Marian St.Clair, a Master Gardener and Master Naturalist, is a freelance garden writer, speaker, and tour coordinator who nurtures an earth-friendly landscape in Greenville, South Carolina. In addition to a gardening column for The Greenville News, Marian also writes gardener profiles for Carolina Gardener Magazine. For information on upcoming garden tours visit the TOURS page.
This blog shares information and photos about the Upstate region of South Carolina, Marian’s personal garden on a hillside above the Reedy River, and other gardening pursuits, including garden-related travel.
All text and photos, unless otherwise noted, are the property of Marian St.Clair.
Hortitopia 
Is there still a website that will give instructions on how to make hanging glass lanterns for the garden? The Richland County Master Gardeners would like to sell some at our yearly plant sale in April. Thank you so much.
Jackie–I’m out of pocket right now but can send what you need in a few days.
Marian, are there still 2 openings for your Sept. British garden tour?
Sandy–I’m currently trying to get 2 more rooms. I should know in a few days. Can you send me an email to marian.stclair@gmail.com? Tks.
Love your cover photo. Bleeding hearts are one of my favorites.
I love your blog and I nominated you for the Illuminating Blogger Award! You can get the details here http://foodstoriesblog.com/illuminating-blogger-award/ I do hope you accept. Enjoy the day, Rick!
Marian, your blog is elegant. Keep up the good work. I transferred to the Anderson Master Gardeners group because I bought an old cottage in Honea Path which I am converting into a branch office. I have the great bones of a garden, and much to dream about and do in this relaxed, small-town setting.
Hey Robert–Good luck in your new location!
Hey Robert, saw you here on Marian’s blog.
Hi Marian: I’m fairly new to your blog and just love it. Your pictures and postings from Italy were tantalizing …. I am wondering if you are going to write about the trip? Do you, generally, do a kind of follow up for your readers? I would love to see the entire “story” as a whole (with more images I hope!); it all looked so very wonderful and I would love to see more (and am guessing others feel the same way) Thanks so much, Libby
Libby–Would love to write a brief overview of the Italy trip. I’m in AZ for a volunteer event until June 28. Stay tuned!
Hi Marian, We came across your photo of Wallerton Hall and would love to share it with the BeautifulNow community in a post we are running this coming Friday about beautiful gardens around the world. If you are interested in granting permission for us to do so, please email me by end of day tomorrow 11th of August. Thanks!
Shira–I would be happy for you to use the photo.
Welcome aboard Marian. Look forward to sharing tips from across the pond.
Hey there Marian! Just browsing around the blogosphere, finding some fun and interesting blogs to follow to make some new friends in 2016. If you like, hop on over to my world at http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com, and if you see anything you like, comment or follow! Have a great day and happy new year!
My sister lives in Greenville, too. What a pretty little city and I love the falls on the Reedy. Maybe I’ll say ‘hey’ next time I visit her! 🙂
Ms. St. Clair, you have a beautiful photo of an area of Reedy River Falls I lunched by yesterday afternoon. Would you mind if I posted it on my personal FB page for only friends to see, giving you credit for the photo, of course?
Bonnie–You are welcome to use the photo.
Thank you 🙂
Marian – you had an article in the Greenville News a month or more ago that I should have saved. You talked about an old variety of cherry trees that are used as ornamentals now, but that the fruit is actually edible and hearty. Can you tell me what the name of that tree was? Also, do you know anywhere I could buy seedlings in the Clemson/Anderson/Greenville vicinity?
Just found your blog as I was doing some research. An excellent page, so good to find you doing so well! Alive and gardening outside Atlanta, I am very active with Gwinnett County MG as well as Georgia MGs.
Jessica–Good to hear from you!
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Hi Marian,
Looks like the trip to Dordogne was great – look forward to seeing more blog posts about it! love your dicentra picture, I’ve not had much luck with it over the past few years!
Marian, would you be interested in coming to speak at the Piedmont Physic Garden in Union, SC on a Saturday morning in March or April? We usually start our talks at 10:00 AM. Please let us know! Thanks so much, Coie Switzer 704-560-1885 or tswitzer@icloud.com
Coie–Thanks for the invite. I’ll send you an email.
I wanted to let you know that the Sweet Betsy’s that you mailed to me survived the winter. I peeked under the mulch yesterday and was thrilled to see tiny green shoots. Hooray! Of course I did cover them back up. I may not “Listen to the Groundhog” but I would never risk exposinig them to more extreme cold…if it comes. Thank you so much for sharing these plants.
Dear Mrs Marian St.Clair,
I am Dr. Vladimir Bozukov – a paleobotanist from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
I am working over a fossil material related to the recent species Fatsia japonica.
May I use your photo (https://marianstclair.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/dsc_6007.jpg) in my article, which compares the fossil material to the recent species?
The article will be submitted to Proceedings of the Bulgarian Academy of Science (http://www.proceedings.bas.bg/).
Best wishes!
Yes, Dr. Bozukov, I am happy for you to use the photo of Fatsia japonica. Good luck with your work! All my best, Marian
I have been missing your blog. I hope you are enjoying your new position. The Sweet Betsy plants that you sent me are peeking up through the mulch. I will remember you every spring. Thanks Marian.