March/April 2020
LEILANI’S GARDENS
Experience a garden center that encourages getting your hands in the dirt.
BEGINNER GARDENING
Dawson’s UGA Extension office walks us through North Georgia Gardening.
GET HOOKED
Learn how to make the most of your fishing hobby.
SPRING CLEANING
Tidy up, dust it off, and keep it clean and green.
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March/April 2020
CONTENTS
March/April 2020
5 6
Letter from the Editor Good things are growing!
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A Beginner’s Guide to Gardening UGA Extension Agent Clark MacAllister talks gardening.
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Expand Your Fishing Take your hobby to the next level. Get Clean for Spring Tips and tricks to get everyone tidied up.
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Spring Baking Fresh tarts highlight the season’s flavors.
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Love the Garden, Love the Dirt Take a walk through Leilani’s Gardens.
One of my fondest memories, still today, is of wandering through the garden of my childhood home in the spring and early summer, watching as my parents worked acts of pure magic using soil, seeds, tools, water and patience. Even as children my siblings and I delighted in picking the plump tomatoes and string beans that they would harvest each year, and the curiosity of how my parents could grow something from practically nothing sticks with me to this day. There’s something about working and nurturing the earth that calls to us. That fact is evident each spring and
summer when millions devote their days to the pursuit of gardening and growth. So, for this issue of Dawson Living we chose to honor that yearly urge to grow with a series of stories to jumpstart your springtime. From Leilani’s Gardens, who have been serving local residents with plants, supplies and expertise since 1996, to tips from fishing expert Eric Aldrich on how to seed a new springtime hobby for yourself — good things are growing in this magazine and we’re glad you’re here to witness it. Thanks for reading. Alexander Popp Editor, Dawson County News
EDITOR Alexander Popp
PHOTOGRAPHY Jessica Taylor, Bob Christian
PUBLISHER Stephanie Woody
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jessica Taylor, Bob Christian Zoe Hester
ADVERTISING SALES Jennifer Richardson CREATIVE SERVICES Chelsea Sunshine, Magazine Design Indigo Whatley, Ad Design
DAWSON LIVING A Division of Dawson County News Dawsonville, GA A Metro Market Media Inc. property www.dawsonnews.com
March/April 2020
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Photo by Jessica Taylor: Clark MacAllister is the Dawson County Extension Agent from the University of Georgia.
A Beginner’s Guide to
Gardening
Have you ever wanted to
take
up
gardening
but don’t know where to begin? Dawson County’s Extension MacAllister
Agent
Clark
has
you
covered with all the tips and tricks you need to know to grow your garden.
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March/April 2020
WITH CLARK MACALLISTER
By Jessica Taylor jtaylor@dawsonnews.com
W HY G AR DENING? Gardening has proven benefits for people’s physical and mental health, according to MacAllister. “Get you in the outdoors, hopefully breathing some fresh air … get out and garden and pull weeds,” he said. “There’s something mentally about having even that little part of nature there.” As a form of exercising, weed pulling, pruning and shoveling can be a low impact exercise activity. It gets people out of their homes and more engaged with nature, soaking up the sunshine and reaping the fruits of their labor – often times literally.
