The Southern Garden Guide by Blackcreek
Practical Gardening for the Coastal South
Rooted in the rhythms of the coastal South, The Southern Garden Guide is your trusted resource for gardening in USDA Zones 8–9. Brought to you by Blackcreek Nursery, this guide is built on more than 35 years of hands-on growing experience in coastal Georgia. Whether you’re growing camellias, herbs, native plants, vegetables, tea plants, or creating a garden for pollinators, you’ll find practical, region-specific advice—not generic recommendations written for every climate. Our goal is simple: to help Southern gardeners grow with confidence, enjoy their gardens more, and discover something new in every season.
View The Latest Southern Garden Guide Articles
Or Start Here
If you’re new to The Southern Garden Guide, these are great places to begin.
- Monthly Garden Calendar
- Garden Series
- Earth Friendly Gardening
- Southern Plant Spotlight
- Garden Basics
Looking for Something Specific?
If you’re searching for a particular plant or gardening topic, use the searchbar in the sidebar or browse the categories.
About Blackcreek Nursery
The Southern Garden Guide is proudly brought to you by Blackcreek Nursery, where we’ve been growing and trialing plants in coastal Georgia since 1990.
The plants we write about are plants we’ve grown, tested, and enjoyed ourselves. Our recommendations come from decades of experience working with Southern landscapes and helping gardeners choose plants that truly thrive in our climate.
We believe every garden has a story, every plant has a purpose, and every season offers something new to learn.
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New gardening articles are added regularly throughout the year.
Follow Blackcreek Nursery on Facebook for seasonal gardening tips, plant highlights, nursery updates, and notifications whenever new articles are published.
Or sign up for our Blackcreek Gardener– a periodic newsletter from Blackcreek Nursery
About the Author
I’m Debbie Odom, a lifelong plant lover, horticulturist, and nursery grower with deep roots in the coastal South.
Since 1990, I’ve dedicated my life to growing camellias, tea plants, herbs, native plants, and countless other garden treasures. My passion for gardening began in my grandmother’s backyard and blossomed through decades of hands-on experience operating Gene’s Nursery, Tsubaki Camellias, and now Blackcreek Nursery & Garden, where every season has brought new lessons, new discoveries, and a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
The Southern Garden Guide was created to share those experiences with fellow gardeners who want practical, trustworthy advice for growing successfully in the Southeast. My hope is that these articles will help you grow healthier plants, enjoy your garden more, and discover the same joy and peace that gardening has brought to my life.
Thank you for visiting, and welcome to The Southern Garden Guide. I hope you’ll stop back often as we continue to grow this collection of resources for Southern gardeners.
