Hilton Head Monthly Magazine Voice of the Lowcountry 
BLUFFTON’S MAY RIVER MONTESSORI SCHOOL ADAPTS AND PRODUCES
This spring, the organic garden at May River Montessori School was bigger and better than ever. Kale, swiss chard, carrots, radishes and other crops planted by the students were almost ready to harvest, and the tomato plants the school sells were growing stronger in greenhouses.
Then the coronavirus hit and May River Montessori, like all other schools in South Carolina, had to close.
’TIS THE SEASON FOR THE GREENING OF LOWCOUNTRY LAWNS AND GARDENS
Spring is the season of new beginnings for Lowcountry lawns and gardens. Though our low-nutrient sandy soil, wildlife intrusion, and hot and humid summers make lush lawns and gardens challenging, spring is a time when hope sprouts eternal.
It helps that many native trees, shrubs and plants have adapted over time to these less-than-ideal conditions.
A LOVE OF FERNS HAS HILTON HEAD HOME IN FULL BLOOM
Marcia Lentz of Indigo Run has an abiding love for ferns of all shapes, sizes, textures and colors — just look at her garden.
On a recent January afternoon, she showed off her lush quarter-acre property, starting with the fern garden along the home’s right side. Hundreds of ferns adorn the organically fertilized soil, and she can identify each one.
HILTON HEAD COUPLE CREATES A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN FOR THE COMMUNITY
Fred and Donna Manske have some camellias in the garden at their Hilton Head Island home, but their true camellia craze can be found at the Camellia Garden at the Coastal Discovery Museum.
The couple created this free garden in 2009; today, it is home to 131 exotic and historic plants in a multitude of colors, sizes, origins, blooming duration and fragrances that bloom from Halloween to St. Patrick’s Day.
AREA GROWERS HELP RESIDENTS EAT LOCAL
Thanks to the nationwide focus on health and wellness, many Lowcountry residents want to know where their food comes from and want to support the local economy by supporting nearby family farms. Eating locally can both reduce your carbon footprint and ensure that your fruits and vegetables are as fresh and tasty as possible.
Luckily, there are several farms producing fresh food right here in the Lowcountry. Here are just a few:
BLUFFTON GARDENER GROWS HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS
Orchids, like the ever-popular Lowcountry architectural style, come in countless styles and variations.
In fact, the only thing the 30,000 or so orchid species in the world have in common is that each has three petals, three sepals and one lip. Other than that, each varietal has its own bloom color, size and shape, as well as fragrance and foliage.
Gardening is art, science and philosophy all wrapped together in one mysterious and sometimes unattainable enterprise. But that has never stopped anyone from pursuing it. A satisfying garden requires a basic knowledge of the science of horticulture in order to meet the physical demands of growing plants; sufficient knowledge of the primary principles of art to combine them harmoniously; plus your personal philosophy of what represents the ideal garden.
INSPIRATION TO HELP YOU SPROUT AN INTEREST IN GARDENING
Ah, spring: The birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and Lowcountry gardeners are getting out their trowels and heading to the yard. Why do we spend countless hours pruning and planting? For some of us, it helps us put down roots in our communities. Others just can’t help themselves. Here, a few famous quotes on gardening to help spark an interest:
CALADIUMS AND CANNAS STAR IN LOWCOUNTRY GARDENS
We’re familiar with the fabled lilies of the field, which neither toil nor spin, yet are arrayed more gloriously than Solomon. But here we’re going to examine something even more... dare it be said? ... gaudy.
Extravagant caladiums and cannas are both showy and satisfying – the former for shade, the latter for sun. These two dependable beauties deserve a place in every Lowcountry landscape.
BRUNO LANDSCAPE AND NURSERY HAS BECOME HILTON HEAD’S FAVORITE GARDENING CLUB.
Let’s face it: it’s been a long, cold winter. That rarest of meteorological occurrences — a Hilton Head Island snowstorm — has left your garden withered and dead. You can bemoan the loss of your begonias, or you can view this as a chance to join one of the island’s most exciting gardening clubs.
There’s no strict membership to this club, nor hard and fast bylaws. Instead, there’s just a place where this club congregates in varying numbers to compare green thumbs. Their home is among the 4 acres of lush greenery on Dillon Road at Bruno Landscape and Nursery.