A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GARDENING
T HE T O O L S YOU’ LL NE E D MacAllister said gardening is one of the easiest and lowcost hobbies a person can enjoy. When it comes to tools, there aren’t many that you’ll need in order to tend your own beautiful garden. “If you take care of your tools, if you sharpen them and oil them, you really should only have to buy once,” MacAllister said. “As the saying goes ‘buy once, cry once.’ Buy something that’s not the cheapest thing and it will probably last.” MacAllister recommends a good shovel, small garden trowel, hand pruners, 16 inch loppers for trimming branches, a soft rake for mulch and maybe a small hand saw for trimming larger tree branches. “You could probably get by with just those,” MacAllister said. For those who want to garden but have limited movement, MacAllister says, there’s been a recent movement of tools created to help anyone garden, regardless of their mobility. “We do have a lot of folks who are sort of in that retirement stage, so there’s a lot of tools now that are made for less-abled gardening,” MacAllister said. “They’ve got pruning shears with extra springs in them or different ratcheting mechanisms that will help somebody who barely has any grip strength.” B E SU R E T O CHE CK YOUR SOIL Once you’ve gotten an idea of the tools you’ll need, it’s time to test your soil to see if it’s optimal for planting. Luckily, MacAllister’s office in Dawsonville conducts soil sampling to help you determine what is needed for your soil to become a flourishing plant paradise. “(Soil is) usually the biggest limiting factor here. We’ve got these heavy, clay soils and the pH is usually fairly acidic… most people have to do something to their soil,” MacAllister said. “Most of the time it takes some lime addition to the soil to get that pH up.” Most plants, from grasses to flowering plants to trees, tend to grow in soil that falls somewhere between 6 and 6.5 on the pH scale. “A lot of the home sites now, especially if you’re in a neighborhood, they’ve probably gone in and just completely graded, moved soil around. Often times the soil you’re trying to grow something in, either grass or a tree, was
originally subsoil that was 10 feet down,” MacAllister said. “That stuff down there was never meant to have roots growing in it.” MacAllister said the best place to start your garden is with the soil, ensuring that it is in line with what plants you would like to grow. “If you have really, really poor soil and you want to grow some things, you may want to do a raised bed where you sort of build it up and bring in soil from the outside,” MacAllister said. “Sometimes that’s easier.” Once you’ve tested your soil and made it prime for planting, you’re ready to select the site of your garden and purchase your plants. HOW TO SELECT YO UR PLANT S The fun part of gardening is going to your local hardware store or nursery and picking out the plants you want to bring home to your garden, but MacAllister warns: don’t let your eyes be bigger than your labor. Each plant will take work in order for it to thrive, so MacAllister stresses that you don’t bite off more than you can chew. It’s also important that you take time to find the healthiest plants to ensure you are not bringing home soil diseases and sickly plants that won’t survive. MacAllister tells people “when you’re looking at plants especially at things that are in pots or transplants, I say ‘you need to take that out of the pot and look at the root ball’ because that’s the most important thing.” A sign of a healthy plant includes a root ball with white, healthy looking roots. “Healthy looking roots are going to be really white and they’re going to look sort of full of water,” MacAllister explained. “If you see parts of the root system that are a little more brown, its sort of slimy looking, that’s indicative of a soil disease.” Often times if a plant doesn’t do well, it could be that they are diseased at the nursery, which MacAllister can happen when there are a lot of the same type of plant growing in the same place. MacAllister also says to look for roots that are really pot bound, “meaning they’ve got roots that are just encircling the pot,” which can be a sign that the plant has been in the pot too long and has grown too big. Many times, those roots can be cut off so fresh roots can grow.
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A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GARDENING
CA R I N G FO R YOUR PLANT S “The easiest way to kill a plant is to plant it too deeply,” MacAllister said. “People’s first indication is when they get a plant they want to dig a hole and bury it.” In order to set your garden up for success, MacAllister recommends planting your plants two inches higher so that some of the original soil from the potted plant is sticking up. “That’s probably the biggest thing we need to stress is, plant your plants high,” MacAllister said. “We say ‘Plant high, never die. Plant low, never grow.’ If you plant that thing high it gives it a little bit of room to settle and then it’s not going to be too deep in the soil.” With the red clay soil base found in north Georgia, plants buried too deeply have a tendency to sink into the ground which can lead to plants dying. Another big issue to avoid, MacAllister says, is over mulching your
