Keeping honey bee hives means you will likely encounter swarms - something people are usually terrified of! A natural reproduction process, swarming can happen to any beekeeper, so you should be prepared when it occurs. It is a sight to behold when the swarm is in full flight. The season of swarms is typically in …
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Fern Resurgence Ferns are enjoying a resurgence of interest and popularity recently, primarily because of fitting into older shady landscapes and their superb deer resistance. The wetter climate that we have experienced in the last couple of years is also a factor that makes people look at this class of plants with renewed scrutiny. Ferns …
Continue reading "Ostrich Fern-Deer Resistant Fool-Proof Ground Cover for Shade"
I love to spotlight local under-the-radar nurseries in central Maryland. These hard working nurseries fill a niche that larger nurseries and big box stores can't begin to fill. And one specialty greenhouse is right under my nose only a few miles away and I really just took it for granted - Susan Iglehart's Flowers or …
Continue reading "Annuals Extraordinaire From Susan Iglehart’s Flowers"
I have a long lasting love affair with perennial Nepeta or Catmint. I have used this under-the-radar perennial for years as a deer resistant plant that gives a long season of color for the entire season. My garden design career of over 25 years means the selections have only gotten better. 'Walkers Low' and 'Six …
Continue reading "Nepeta: The Perfectly Behaved Perennial"
Early to mid-April is a perfect time to start to enjoy your springtime flowers. Way before Dahlias, summertime annuals, and asters, the breath of selection of spring blooming perennials is dazzling but there are definitely favorites that I enjoy year after year. Columbine The sheer variety of shapes and colors of Columbine flowers has always …
Continue reading "Springtime Pretties-What You Should Be Planting for Spring Color"
Yes, I write a garden blog, but after rediscovering these delicious healthy muffins from the 70's, I had to post this when I got my Johnson and Johnson shot. Think of it as a new chapter after COVID where you will be eating healthier! With less sugar and more fiber, but instead of being tasteless …
Continue reading "Healthy Morning Glory Muffins"
Who says you have to plant your containers in May after the danger of a final frost? I have plants in my containers all year long and start in early March after pulling out Christmas greens using the long list of early spring flowers that can tolerate and love chilly weather. There are so many …
Continue reading "Cold Loving Spring Containers"
As earth stewards of our amazing planet, we can appreciate the potential importance of all species to the continued existence of a complex ecosystem. But there are some that stand out and do the heavy lifting. Specific integral species are more important than others to the sustainability of an ecosystem and are called ‘Keystone Species’ …
Continue reading "Powerhouse Keystone Species – Plant an Oak and Aster"
The grass is starting to green up and bulbs are peeking through the soil and spring is around the corner. Gardening chores come fast and furious once warm weather hits and sometimes you don’t have time to fit all the tasks in. To jump-start your gardening year, you can hit the ground running early to …
Continue reading "Jump Start Your Spring Chores"
After picking out dead honeybees from a honeycomb frame recently, I pledged to use only plants that are neonic free. Neonics or neonicitonoids have been implicated in recent bee declines as well as other factors, such as loss of habitat and the game changer bee parasite- varroa mite. There are a number of studies that …
Continue reading "Pollinator-Friendly Seed and Nursery Directory"
