Cheekwood Blog

My husband and I moved to Franklin, Tennessee, from Texas eight years ago. Before that, I lived in various places from California to Massachusetts. I’ve worked for Bank of America for the last 16 years and plan to retire from there in about eight years. We have two children. Our son, James, and his wife, Linzi, live in Tampa, Florida. Our daughter Rachel recently moved to Atlanta to be closer to her boyfriend, Frank. We were all together for Thanksgiving plus our dog, Charlie, who is everyone’s favorite, and had a great time. We toured Cheekwood Holiday lights for a great holiday memory with some great pictures too!

It’s a new month of plant picks! Cheekwood’s Horticulturist, Sage McClain, shares her top plant picks for January 2025.

It’s a new month of plant picks! Cheekwood’s Horticulturist, Sage McClain, shares her top plant picks for December 2024.

Dazzling holiday displays sparkle among the rolling hills and elegant gardens of Cheekwood’s 55-acre estate.

Behind the closed doors of the Historic Mansion and Museum at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is a flurry of activity.

It’s a new month of plant picks! Cheekwood’s Horticulturist, Sage McClain, shares her top plant picks for November 2024.

In Tennessee, marigolds are prolific and easy-to-grow annuals that put on a show all summer long. They are purported to keep pests out of a vegetable garden and are a favorite of butterflies and bees. While certainly not frost tolerant, they will happily bloom well into the fall and reseed for the following year. Just like many culinary herbs, they are edible yet conveniently undesirable to garden foragers such as deer and rabbits. The petals can be used to make herbal tea or tossed in a salad to add some zing.