Creating a backyard that’s enjoyable for you and friendly to the Earth is easier than you think. From pollinator gardens to organic mulching to smart watering, taking an environmentally sound approach to landscaping helps to promote a green yard – and a greener world. Following, some simple tips to [...]

Photo credit: Evan Kafka

Life in Western North Carolina offers up a refreshing range of weather experiences. Asheville, at an elevation of just above 2,000 feet, boasts an overall mild year-round climate – not too cold in the winter, not too hot in the summer – but traveling just a short distance outside of the city can reveal a greater [...]

Hot weather is almost here, and the Asheville area’s many water destinations – both man-made and natural – are sure to help your summer go swimmingly. Following is a list of the best spots to cool off when temperatures heat [...]

Asheville Parks and Recreation maintains a beautiful system of greenways throughout the city, with miles more planned for completion in the next few years. This means that even if you don’t currently have a greenway near your [...]

As Western North Carolina gears up for winter, the Asheville area comes alive with snow-centric activities. From skiing to snow tubing to wintry hikes, a range of outdoor adventures makes the flakes all the more fun, for young and old alike. Following, a few favorites to try out this [...]

Much of the beauty of living in Asheville is the city’s amazing accessibility to the Blue Ridge Parkway. With the famed Virginia-to-North Carolina scenic highway – America’s longest linear park at 469 miles – winding along mere minutes from Asheville’s city center, it’s easy to jump on the parkway – whether it’s an impromptu afternoon hike [...]

Summer is in full bloom, and so are Asheville-area flower farms and greenhouses. For fresh cuts of everything from peonies and poppies to zinnias and dahlias, the sources are abundant. Flower farms provide their wares at farmer’s markets across the area, or through flower bouquet shares (similar to CSA shares). Some farms also offer [...]

Every Fourth of July, the Asheville area plays host to a multitude of Independence Day celebrations, with an array of activities to delight young and old. Choose from one of these Fourth of July fetes, and you’re sure to have a blast! (Unless otherwise noted, all events occur on July [...]

Asheville is home to many parks large and small, some replete with sports fields, others boasting an abundance of green space, and a number perfect for playground time. Following, a few of the area’s popular parks – as well as some lesser-known gems. Many of these parks are located in [...]

Since 1970, when a grassroots demonstration initiated by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson marked what we know today as Earth Day, millions of people have gathered around the world every year to participate in events and activities focused on improving, cleaning up and celebrating the environment. This month, [...]