by Randy Moore

Let me introduce myself. I’m Randy Moore. I have a degree in horticulture and am a landscape designer, garden consultant, Master Gardener and owner of Avant Landscape Design in Courtland. I will be writing a regular gardening column for The Tidewater News.

Landscaping is the art of dealing with the representation of natural scenery; a garden is a place outdoors for growing vegetables, trees, shrubs, flowers and sometimes having special plant displays and features. Anyone can garden, whether you have a flowerpot on your front porch, or windowsill to large estates and everything in between.

Gardens should delight all of the senses without being too serious. Even a formal garden has room for a little whimsy. Above all, gardening should be fun and rewarding.

I am not your average gardener. I like to have fun with my gardens whether it is a garden structure, plant, statuary or yard art; a garden visitor should expect the unexpected.

Visitors to our gardens are always amazed, and we are always delighted to see the looks on their faces as they move through the garden paths and trails. If you drive by our house, you would never know what lies beyond the trees, and I think that is what a good landscape and garden design is all about. You can’t tour a garden from the car; you have to explore and experience a garden.

You can have your home landscape designed and installed. Does it make it a garden? Gardens evolve. Trees, shrubs and plants grow. What was a sunny area is now shade. A tree dies. It’s cut down. What was shade is now sunny.

This is just a small example of garden evolution. Things constantly change (evolve) in a garden.

I would like this to be a column about ideas, problems, solutions, planting techniques, pest problems, what you are growing, any unique plant or plants you may be growing, things to look for when purchasing plants and creative ideas for recycling in your garden or yard. I also would like to include pictures of my gardens and yours.

I will answer gardening questions and any gardening problems from readers. Send me a topic, ask a question, invite me over to explore your creation and let’s all start gardening.

RANDY MOORE is a Courtland landscape designer. He can be reached at AvantDesign11 @yahoo.com