Talya Tate Boerner - grace grits and gardening

Shop Locally in Wilson (plus exciting news!)

April 19, 2017 By Talya Tate Boerner

(This post is sponsored by Designsensory, Inc. Opinions are my own.)

I’m a big believer in shopping locally and spending my money in small towns. I’m also a believer in making the best use of my time. I have better things to do than fight traffic for a parking spot in a crowded mall lot. Don’t you?

Sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and let me show you how fun it can be to shop locally in Wilson, Arkansas. Even with only a population of 903, I think you’ll be surprised at the unique shopping opportunities available.Continue Reading

Spring Porch Pizzazz: a happy thing.

April 17, 2017 By Talya Tate Boerner

I’ve been working to add a little spring pizzazz to our porches. In Northwest Arkansas, the weather has warmed enough to mix annuals into containers. My empty containers have been patiently waiting for warm temperatures. Empty containers are sad, sad things.

Totally pizzazz-less.

I planted a few of my favorites including salvia, petunia, calibrochoa, asparagus fern, and lobelia. The large containers look sparse now, but within only a few weeks, we’ll have a stunning display leading to our front porch. Plants need room to grow. I know this. Even so, I had to resist the urge to overfill. And if it’s left up to my husband, we’ll over-plant right off.Continue Reading

How to Grow a Clematis Vine (as big as a dinner plate)

April 12, 2017 By Talya Tate Boerner

I thought since my clematis flowers are as big as a dinner plate, this would be a good time to talk about growing clematis vines. For the beginner gardener, clematis is a great plant to start with because it’s a pretty undemanding vine. When it bursts into bloom you’ll feel encouraged and believe down deep where you live that your thumb has turned a brighter shade of green. That’s a nice thing to believe.

There’s no reason to make gardening difficult. Grow what works for your area and skip the fussy mussy plants. That’s my motto.