Today we’re in Aiken, South Carolina, visiting with Johanna Smith.

Lots of evergreen shrubs make for a landscape that looks good all year and requires minimal work to maintain.

These prickly pear cacti (Opuntia sp.) were started from three pads from our son in Georgia. We decided that since the area is surrounded by two pines and an oak and is very dry, so we would give the desert look a shot. We actually have seven large cacti and are able to use the fruit to make jam and sangria.

A yucca joins the cacti to add to the desert look in this part of the garden.

This gardenia looked like a goner a couple of years ago, but after a severe cutback it has been a nonstop bloomer.

This hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 6–10) is planted in acidic soil, so we get flowers in this blue color.

This flagstone sitting area was created after a tulip poplar tree (Liriodendron tulipifera, Zones 4–9) was removed. We wanted to hide the shed and have a better view from the kitchen window.

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