Hilton Head Monthly Voice Voice of the Lowcountry 
BLUFFTON WELCOMES THE JOHNSONS
Since childhood, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Clark “Jey” Johnson dreamed of joining the U.S. Army. Before the beginning of his senior year in high school, Johnson drive miles away to find a recruiting station near his home in Independence, Iowa. He headed to boot camp in July 1996, after graduation, and the reported for duty in Schweinfurt, Germany.
INSPIRATION TO HELP YOU SPROUT AN INTEREST IN GARDENING
Ah, spring: The birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and Lowcountry gardeners are getting out their trowels and heading to the yard. Why do we spend countless hours pruning and planting? For some of us, it helps us put down roots in our communities. Others just can’t help themselves. Here, a few famous quotes on gardening to help spark an interest:
The Lowcountry blooms best in spring, when azaleas, dogwood, roses, irises, wisteria, gardenia and dozens of other plants and trees bust forth in a cascade of color. The best place to see the best blossoms of the season? The All Saints Garden Tour.
The 31th annual tour, to be held on May 19, will feature six gardens in southern Beaufort County — three on Hilton Head Island and three in Bluffton. The gardens are in the following communities: River Bend, Berkley Hall, Belfair, Spanish Wells, Hilton Head Plantation and Sea Pines.
PALMETTO BLUFF HOME REFLECTS LOWCOUNTRY BEAUTY
There are Lowcountry-style homes, of course, and then there are exquisite Lowcountry homes. These show-stoppers combine all of the signature elements of the antebellum period with precise craftsmanship, attention to detail and devotion to authenticity.
One particular house on Stallings Island Street in Palmetto Bluff is one of those homes.
PALMETTO BLUFF HOUSE IS HGTV’S 2018 SMART HOME
For 14 months, camera crews from HGTV slipped in and out of Palmetto Bluff, as the channel’s 2018 Smart Home took shape near Moreland Village. The home is finished now and one lucky winner will receive the keys to it in June, when the giveaway contest wraps up.
“Somebody is going to have this as their little hidden gem in the South,” said Tiffany Brooks, a Chicago-based interior designer who is also the host of HGTV Smart Home 2018.
CALADIUMS AND CANNAS STAR IN LOWCOUNTRY GARDENS
We’re familiar with the fabled lilies of the field, which neither toil nor spin, yet are arrayed more gloriously than Solomon. But here we’re going to examine something even more... dare it be said? ... gaudy.
Extravagant caladiums and cannas are both showy and satisfying – the former for shade, the latter for sun. These two dependable beauties deserve a place in every Lowcountry landscape.
DRONES OFFER A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW ON REAL ESTATE
Not long ago, buying a home meant a lot of driving around and walking through homes in hopes of finding everything you want in a property. Now, thanks to drone cameras and virtual technology advancements, prospective buyers can see detailed, 3-D views of homes on the market, all without leaving the comfort of home.
BRUNO LANDSCAPE AND NURSERY HAS BECOME HILTON HEAD’S FAVORITE GARDENING CLUB.
Let’s face it: it’s been a long, cold winter. That rarest of meteorological occurrences — a Hilton Head Island snowstorm — has left your garden withered and dead. You can bemoan the loss of your begonias, or you can view this as a chance to join one of the island’s most exciting gardening clubs.
There’s no strict membership to this club, nor hard and fast bylaws. Instead, there’s just a place where this club congregates in varying numbers to compare green thumbs. Their home is among the 4 acres of lush greenery on Dillon Road at Bruno Landscape and Nursery.
NEW MEMBERS JOIN MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE
Thirty-six real estate professionals representing six companies joined the Multiple Listing Service of Hilton Head Island in December. Homesfinder Realty Group, Lubkin Appraisal Service, Premier Properties by Haig Point, Palmetto Real Estate, HomeLight Inc., and Hilton Head Properties are now MLS Hilton Head members. These strategic partnerships will give members access to more properties for sale, providing more exposure for buyers and sellers.
The golden blossoms of daffodils herald the arrival of spring in the Lowountry, and did you know the flowers also symbolize friendship?
Daffodils belong to the genus Narcissus. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and set against a star-shaped background of petals. Often the trumpet is in a contrasting color from the petals. Daffodils are hardy and easy perennials to grow in coastal South Carolina. Plant the bulbs in autumn and they will bloom in early spring.
