CROWD PLEASERS
Photography by James River Media Slow cooking at the lake There is a tendency to equate slow cookers with cold-weather cooking. Many of the recipes out there for crock pots are hearty soups and stews, but they can be used…
Becky Calvert
LIVING OUTSIDE
Photo Courtesy of Southern Landscape Group Planning a Pool House Pools are popular for gathering and entertaining, but adding a pool house can be an afterthought. Rather than seeing the pool house as just an add-on, consider planning up front…
Ornamental Grasses | The Garden’s Unsung Hero
Looking for a low-maintenance addition to your landscape that you can rely on all year for show-stopping good looks? Look no further than ornamental grasses. These hardy perennials are a fantastic addition to your Smith Mountain Lake home for a…
Foliage Container Gardens | Just the Leaves, Please
While flowers are lovely, have you ever stopped to think about what the real stars of your container gardens are? Consider the foliage—the plants that often get added as filler but really anchor the whole arrangement, adding contrast, texture and…
Planting for the Birds and the Bees
With recent declines in pollinator populations, more gardeners are taking care to plant items that attract and sustain these essential creatures. Over 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollination to reproduce, making it as important as sunlight,…