If you’re feeling claustrophobic, sick of your home’s four walls, you’re not alone. Logan’s Garden Shop landscape architect Mike Riha says the Raleigh store’s sales are up over the last year.
“People are sitting around, staring at their backyards, thinking, ‘I can create a better space,’” Riha says. He calls it crisis gardening. “Most people are buying plants— ornamental or vegetable.” Riha squashes the notion that it takes a “green thumb” to grow veggies; in fact, he says, as far as gardening goes, it’s almost no fail.
“Growing herbs or tomatoes is easier with prefabricated boxes,” says Riha. “It controls Mother Nature.”
So, whether you want to upgrade with a fun water feature or create the perfect area to chill out outside, there are lots of ways to make your outdoor living space a hangout spot you can enjoy long after the quarantine is over. Here are some ideas to get you outside and gardening or refreshing your patio or back yard.
Outdoor rug from Furnish NC
An Outdoor Rug Need something to jazz up your patio space without big renovations? Consider a large outdoor rug! Not only is this a good way to include color in your backyard, it’s also an inexpensive way to change up a space without having to go through the process of painting or staining a deck.
Plant Flowers When it comes to simple backyard ideas on a budget, you can never go wrong with planting flowers, an ideal way to add a natural pop of color to your landscape. Plant hydrangea bushes or tulip bulbs along the fence if you have a major green thumb. Or go to your local plant nursery and buy a few pots to fill with your favorite blossoms.
A Fire Pit The best backyard designs are the ones that include a fire pit. There are kits and great YouTube videos with step-by-step instructions for building your own but it may not be an ideal endeavor for the casual DIY-er. “This project requires a higher aptitude for building to be successful,” says Riha. If you decide to buy instead of building, your biggest decision is to go with a pit that burns either wood or gas—consider someone will be chopping or collecting all the wood to burn. And make sure you include ample seating around your fire pit—you don’t want to be too cramped when you’re roasting marshmallows!
Mood Lighting If you’re looking to have one of the most beautiful backyards on the block, invest in outdoor lighting. Drape string lights down across your outdoor living space to give it a starry night feel. You can also line any patio or garden path with torches and lanterns for soft lighting.
Mosquito Service Mosquitoes are a major problem in warm weather. If you don’t want to spray on smelly repellents every time you go outdoors, consider a mosquito control service. Rich Cohen, owner of Raleigh-based Mosquito Joe, says his company was starting to see an uptick even before the official stay at home orders were announced. “The driving force is that people are staying home and they really want to spend as much time outside as possible,” says Cohen. He offers three options: A synthetic barrier spray that lasts three weeks, a botanical barrier spray that also lasts three weeks and an all-natural spray that lasts two weeks. The cost varies depending on your yard’s size but the company is offering discounts for first time customers due to the outbreak.
Photo courtesy of Pretty Handy Girl
Create a Stone Path You don’t need a garden; just create a clear path from your house to the hammock or backyard fire pit. “You only need 10-15 stones and stone dust,” explains Riha. “It’s an easy, low-budget, do-it-yourself project.” You can also add a little flair to your pathway by adding yard decorations like glow in the dark rocks or garden stakes.
Hammock A hammock is a fun backyard fixture that everyone will appreciate. Suspend a hammock between two trees and fasten the ropes with either industrial hooks or tree straps. Affordable hammocks with stands are also an option if a sturdy tree isn’t available.
A Portable Bar Say goodbye to making multiple trips inside with a bar cart on wheels. Load your cart up with glasses, small appetizer plates, a pitcher for lemonade or water and an array of snacks for a convenient outdoor fueling station. And if it starts to rain, you can easily transport your cart back inside to keep the party going.
A Fountain Need some ideas for a small yard? Invest in a fountain! Fountains are a great way to add a water feature to your outdoor space without costing too much or taking up lots of room. Riha says adding a fountain is another ideal do-it-yourself project—as long as you can lift the weight and dig the hole.
Plants and a renovated backyard won’t cure the coronavirus but they can certainly improve your mood—and your mental health should be a top priority if you’re cooped up with the kids, the dogs and a spouse. So take some time to get outside!
When you’re planting your garden this fall, consider adding a row to help feed families in need. Plant a Row for the Hungry is a national program that encourages gardeners and community groups to donate produce to those at risk of hunger.
Logan’s Garden Shop, a nursery in Seaboard Station, got involved with the program 12 years ago to inspire locals with green thumbs to help fight food insecurity through gardening.
“The Logan family saw a need in our community and had a strong desire to help feed families that were struggling to get fresh produce on their tables,” says Joy Sweeney, the store’s project manager.
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, a nonprofit that distributes food to low-income families in seven North Carolina counties, is the local affiliate for Plant a Row. Logan’s partnered with the Food Shuttle to take donations and spread the word.
“Logan’s has been an incredible partner of ours,” says Katie Murray, the development relations manager at Inter-Faith. “They have provided an immense amount of support for our garden education programming.”
Logan’s collects donations from families, community groups and churches. Inter-Faith distributes the produce through several of its programs, including the Mobile Market, a temporary food bank that travels to people in need and allows them to shop for free.