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newly planted plants. “People want to pile mulch up along these plants and put it up on the stem. That’s the second easiest way to kill a plant,” MacAllister said. “No mulch touching stems of any plant. We want it at least an inch or two away.” Don’t put mulch right on the trunks of any plant – both hard and soft stem plants, MacAllister continued. Once your plants are in the ground, MacAllister warns about the dangers of overwatering as that can also cause your fledgling plants to wither. “The main issue I see around here is actually overwatering,” MacAllister said. “Most plants you want to water them sort of out in the garden, out in the soil, every day for maybe the first week and a half to two weeks, but then you want to cut that watering off because we want the plants to reach out, grow these deep roots, grow into the soil, find their own water. Often
times people will water every day for two months.” According to MacAllister, clay soil holds a lot of water and if they get too saturated, spores in the soil can flourish and infect plants with diseases like root rot. “Overwatering has the exact same symptoms as drought because, especially if you’ve got root rot, these fungi are growing into the roots and basically clogging the tubes that the water moves up”, MacAllister said. “It basically blocks the flow of water so it looks the same on the top whether it’s a drought or too much water.” WHAT TO DO ABOUT PESKY INSECT S The easiest way to deter insects in your garden is to pick plants that are native to the region or plants that are known to not have many insect issues. “Often time the susceptibility of a plant is just based on the plant itself so
A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GARDENING
there’s some plants that have a lot of known insect pests, and others just don’t for whatever reason,” MacAllister said. If native plants get insects, they are more likely to be unaffected by them. If you do have something that isn’t resistant to insects, MacAllister doesn’t recommend spraying with pesticides as the first response. “If your plant gets Japanese beetles in the summer, we know their life cycle. They’re not going to be around more than a month so is it something small enough that you can go pick off the insects and put them in a bucket of soapy water and kill them there? Or is it something where they’re just getting on the top of my grape vine and they’re not really affecting any of the fruit, do I need to anything to them,” MacAllister said. Most of the time, it’s about looking at the insects’ life cycles and determining if they are actually causing detrimental damage to the plants. If insects are causing significant damage to your plants, MacAllister recommends organic insecticides such as insecticidal soap that dries out the
insects’ exoskeletons. “There’s not a lot of residual. There’s nothing that’s usually going to stay on and injure humans later on,” MacAllister said. While synthetic pesticides are still on the market, MacAllister says they should be a last resort for garden pest control. REAPING THE BENEF IT S Now that your garden is set up for success, it’s time to reap the benefits. More than the personal health benefits, your gardening helps contribute to the environment in many positives aspects. “If your mindset is ‘what can I do on a personal level’ well that’s probably what you can do, get into gardening,” MacAllister said. “Even if you grow one tomato plant, that’s that many less trips you may have to make to a grocery store.” Having green cover on your soil helps slow down water runoff, and helps infiltrate and refill well water. It also helps provide more oxygen and soak up more carbon dioxide.
“Besides just getting out in the environment, there’s a lot of different things,” MacAllister said. “If we have heavily vegetated yards and not just bare soil, when that soil runs off, it’s going to go turn to sediment and pollute the rivers and the streams and Lake Lanier.” “You sort of change the ecological structure of those lakes and rivers, a lot of times to the detriment of little species. If you’ve got this free-flowing stream or river, it may have certain invertebrates and certain fish that live there. If it’s got a lot of sediment, the water gets shallower and those things can’t live. You do sort of lose your species’ diversity sort of on a big scale.” The small things add up, MacAllister says, and “if you care about the environment then have the environment you want there at your house.” For more information, you can contact the UGA Extension Office at (706) 265-2442, or email MacAllister at uge1085@uga.edu.
March/April 2020
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Photos by Bob Christian A Blue Heron glides across the surface of Lake Lanier.
