My name is Michael Pierce. I am a 62 year old backyard gardener. I enjoy life in a corner of Northwest Arkansas, locally known as NWA. Four small towns have grown together and swallowed the smaller communities around them. As of the last census, the population in the area is around 500,000. It is a beautiful area that is composed of rolling hills and is green and lush from March through late October, early November. In the Fall, the leaves of the hardwood trees explode with vibrant reds, yellows and oranges.
I tend to mirror the look of the gnomes above – A short squatty body with a pleasant look on my face and a laid back attitude. Although I don’t grow a beard, I’ve never been able to, any attempt is spotty at best. I will not be sitting on the floor or the ground with legs crossed as they are, these days it is more difficult to get back up from that position. Gnomes make me smile when I look at them. I hope I can provide information and images that will invoke a similar response to those who take the time out of their day to drop by and visit now and then.
I enjoy growing plants of all kinds. My current favorites are fig trees, hibiscus, tomatoes, peppers, and coleus. My gardening experiences started as a child with my grandfather who grew what he called “truck patches”. These were several fields where he grew peas, beans, onions, turnips, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, blueberries, pumpkins, cantaloupes, watermelons, honey dew melons and much more. All of this he would sell from a flat bed trailer parked in his front yard. You can read more about my gardening experiences when I was younger by clicking here.
I currently live, work and garden in Fayetteville, Arkansas in Northwest Arkansas and Zone 6b. On Saturday afternoons in the Fall, I can hear the fans ‘call the hogs’ from the University of Arkansas Razorbacks Football Stadium. Two major retailers are located in this area. Twenty-five minutes north of me is located the home of Walmart in Bentonville. Nine minutes north of me is the home of Tyson Foods in Springdale. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is also located in Bentonville.
Marigold Growing Guide With Images 
On this site I am writing growing guides which are not composed of textbook information that you can find on many other website, but my personal experiences growing a specific plant. This is how I learned from those before me, and this is how I want to pass on any knowledge or wisdom I might have gained over my years thus far. I also realize that I am constantly learning and will try to update any information I have posted to reflect that fact.
Also on this site, is a section called “But First, Coffee”. One of my favorite things to do is sit on the patio drinking a cup of coffee and look over the flowers, vegetables and fruits growing in the various beds laid out in my back yard. Coffee is one of the simple pleasures of my life which I enjoy at least once each day. In this section I am sharing as stated on each page. “Garden thoughts, plans, and daydreams are captured here while sipping a cup of coffee and enjoying some type of food that is probably not good for me.” If I am enjoying some type of food with my coffee, I will try to include recipes so you can enjoy it as well. If I do not have the recipe, I will tell you where I purchased it, etc.
I also have a section called “Today In The Garden” which is a simple journal of what I did in the garden on any particular day, or garden related projects I diid that day. This will include planting, maintaining and harvesting vegetables and fruits. It will provide a glimpse of projects I’m working on such as creating raised beds, building trellising, repotting plants, and more. I will be linking from these activities to blogs I’ve written about the project and providing more detailed information with images.
When I travel I like to visit botanical gardens and regional or National parks. When it relates to gardening, I will write a review or informational blog about my experiences at that location. You will find these posts under “Featured Gardens”.
Every now and then you will find little gems of nostalgia about things I have experienced during my life that I feel have contributed to adding fullness and joy to living. One thing you will not find in this blog is political discussions. There is enough of that in too many other locations. I want to focus on beauty, the value of gardening, and the common ground we all share, not division.