney Road
Woodstock, GA 30188
770-442-3901
http://www.autumnhillnursery.com/

Buck Jones Nursery
7470 Hickory Flat Hwy
Woodstock, GA 30188
770-345-5506
http://www.buckjonesnurserywoodstock.com/

Buck Jones Nursery
689 Grayson New Hope Rd
Grayson, GA 30017
770- 963-8227
http://www.buckjones.com/

Thyme After Thyme
550 Athens Rd.
Winterville, GA 30683
706-742-7149
http://www.thymeafterthyme.com/

Pinebush Nursery
3332 Highway 106 South
Hull, GA 30646
706-789-2344
http://www.pinebushnursery.com/

I also promised to list the books I brought with me last Friday, to help in our discussion; here they are:

Georgia Gardener's Guide, by Erica Glasener and Walter Reeves.
This is the book that started me off on the path towards becoming a gardener. Its information and advice are indispensable for the novice gardener and ever-helpful to the veteran.

The Southern Gardener's Book of Lists; The Best Plants for all your Needs, Wants, and Whims, by Lois Trigg Chapin.
From "vines with showy fruit", to "perennials for poor, sandy soil", to "shrubs for alkaline soil" and everything else one can imagine putting in one's landscape, this book offers a multitude of choices for every soil condition and Southern location.

All About Georgia Wildflowers, by Jan W. Midgley.
There are, I am convinced, no wildflowers in Georgia that are not in this book. Everyone who is interested in wildflowers needs to have this book on a shelf at home - and take it off often!

The Curious Gardener's Almanac; Centuries of Practical Garden Wisdom, by Niall Edworthy.
Practical, whimsical, overflowing with good advice and trivia ("Americans consume 30 pounds of potatoes per person per year, 25 percent of which is in the form of French fries."), this is a book to curl up with when it's too hot, too cold or too wet to go out and garden.

Rain Gardening in the South; Ecologically Designed Gardens for Drought, Deluge, and Everything in Between, by Helen Krauss and Anne Spafford.
The newest book of which I am a huge fan! The authors will be speaking at the October 17 Georgia Master Gardener conference at Gwinnett Tech in Lawrenceville.