One pound of produce can supplement four meals, so 25,000 pounds collected rounds out to 100,000 meals with fresh vegetables and fruit.
Logan’s encourages gardeners with any level of experience to stop by and impresses on parents the value in teaching their children the joys of gardening and the importance of helping others.
This year, individuals can pick up Logan’s starter kits of compost, soil, fertilizer samples and other supplies through an online sign-up and drive through pick-up. Go to logantrd.com/plant-a-row to let their team know what you would like to grow and whether you’ll be growing in containers, raised beds or in the ground. Then, when they’ve put your starter kit together, you’ll receive an email letting you know you can pick it up. Once harvest time comes, Logan’s hopes you’ll return some of your produce to the store’s drive-through area for the Inter Faith Food Shuttle to pick up and distribute.
“There’s never been a better time to consider your neighbors in need, and Logan’s is here to help us grow as a community in sharing love with one another,” says Leslie Logan, Logan’s general manager. “Join the movement and sow seeds of generosity this spring!”
Logan’s is located at 707 Semart Drive. Learn more at logantrd.com or follow them on social media.
This is an updated version of a story that ran in Raleigh Magazine’s April 2019 issue.
There’s a lot that goes into making a neighborhood a neighborhood: The houses and the people that live in them, of course, but also, the opportunities neighbors have to connect with one another. At The Cottages at Filmore, nestled between Five Points and Glenwood South, you’ll find three—soon to be seven—cottages clustered around a shared community courtyard and garden.
Good Dirt, a local sustainable gardening supply company, designed the space for residents to relax, hang out together and grow produce to swap and share. Rich Realty Group selected Good Dirt owners Al and Suzy Newsom to create the gathering area to round out the second phase of what the realty group describes as a “pocket neighborhood,” defined by a shared green space.
“Good Dirt was like our knight in shining armor,” says Charlotte Quinn, the co-broker in charge of the property. “We wanted a space that everybody could use and enjoy and feel like it’s their own but also shared with one another. They made this whole project come together.”
Before the Newsoms took over, the space consisted of yellowing grass and a line of holly trees concealing a water retention filtration system.
“Frankly, it was an eyesore,” says Al.
Rich Realty Group wanted the neighborhood to embrace the outdoor area so, to rejuvenate the space, the Newsoms added in a courtyard using gravel sourced from Chapel Hill, with a mobile fireplace and chairs and boulders for sitting, plus stone steps leading up to a terrace that houses seven raised garden containers—one for each cottage.
The Newsoms replaced the hollies with native plants, wildflowers and pollinators that will provide year-round color and attract additional wildlife, including birds and rabbits, while showcasing the retention system which will fill with water once all of the cottages are complete.
“We wanted to beautify instead of hide the space and make it into a point of interest [for the residents],” explains Al.
In addition, each of the cottage’s porches was adorned with container gardens of their own using Good Dirt’s chemical- and pesticide-free products. Al and Suzy hope that the central courtyard and garden will create a tight-knit community within The Cottages at Filmore, as well as the rest of the neighborhood.
“The biggest reward is getting realtors excited,” says Suzy. “We thrive on collaboration.”
When you’re planting your garden this spring, consider adding a row to help feed families in need. Plant a Row for the Hungry is a national program that encourages gardeners and community groups to donate produce to those at risk of hunger.
Logan’s Garden Shop, a nursery in Seaboard Station, got involved with the program last year to inspire locals with green thumbs to help fight food insecurity through gardening.
“The Logan family saw a need in our community and had a strong desire to help feed families that were struggling to get fresh produce on their tables,” says Joy Sweeney, the store’s project manager.
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, a nonprofit that distributes food to low-income families in seven North Carolina counties, is the local affiliate for Plant a Row. Logan’s partnered with the Food Shuttle to take donations and spread the word.
“Logan’s has been an incredible partner of ours,” says Katie Murray, the development relations manager at Inter-Faith. “They have provided an immense amount of support for our garden education programming.”
Logan’s collects donations from families, community groups and churches. Inter-Faith distributes the produce through several of its programs, including the Mobile Market, a temporary food bank that travels to people in need and allows them to shop for free.
One pound of produce can supplement four meals, so the 25,000 pounds collected last year helped round out 100,000 meals with fresh vegetables and fruit.
Logan’s hopes to collect 40,000 pounds this year, encouraging gardeners with any level of experience to stop by and impressing on parents the value in teaching their children the joys of gardening and the importance of helping others.
April is the ideal month to start planting a garden in North Carolina, Sweeney says, and almost anything can be planted now, barring the misfortune of a surprise snowfall.
Vegetables gardeners should consider planting lettuce and leafy greens, cucumbers, bell peppers and any variety of beans, including snap beans, lima beans and snow peas. They’re popular with recipients and hold up well during distribution. All produce is accepted and can be dropped off at the store during business hours.
Events take place every Saturday through April 13th at Logan’s location at 707 Semart Drive. Learn more at logantrd.com or follow them on social media.
