Author: Barbara H. Smith

August 11 Week 2 Garden Photos

Aug 11, 2025 | Photo Blog, Photo Worthy Plants

Montana has over 2900 native plant species. The best time to visit to see wildflowers in peak bloom is late June through August, depending on the elevation and snowpack. Showy Milkweed (Asclepias...

August 4 Week 1 Garden Photos

Aug 4, 2025 | Photo Blog, Photo Worthy Plants

Enjoy Part 2 of Barbara Smith’s recent visit to DanWalt Garden in Billings, Montana. It covers 3 exquisitely landscaped acres . DanWalt Garden Entry Sign Barbara H. Smith, ©2025 HGIC, Clemson...

July 28 Week 4 Garden Photos

Jul 28, 2025 | Photo Blog, Photo Worthy Plants

DanWalt Gardens, Billings Montana~ Part 1 Enjoy this virtual visit to DanWalt Gardens. It was started by Dan Jellison and Walt Williams in the 1990s on Jellison family land. In 2017, they sold the...

July 21 Week 3 Garden Photos

Jul 21, 2025 | Photo Blog, Photo Worthy Plants

The Beartooth Highway (US Rt. 212) is a scenic 68-mile road that connects Red Lodge, Montana, to the Northeastern Gate of Yellowstone National Park. The highest elevation point is 10,947 feet,...

Pet-Safe Indoor Houseplants: What’s Safe for Cats and Dogs

Jul 21, 2025 | In the Garden

10 indoor plants that are safe for cats and dogs.

How to Tell the Difference Between Moles and Voles

Jul 18, 2025 | Landscape, Lawns, Problems

Identify and manage moles and voles with this guide of their behavior and characteristics.

July 14 Week 2 Garden Photos

Jul 14, 2025 | Photo Blog, Photo Worthy Plants

In May, a group of extension professionals and Master Gardener volunteers headed across the pond to explore pollinator conservation and citizen science in and around London. State coordinators of...

July 7 Week 1 Garden Photos

Jul 7, 2025 | Flowers, Photo Blog, Photo Worthy Plants

Amy Dabbs, Clemson Master Extension Associate and Statewide School and Community Garden Coordinator recently had the opportunity to visit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in England. The Flower Show...

June 30 Week 5 Garden Photos

Jun 30, 2025 | Photo Blog, Photo Worthy Plants

“I like gardening-it’s a place where I find myself when I need to lose myself.” ~Alice Sebold~ Pink Mulla Mulla (Ptilotus exaltatus) Barbara H. Smith, ©2025 HGIC, Clemson Extension...

May 23 Week 4 Garden Photos

Jun 23, 2025 | Photo Blog, Photo Worthy Plants

The North Carolina Arboretum near Asheville has over 100 bonsai specimens in the collection. The Bonsai Exhibition Center was completed and opened in 2005. About 50 bonsai specimens are on display...

June 6 Week 3 Garden Photos

Jun 16, 2025 | Photo Blog

Plan a visit to the beautiful North Carolina Arboretum. It is located just south of Asheville in the heart of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. It was established in stages in the late 1980s and...

Understanding Plant Identity: Varieties, Cultivars, Hybrids, and Legal Protections Explained

Jun 12, 2025 | In the Garden

Confused by terms like variety, cultivar, hybrid, or PVP? This blog breaks down how plants are identified and named, and what legal protections like patents and trademarks really mean for growers, breeders, and gardeners.