CJ Lotz Diego

CJ Lotz Diego is a Garden & Gun deputy editor. A staffer since 2013, she wrote G&G’s bestselling Bless Your Heart trivia game, edits the Due South travel section, and covers gardens, books, and art. Originally from Eureka, Missouri, she graduated from Indiana University and now lives in Charleston, South Carolina, where she tends a downtown pocket garden with her florist husband, Max.

SOUTHERN STORMS

Not even an act of God was going to take Judy Wade’s pound cake

Outdoors

Spring is the season for these savory cone-shaped fungi

Arts & Culture

The “Tidying Up” star and her new Texas sidekick share timely—and sensibly Southern—tips for a better home-office life from their new book

Homeplace

Gogo Ferguson’s home is a wild heart—and one that showcases the wonders of its setting

Arts & Culture

An exclusive interview with the cowboy in a museum, trying to figure out social media

Outdoors

The world’s only commercial ramp farmer seeks a successor

Southern Heroes

A South Carolina trio elevates the work of Southern storytellers

Gardens

Containers of herbs and veggies, inspired by one of England’s most famous gardens, yield abundant flavor

Gardens

An expert’s beautiful new book celebrates flowers of all kinds, but right now, it’s daffodil time

Food & Drink

A new cookbook honors chickpeas, field peas, lentils, and other beans from all over the legume family tree

14 Slideshow

Arts & Culture

Cozy up with a funny new novel, a collection of nearly forgotten stories, fascinating biographies, and a beautiful look-ahead to spring gardening

In the Garden

On Avery Island in Louisiana, curious camellia hunters unravel generations of botanical mysteries

Music

A fascinating new biography of the rock-and-roll legend reveals a rugged Southern soul

Travel

Seven Charlestonians share their favorite ways to spend time in the Holy City

Arts & Culture

Grits are a mainstay in Southern cuisine, and over the decades, they’ve also been an important part of Southern pop culture. Here, eight great grits highlights

Food & Drink

Kernels of wisdom about one of the South’s fundamental foods

Food & Drink

Ten purveyors that will send freshly ground grits straight to your doorstep

21 Slideshow

Arts & Culture

Memoirs, novels, a deep dive on Harper Lee, and landmark cookbooks—here are our favorite reads of the year

Arts & Culture

John Wayne’s granddaughter gives a behind-the-scenes look at a new exhibition that compares the classic Western novel and two films

Arts & Culture

Julia Reed and Keith Meacham’s new shop readies for the holidays—and all the days