GET HOOKED ON
FISHING
WITH ERIC ALDRICH By Bob Christian Growing up along the shores of Lake Lanier, local angler Eric Aldrich has spent his entire life fishing and now, 50 years later, after the twists and turns of life, Aldrich relishes sharing his fishing expertise with the world. “I believe fishing is something that we have all done, that we all enjoy but for most of us, we can’t get beyond the frustration of not catching fish,” Aldrich said. “Fishing is a quest. It’s called fishing, not catching.” Since early 2000 Aldrich has honed his craft as a professional angler and now, when he is not competing in fishing tournaments, he serves as a guide to where “the big fish are” and his columns on the Lake Lanier fishing conditions can be read in three major publications in north Georgia – the Gainesville Times, the Forsyth County News and the Dawson County News. With warmer weather finally approaching, and the desire to get
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outdoors becoming the foremost thought on our minds, I headed to the lake with Aldrich to get his insights and ideas on rediscovering the childhood joys of fishing. Found where you would expect to find him - along the shores of Lake Lanier, casting a line, watching the signs, and looking for the elusive thrill that comes with catching a fish, any fish, Aldrich spoke candidly about the drive which causes people to fish. “A lot of people fish to relax, and it can be peaceful, but if you’re relaxing, you’re not catching fish,” Aldrich said. “I fish for the rush that comes with catching a fish. There is an adrenaline that comes when you see the water explode around your lure. That’s the reason I fish.” During our hour together on the shoreline, him casting with a variety of rods and lures and me awkwardly trying not to fall into the water while I snapped pictures and asked questions, it became rapidly apparent that
Aldrich was a man who had found his life’s joy and desired nothing more than to pass on as much of his love as possible in the hopes of making me realize the same passion. Intertwined amongst the talk of beginner’s advice, expert knowledge and a small sampling of the secrets of Lake Lanier, I came to understand that Mr. Aldrich saw fishing as more than just bringing home dinner or a wonderful way to spend a Wednesday afternoon. He saw the inner workings of a higher power, and the intertwining of man and nature in every cast. “When’s the last time you saw a shooting star?” he asked. “Most of the people I ask haven’t seen one at all, or it has been a very long time. I see one nearly every week. Almost every time I’m out on the lake.” “Fishing is more about being out in and enjoying God’s creation,” he continued. “Getting away from the TV’s and computers and phones that have become so much a part of our
GET HOOKED ON FISHING
lives. It gives us a chance to rediscover the world around us, and appreciate the beauty of it all.” It was almost painful to turn the talk to the nitty-gritty of equipment, lures and licenses but the whole reason I was here was to learn how to begin and, maybe, one day, learn how to be better. “Do you have a fishing license?” he asked upon my arrival at the Little Ridge boat dock. I don’t, and I said so, and thus began the first lesson. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website, which can be found at https:// georgiawildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources, “Georgia law requires anglers 16 and older to have a current Georgia fishing license in their possession when fishing in fresh or salt water in Georgia. Licenses may be purchased online, in person at participating locations, or by phone. Your purchase supports the conservation of Georgia’s aquatic resources.” Having established my lack of license, we proceeded to unload what he considered to be the bare necessities for a novice angler, starting with the basic Zebco 33 spin caster.
Local angler, author and entrepreneur Eric Aldrich looks out across Little Ridge Cove.
“We probably all started on a Zebco,” Aldrich said. “It does almost all of the work for you. You push the button, cast and you’re fishing. As simple as that.” He also unpacked a spinning rod, and a bait caster which, in order of complexity, ramped up the difficulty of our day’s activities. His tackle box was comprised of the very basics; plastic worm lures, a handful of Aberdeen No. 1 hooks, a small collection of lead weights and the everpresent rooster tail lure. “I’ve caught more fish, and my biggest fish, on a rooster tail,” Aldrich said. “They used to call me ‘rooster boy’ when I first started out because of how much I use that lure.” From there, we walked to the shoreline of a cove he described “as one of the best kept secrets of the lake,” and commenced to spending our time like soldiers, sailors and fishermen often do – swapping stories and telling tales. I learned that a lay-down tree (angler talk for a tree that has fallen in the water) could hide upwards of 30 fish. Depending on the size of the tree. “Fish, much like us humans, like to hide,” Aldrich said. “Seek out rocks, trees laying in the water, docks... stuff like that. Those areas will lead to more successful casts, eliminates some of the guess work.” There was a long-running conversation about the difference between structure and cover, both important to the art of catching fish but apparently a controversial issue in the world of fishing itself. “Cover is really anything a fish can hide in, brush piles, fallen trees even a simple piece of wood in the water,” Aldrich said. “Structure is mostly man-made, like docks, boat ramps or bridges. They are probably the most misused words when it comes to fishing.” We were visited by several species of birds. Gulls bombarded the water in the distance, Loons dove under the surface to wage war with the fish, and a Blue Heron cautiously hunted along the shoreline, warily keeping an eye on us while also looking for her dinner. All of which turned out to be useful signs of where and how to fish. “Gulls means there are fish on the bottom stirring up bait and food,” Aldrich said. “If you see one Loon, there are probably 20 under the water and that Heron is looking for something to eat. When I’m out on the lake I immediately move to those spots, because I know that’s where the fish are.” In our short time together, we didn’t catch a single fish.
