Text by Claire Pool
Since 2002, Sweet Peas Garden Shop has provided residents of Homewood, Alabama, with excellent local products and a fun and funky storefront curb appeal. Area gardeners turn to the trusted staff for advice on everything from annuals and perennials to vegetables, herbs, and much more.
Sarah Smith took over the business in January 2020 from the original owner, Jon Culver. “I had been working there part-time and left to do some landscaping design,” says Sarah. “I told Jon if he ever wanted to sell that I would take over.” Since taking ownership, Sarah has maintained Jon’s vision and preserved details that capture the heart of Sweet Peas, like the mural painted by a local artist and the peace signs hanging on the exterior. “It’s quirky and fun,” she says of the shop’s personality.
Sarah notes the importance of keeping things local and has started supporting Alabama growers. Importing new goods from Europe, such as pottery and herbs, is an additional change Sarah has made in the last two years. “I am just trying to provide products for our customers that they can’t find anywhere else,” she says.
Autumn is a time for changing colors and plentiful produce, and Sarah shares some suggestions for what to plant during this harvest season. “I like to add color in the fall—pops of marigold and zinnias and leafy greens,” she says. In addition, ornamental kales, purple and white cabbages, thyme and parsley, broccoli and cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts will all flourish during the fall and winter months, especially in the South.
In the late fall months as winter draws near, Sarah advises to begin cutting back perennials and preparing your plants for spring. Making sure peonies are staked and bulbs are planted will bring a colorful spring season to your garden. “Use fall to prepare for spring,” Sarah says. “Add color, because nothing is nicer on a dreary day than to have some plants outside that make you happy.”
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