Home & Garden

By Darnell Abbott Though the end of the gardening season can be bittersweet, I love winter gardening for many reasons. It just feels right that the plant world gets to take a rest. Sometimes, I think I can hear the trees, shrubs and perennials breathe a collective sigh of relief that winter is here and they don’t have to work ...

By Darnell Abbott Everyone is familiar with the term “green thumb,” and at our garden center, I constantly hear people say they do not have a green thumb. However, I believe that the secret to gardening success, or having a “green thumb,” really boils down to two things: a “green brain” and a “green back.” For a beautiful lawn, the ...

By Hannah Barksdale Many of us have spent the last year trying to figure out what to do with all of the lemons of 2020. With a little passion and an idea that has been growing for years, Wendy Haymore Shields and I have made some pretty sweet lemonade! Although our combined passion for plants and container designs has had ...

By Darnell Abbott Vegetable gardening can be one of the most rewarding endeavors; growing your own food is extremely satisfying. Vegetable gardening offers many benefits: Superior taste and nutrition Exercise and fresh air Wonderful way to introduce children to the wonders of nature Saving money Seasoned gardeners already know what is necessary for a successful vegetable garden, but, for those ...

Story and photos by Meredith Bernard Sometimes the best things in life don’t come from well-laid plans, but instead from taking chances and following where they lead. When Rich and Liz Mason decided to quit their international development careers that took them around the world and back again, they weren’t sure exactly where they would land or what they would ...

By Darnell Abbott Everyone is familiar with the term “green thumb,” and at our garden center, I constantly hear “I don’t have a green thumb.” However, I believe that the secret to gardening success, aka a “green thumb,” really boils down to two things: a “green brain” and a “green back.” By “green brain,” I am referring to putting some ...

Story and photos by Jason Evans When the country went into “social distancing” and “stay at home,” I was in the middle of a home remodeling project. Out of all the remodeling we did on our new home, polishing the basement was at the top of my list. I have always wanted a polished concrete floor, and I wanted my ...

Outdoor Living Decisions By Joe Wilkerson When I think of summer my mind races to memories of times gathered together outdoors, and when we gather, we eat. Grilling on the back patio is a national pastime. Search for ideas and Google will yield 2.5 million results in about a half a second. Eating is functional, but grilling outdoors is an ...

By Darnell Abbott Fall is my absolute favorite season. After the sweltering dog days of summer, those first crisp, low humidity days are such a relief and it is a joy to be outside. I want to spend a little time addressing the advantages of planting trees and shrubs in the fall rather than spring. As an owner of Abbott’s ...

A Lifetime Contributing to our Community Story and photos by Meredith Bernard After being greeted with a firm handshake and hearty smile, I recently sat across a table from Person County native Melvin Hamlett and began hearing his life story. It didn’t take long to realize how this man has garnered a respected reputation that’s left a mark on his ...