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GET HOOKED ON FISHING
Diving gulls, seen in the distance across Lake Lanier, serve as an indicator of where the fish may be found.
Neither of us were disappointed as we had experienced the very essence of a sport that serves as the staple father and child experiences told in Reader’s Digest stories and Norman Rockwell paintings. In our case, two total strangers met for an hour on the lake, and left as friends. “Make note of that,” Aldrich said as we walked back to is truck. “We didn’t catch anything, but we had a great time. We talked, we watched the water and we got to experience nature as God intended. I don’t know about you, but I had a lot of fun.” I smiled, and shook his hand, for I realized that I, too, had had a lot of fun being reintroduced to the joys and wonders of fishing. Turns out, it has nothing to do with the fish. When he is not fishing in tournaments or providing his expertise to guide local and visiting anglers, Eric Aldrich can be found at the local bait shop, West Marine of Buford, Ga., where he is more than happy to help aspiring anglers with his knowledge, from what to fish for to just stringing the line on your brand-new pole.
We are proud and honored to serve the Dawson County community. It is the mission of the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office to protect the lives and property of our people through professional, progressive, and proactive service. We shall serve with compassion and respect while seeking solutions to improve quality of life, liberty, and safety for all.
We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to serve you!
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
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March/April 2020
Visit us on Facebook @ Dawson County Sheriff’s Office Dawsonville, Ga www.dawsoncountysheriff.org Non-Emergency 706-344-3636 Tip Line- 706-265-4744
Your Definitive 2020 Spring Cleaning Guide
Spring cleaning isn’t easy, that much anyone can attest to. It takes a lot of time, effort and patience to clean your home or office from top to bottom. So before you do anything take a moment to think about what you want to accomplish and get motivated. Try collecting your ideas and ambitions into a manageable checklist. Making a to-do list is an important first step because it ensures that you will get everything you need done, and nothing can go overlooked or forgotten. Once you have a task finished, being able to finally check that box will keep you motivated to go onto the next.
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By Zoe Hester DCN Intern LEARN THE MARIE KONDO METHOD AND BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF If you haven’t yet seen the widely successful Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, or heard about the Marie Kondo method of organizing, spring cleaning is the perfect chance to rectify that. Kondo, a Japanese professional organizer, has become a staple in the organizing world for her clean-living methods of organizing closets and other spaces around the world. Her methods have a minimalistic approach that focuses on getting rid of clutter. Many people get overwhelmed by trying to tackle an entire room in one day. Marie Kondo says not to worry about
YO U R D E F I N I T I V E 2 0 2 0 S P R I N G C L E A N I N G G U I D E
the whole room, and to take it one category at a time. Try focusing on just your clothes for a day. Sort through your things and keep anything that “sparks joy,” then donate the rest. When putting away the clothes being kept, fold them standing upright in the drawer so that each item can be easily seen and grabbed. T I PS FO R T HE LAZ Y: If there’s something you’ve been dreading to clean because it’s just so worn out and gross, why bother? If you can afford it and it’s practical for your situation, just replace it. Items in your house that haven’t been cleaned in a while can harbor bacteria and germs and might be too gnarly to save. Let your laziness prevail, and protect your health in the process. Plus, if you don’t have as many things in your home, there’s less to clean. Try adopting a minimalist approach and only have what you need. It takes less of a toll on the environment and prevents clutter.
