Hi there, and welcome to Home Garden Joy! I’m Jeanne Grunert — the writer, master gardener, and amateur herbalist behind this blog. You’ll find tons of helpful articles here to support you as you grow what feeds you, whether that’s your first tomato plant or your skills in cooking with homegrown produce.
Home Garden Joy is all about living closely with the seasons — through gardening, cooking, and savoring the rhythms of nature. You’ll find simple how‑to gardening tips, landscaping and flower‑garden inspiration, indoor plant care, and guidance on growing fruits, veggies, and herbs. I also share ways to cook with your harvest and preserve it so you can enjoy the flavors of each season long after it’s passed.
So what nourishes you? For me, it’s time spent digging in the soil, stirring something delicious on the stove, savoring the seasons, and watching birds and butterflies drift through the garden.
Come grow with me. Welcome to Home Garden Joy.
Learn more about Home Garden Joy and our 19+ year journey to build a spirit-lifting lifestyle.
October is the time of year for pumpkins, squash, scrunching through piles of fall leaves, and enjoying the last of the lovely weather before winter sets in. Here in Virginia, October can go either way — sometimes it stays warm, and sometimes the first frosts move in and finish off the summer vegetables. At this…
I learned how to grow bok choy through trial and error. Last fall, I noticed some beautiful heads of Chinese cabbage (napa cabbage) at our local farmer’s market. When I asked the proprietor where it was grown, I found it was grown not five miles from my house! Well, that means I could grow all…
Fall is the time for mums, for pumpkins, and another round of pansies — for soft golden twilights and leaves crunching underfoot. September is the last month here in zones 6 and 7 when the garden is still lush and full. We’re harvesting the last of the tomatoes here at Seven Oaks, my farm near…
We meet the strangest neighbors while walking the dog. This assassin bug was strolling across the pavement on a hot summer’s evening when we walked our dog. At first, I thought it was a wolf spider, but the leg arrangement, plus the narrower body, made me decide to snap a picture and use Google Lens…