Happy Holly-days!

Happy Holly-days!

Rockwall, TX (November 26, 2024) – Hollies are the quintessential staple greenery for the winter holidays!  Magnificent in shape, size and color, there are well over 500 species of hollies grown in the United States. Two outstanding holly species that grow beautifully in our Rockwall County area are Yaupon and Nellie R. Stevens. Both are […]

Mark your calendar for National Seed Swap Day

ROCKWALL COUNTY, TX (Nov. 5, 2024) Join Rockwall County Master Gardeners for their first annual community-wide National Seed Swap Day event, set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Rockwall Library, 1215 E. Yellow Jacket Lane. Save, package and label your seeds for swapping. All are welcome! Seeds may be store-bought or […]

A Time to Remember and a Time to Grow

A Time to Remember and a Time to Grow

Rockwall, TX (October 24, 2024) – I have had a varied career, lived in various places, and have many varied interests. This time of the year brings two of my many interests together, the military and gardening. I am a naturalized Texan! (I wasn’t born here, but…) Where I grew up, November 11 was called […]

Here We Grow: ‘Go Native’: Landscape with native plants!

Here We Grow: ‘Go Native’:  Landscape with native plants!

Rockwall County, TX (September 24, 2024) – “Go native” has a variety of meanings. The Merriam-Webster.com dictionary defines this idiom as “to start to behave or live like the local people.” “Go native” in the context of landscaping translates to using native plants. The US Department of Agriculture holds that native plants are part of […]

Here We Grow: Discover the Practice of Seed Collection

Here We Grow: Discover the Practice of Seed Collection

Save seeds now and swap later. Rockwall County, TX (September 18, 2024) – Many of our ancestors brought their favorite seeds from across the globe to North America, while Native Americans traded seeds each year to plant in their gardens. Seed saving is a practice that is an important part of agricultural and horticultural heritage […]

Here We Grow: Gardening Help in the Heat

Here We Grow: Gardening Help in the Heat

Rockwall, TX (June 25, 2024) – Historically, our summers are hot and dry which takes a toll on the garden, as well as us! In the blast furnace we affectionately call home, the name of the game is often just keeping things alive. Between dealing with the heat, watering issues, and plants not producing – […]

Here We Grow: The Power of Pollinators

Here We Grow: The Power of Pollinators

Rockwall, TX (May 13, 2024) – As we spend the spring and summer months tending our flower and vegetable gardens, it is always nice to devote some time to observing and supporting nature’s pollinators. What is a pollinator? A pollinator is anything that carries pollen from one flower to another to bring about fertilization. Honeybees […]

Here We Grow: Springtime tips from Rockwall County Master Gardeners

Here We Grow: Springtime tips from Rockwall County Master Gardeners

Editor’s Note: Blue Ribbon News is pleased to welcome ‘Here We Grow: Tips from Rockwall County Master Gardeners’ as an exclusive new feature in our publication. This guest column and photos by Michele Campbell, President, Rockwall County Master Gardener Association. ROCKWALL, TX (March 25, 2024) – As spring weather arrives, it’s time for the usual […]