About Spring Branch

has been the owner and designer at Spring Branch Landscape since 1986.  

She received a Landscape Gardening degree from the Sandhills Community College Horticulture program.  As an intern at North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill she pursued her interest in native plants.   She took further design courses at NC State University.    Mary Jane travels every chance she gets, seeing gardens, meeting gardeners and visiting nurseries around the country and abroad.  

She began her own garden in Carrboro NC in 1991 on 1/3 of an acre.  "It has turned out to be my life's work.  My garden brings me joy, comfort, entertainment, and pride, as well as plenty of heartache.   It is a haven for me and for many bird species, turtles, frogs, butterflies, dozens of wasp and bee species.  I never get tired of walking around my garden to see what is happening."

We use great compost (Brooks Contractors), principally Espoma organic products.   With good soil and healthy plants we rarely have reasons to use pesticides and fungicides.When we do have a problem we prefer repellents with botanical oils and scents.  I Must Garden products are particularly useful. 

We don't use heavy equipment which compacts and destroys soil structure and harms the root systems of existing plants. 

In the photo above we are about to  spread 26 yards of compost by wheel barrow.  When the compost and amendments are well-tilled into the existing soil, we set out plants and give them a good start with Maxi-crop Kelp.  Peaceful Valley Farm Supply is our source for good organic products and information.