TI ME TO TACKLE THE KITCHEN: Though you probably clean your kitchen a few times a week, now’s the chance to really detox any bacteria or grime that might still be lurking. Every once in a while, your oven needs a cleaning too. Buildup of grease and crumbs may be affecting the taste and appearance of your food. Many ovens have a self-cleaning function, but others might require some elbowgrease as well. Remove the racks and scrub any buildup off with a cleaner, or a DIY solution of baking soda and vinegar. Always use caution when climbing in to clean the inside. Get rid of the rust on your pots and pans with white vinegar. Let them soak in the vinegar for about an hour, and wipe clean to reveal shining pots and pans. Repeat as necessary to remove any remaining rust. G ET O RG ANIZED Storage cubes are a great way to organize anything in your house that needs an accessible home. Organizing
things can be hard to keep up with, but organizing cubes can eliminate the problem of having items strewn throughout the living room. Storage cubes come in tons of patterns and colors that will make a statement in your area while serving a useful purpose in keeping tidy. Try sliding them into an open spot on your bookshelf to have an easy and accessible place to hide the not-so-chic items. MOV E IT O UT Before you start sweeping, move any liftable or slidable furniture to the ends of the room to get every dust mite and forgotten crumb of cereal there is. DE-JUNK THE JUNK D R AW E R Face it, everyone has it: the junk drawer. Somewhere in your kitchen there’s the one
HOW T O K EE P IT SUS TAINAB LE : When you clean your house, try not to make the environment dirty. Cut down on paper towel use in your kitchen by cleaning with cloths and rags instead. They can be more effective for scrubbing and drying surfaces, and they’re reusable! Avoid all the chemicals in your cleaners and opt for using vinegar as an all-purpose cleaner instead. Vinegar is surprisingly effective and all-natural. If you’re not using the water, turn it off. Gallons of water can be wasted by keeping it on when scrubbing. If you are following the Marie Kondo while sorting out your closet, take whatever you don’t want and make a trip down to your local donation drop off. Donating your clothes gives them a chance to have another life and lands them in another person’s closet, which is a much better place for them than the landfill.
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YO U R D E F I N I T I V E 2 0 2 0 S P R I N G C L E A N I N G G U I D E
drawer that holds anything you didn’t quite know what to do with at the time. Instead of piling more into it, take the time to sort through it. Throw away anything you don’t have a use for and find an appropriate place for what you need to keep.
R I D YO U R S E L F O F D U S T Use microfiber cloths for dusting, because they are much more effective for picking up any dust and hold more water. Remember the ceiling! Would you really want dust particles falling onto you and your furniture all the time? An extendable dust mop will do the trick for reducing falling allergens and only take a few minutes. Here’s a helpful tip. Dust before you sweep or dust anything else, or you’ll be doing it again. T I M E T O SW I T C H As the temperature outside heats up, your wardrobe might start to feel a little too warm. While you’re already in the process of cleaning, take the chance to go ahead and switch out your coldweather coats and scarves for your shorts and bathing suits. Try utilizing the space under your bed by storing out of season clothes in sliding storage bins beneath the bed frame.
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RECIPES
Berry Tart with Almond Crust 45 Minutes • 12 Slices
INGREDIENTS: • 1 pint Blackberries • 1 pint Blueberries • 1 pint Raspberries • 6 tbsp Maple syrup • 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste • 1 tsp Cinnamon, ground • 2 cups Unblanched almond flour, fine • 1/3 cup Coconut oil • 8 oz Cream cheese • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, plain DIRECTIONS: CRUST 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenhiet. 2. Spray a 10 inch spring form tart pan with cooking spray. 3. In a small bowl mix together almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup and ground cinnamon. Mix until all the ingredients are combined and the mixture is somewhat sticky. 4. Add almond crust mixture to the spring form pan. Spread the mixture out evenly along the bottom and up the sides. Pressing into the pan. 5. Poke the crust with a fork all over the bottom and a few times on the sides. This will prevent the crust from bubbling up. 6. Place pan in the oven and bake for 12 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool. FILLING 1. To a medium bowl add cream cheese, Greek yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste. 2. Using a hand mixer, blend until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps. 3. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the almond crust and evenly spread to cover the entire bottom with a spatula. 4. Top the tart with fresh berries. 5. Let chill and serve later or serve immediately. Garnish with Fresh Mint
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Love the Garden LOVE THE DIRT
Leilani Vining of Leilani’s Gardens considers the roots of our love for gardening.
LOVE THE GARDEN, LOVE THE DIRT
Since 1996 Leilani’s Gardens in Dawsonville has been a source of materials, expert advice and inspiration to local gardeners.
