Shades of Green has a slightly different relationship with weeds. We don’t automatically pull them. In fact, one of the first things we teach people when they start working with their landscape is to slow down and observe before doing anything and that includes weeds. The word “weed” doesn’t actually tell us much about a […]

If you’ve ever considered installing a rainwater harvesting system, chances are you’ve asked yourself this question: “Can I even collect rainwater from my asphalt shingle roof?” Quickly followed by, “Don’t I need a metal roof?” It’s a fair question. After all, if you’re collecting water to irrigate vegetables or fruit trees, you want to know […]

The Dangers of Pesticides Walk into any garden center, and you’ll find aisle after aisle of products promising quick solutions to pest problems. A spray for aphids. A dust for ants. A treatment for caterpillars. The message is simple: identify the pest, eliminate it, and your garden will thrive, but nature is rarely that simple. […]

Spring in the Southeast brings a familiar rhythm: bursts of sunshine followed by long, soaking rains. While those showers are essential for waking up the landscape, the drought and flood pattern can reveal poor draining soils quickly.  If you’ve ever noticed pooling water, soggy lawn patches, or erosion after a storm, your landscape is asking […]

There’s something deeply comforting about planting food that doesn’t ask you to start over every year. You plant something once, tend it well, and it returns — stronger, deeper rooted, more generous with each passing season. This is the quiet magic of a perennial food forest. At Shades of Green Permaculture, we often tell clients […]