Benefits of Growing Black Walnuts
Autumn is harvest time, and as harvest of field crops begins to dwindle, many turn their thoughts to Thanksgiving and Halloween. I often think about my grandparents at this time of year, remembering all the great experiences they shared with me… eating potato doughnuts on Halloween, learning about trees in the backyard, and husking and […]
Our Garden Buddies
While cleaning out some landscape beds this past week, we came across one of our favorite garden helpers, a skink. This little guy was quite surprised by our removal of his cover of leaves from the garden. I was able to handle him gently for a photo and then replaced him to his burrow. He […]
Year In Review – Insects
This year brought a new look at some insects I had seen little of in the past, and some outbreaks of major pests. I love insects almost as much as I love plants and I love photographing them-though it can be difficult with just smartphone! I will not show the over 1000 photos of insects […]
Benefits of Using Coffee and Tea in the Garden and Compost
Americans consume nearly 400 million cups of coffee a day and about 150 million cups of tea per day. That comes to a lot of leftover tea bags and coffee grounds, most of which gets thrown into the trash. While Americans in large cities get most of their tea and coffee from coffee shops, many […]
Plants for Miniature Gardens
Miniature gardens (often referred to as fairy gardens) are a very popular method of introducing gardening to those who do not have the space or time for large scale landscape, as well as helping to spark the imaginations of a generation of children who do not have the resources available elsewhere. Miniature gardens need small […]
Groundcovers for the Garden
Groundcovers are one of the most important plants groups in the garden. They play a crucial role in retaining soil on slopes, they can fill large areas of shady ground where grass will not grow, and they can provide an unbroken expanse of color that helps tie garden areas together. There are two main types […]
Lady in Red Fern – #1 Container
May Tips & Tricks
Lawn • Apply slow release nitrogen fertilizer to bluegrass and tall fescue to promote summer growth if watering during the summer. Lower maintenance lawns skip this application. If there are broadleaf weeds you can spot treat with a spray or use a fertilizer that includes a weed killer. Rain or irrigation within 24 hours of […]
Get out and enjoy the spring!
Spring is always a busy time of year. For me, it is filled with many houses waiting to be cleaned up with plants trimmed back, leaves blown out and ponds cleaned. Even with all the pressures of landscape cleanups, I still find time in the evenings and weekends to spend time enjoying the spring. This […]