By Alexander Popp apopp@dawsonnews.com
When Leilani Vining of Leilani’s Gardens in Dawson County thinks about the inspiration for our love of gardening, she’s taken back to her childhood and tending the garden with her dad. “I’ve always had a love of dirt,” Vining said, looking up at the canopy of one of her greenhouses on Hwy. 53 in Dawsonville as a light rain pattered down. “And gardening,” she quickly added. “I grew up with my father and he gardened. I remember working with him on the weekends, even when I was very little.” And for over two decades, Vining kept the flame of that love alive as she “I wanted a garden center that wasn’t like just a traversed the corporate retail world, normal garden center. Garden centers at that time balancing the chaos of planes, hotels, politics and high stress work with her weren’t places of inspiration,” Leilani Vining of family and home garden, until the time Leilani’s Gardens said. “I wanted it to be a place finally came that her passion had to where people could find things that were unusual, spread. “I spent 20 years in retail basically that were different and where people would be as a regional manager with department told the right answers … I wanted to be here, boots stores and places like The Gap, Limited, Victoria’s Secret, you name on the ground, dirt under my fingernails.” it,” she said. “I would travel all the time ... and I came home one day and I told
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From left, Leilani Vining, Casey Adams, Derek Register and Terra Eller pose in one of the greenhouses at Leilani’s Gardens in Dawsonville.
my husband, ‘That’s it, I’ve had it. I don’t want to do this anymore.” In that moment, Vining says that she knew that she needed to follow her passion and love of the earth, and a new dream formed for how she could spend her life. “I wanted a garden center that wasn’t like just a normal garden center. Garden centers at that time weren’t places of inspiration,” she said. “I wanted it to be a place where people could find things that were unusual, that were different and where people would be told the right answers … I wanted to be here, boots on the ground, dirt under my fingernails.”
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For two years, Vining and her husband Alan worked to get Leilani’s Gardens on its feet and in 1996 they opened the garden to the public from a small location in Dawsonville. “It was an acre; we didn’t grow anything and we were strictly a garden center,” Vining said, remembering the shop’s original location. After several years, in 2001, they decided to move the shop to a multiacre plot of land on Hwy. 53 in Dawson County, where they could expand the business and its offerings. When they got to their new location, they were strictly a garden center, Vining said, and slowly
integrated landscaping and other services into their business. But in 2008 when the economy crashed, Vining said that the business was left reeling, like many other businesses across the county. “We were trucking along pretty good and all of a sudden, boom. That made us reevaluate a lot of things, that just about killed us,” she said. To recover from that terrible economic blow, Vining said that they had to strip the business of anything that wasn’t making them steady money, cutting out departments and services, and saving money whenever possible. During that time, they began
LOVE THE GARDEN, LOVE THE DIRT
growing their own plants and produce on their three acres, she said, riding the wave of interest in organic foods sweeping the country and saving money by cutting out the middle man. “I realized we could cut out the middle man, so we started growing and started the produce,” she said with a chuckle. More recently in 2018, after taking a step back from their landscaping services, they bought a Cleveland-based bakery owned by friends who were retiring, and began selling freshly-baked goods out of the garden center. “Since then, things have been evening out,” she said. “But the economy hasn’t really started picking back up for us until the last three or four years.” Today, Vining’s business is very much how she first imagined it so many years ago — a creative outdoor space where anyone can come for gardening advice and
inspiration, whether they’re just looking for help with a potted plant or advice on how to transform their outdoor greenspace. And the love of the earth and everything growing still remains, she said, even after all these years. “For me it’s just the fascination and the amazement of green things growing,” she said. “We seed a lot of things and I see the seeds opening up. The amazement of how that could be the little seed that I planted six months ago.” And for anyone curious or looking to get into gardening this spring, Vining has two small pieces of advice: find a realistic goal and ask for help. “Pick the one thing that you want to do, whether it’s a pot on your deck or landscaping on the sides of your house, focus small and learn everything you can” she said. “And talk to the right people who can give you the right answers.”
From their multi-acre location on Hwy. 53 in Dawsonville, Leilani’s Gardens offers a full selection of organically grown produce, plants and fresh baked goods for any taste.
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