By: Joshua Jones
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| From left, Ellie Morgan, a resident of Copper Beech Statesboro, and Erika Paddock work in Morgan's garden on Friday, May 21. Morgan, who is in recovery, moved to the apartment complex in 2018 to change her life. |
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| Ellie Morgan waters the flowers at her Statesboro townhome using a retractable water hose. "Flowers make everything prettier, and I just also enjoy learning about them," said Morgan. |
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| Ellie Morgan (left) speaks to a neighbor walking their dog while she waters her various plants. "I'm sure that most people here are like, 'Who's that lady that lives on the corner?'" said Morgan, referring to how people may perceive her garden. |
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| Erika Paddock, 10, enjoys the table and chairs Ellie Morgan has set up outside of her townhome. Morgan, a friend of Paddock's mother, babysits Paddock from time to time. |
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| From left, Erika Paddock assists Ellie Morgan in trimming her flowers. Morgan allowed Paddock to help with the process in order to teach her how to care for plants. |
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| Ellie Morgan (left) shows Erika Paddock how to add moisture potting mix to her tomato plants. Morgan was careful to explain the reason behind everything she was doing so that Paddock could learn. |
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| Ellie Morgan puts more soil into one of her tomato plants. Morgan said she enjoys being able to grow fresh produce at home. |
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| From left, Ellie Morgan and Erika Paddock place rocks into the bottom of a planter before they add the soil. Morgan informed Paddock that this trick supposedly helps to improve drainage. |
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| Ellie Morgan adds her new plant into her freshly-soiled pot. "We grow tomatoes and just all kind of different flowers, and they make me happy," said Morgan. |
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| Ellie Morgan (left) pats down the soil around her newest plant as Erika Paddock watches. This plant will add to her collection of nearly 20, which Morgan says will all go with her were she ever to move. |
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| Erika Paddock relaxes in the shade after helping her babysitter, Ellie Morgan, tend to her plants. Paddock said that Morgan is taking her to a light show after this long day of work. |
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| Erika Paddock (right) is all smiles as she helps Ellie Morgan fix the tomato cage on one of her plants. Paddock is often at Morgan's townhome, helping her with various tasks throughout the day. |
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| Ellie Morgan adds fertilizer to two of her flower pots. "We just make the most out of our small yard because we're really appreciative of it," said Morgan, 40, who started her garden during the COVID-19 pandemic with her fiancée, Nick Johnson, 35. |
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| Ellie Morgan uses scissors to trim her roses, something she often does as part of her gardening routine. Morgan said that her love of flowers and boredom during quarantine led to her decision to start a garden. |
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| Ellie Morgan waters her tomato plants and one of her smaller flower beds. Morgan said her garden was partly started in an effort to improve the look of her home, adding that her apartment complex does not take great care of the bushes around her townhome. |
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| Ellie Morgan cuts the tag off one of the newest additions to her garden. "It started with a few potted plants and it just kept getting bigger," said Morgan on the size of her garden. |
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| Morgan places her recently-potted plant into its new home by her patio set. Morgan says she often sits outside with her fiancée, adding "We have our hummingbird feeder out here and I just enjoy being out here." |
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| Ellie Morgan uses her water hose to clean the soil off of the pavement leading to her townhome. "Actually, the property manager came down and commended me for it, and she said, 'I wish more people would do this,'" said Morgan, when asked what Copper Beech thought of her garden. |
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| Ellie Morgan examines one of her flowers after a day of gardening. Morgan repeats this process multiple times a week in order to keep her plants healthy and the exterior of her apartment visually appealing. |
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| This patio set allows Ellie Morgan and her fiancée, Nick Johnson to sit outside and enjoy their garden. Neighbors often stop to converse with the couple, who can often be found watering plants or letting their dogs play around outside. |
