The ups and downs of the gardening world.
An under-used and under-appreciated perennial in the U.S, Tricyrtus or Toad Lily, is gaining in popularity. Uncommon beauty, late-season blooms and wonderful adaptability to shade, give the toad lilies a place in just about any garden. Called toad lilies because of the spotting like a toad, these beautiful flowers thrive in moist deep shade to …
Continue reading "Hairy Toad Lily – Gem of the Garden"
It is still warm during the day, but a little nippy at night, when I decided to visit Ladew Topiary Gardens in Monkton, MD, to see some colorful fall foliage and berries. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that flowers were still cranking out blooms and that caterpillars in the Butterfly House were still …
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Winter squash are filling up the farmers markets, roadside stands, and supermarkets, overflowing in a bounty of shapes, sizes and colors. How to choose the best ones? Winter squash are different from summer squash (like zucchini and yellow crookneck)—the skin is hard and inedible, while the inside is firm and flavorful. Leaving winter squash on …
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Floating above the border on long willowy stems, Japanese Anemones, Anemone hupehensis, are a stalwart herbaceous perennial that lasts for years. Many perennials are short-lived, lasting only for a few seasons, but I have had Anemones bloom for me in my garden for over 30 years. Reliable and deer resistant, they come in a variety …
Continue reading "Japanese Anemones – Fall Star of the Garden"
How would you like to have hand-selected healthy plants delivered personally to your front door in just a few days from ordering? And all the planning work done by pros for selecting the best seasonal plants to make your containers pop? I have the service for you! I tried BloomBox and loved the ease of …
Continue reading "BloomBox – All-New Way to Buy Plants"
It happens every Fall - honey extraction! After babying the bees, feeding, monitoring, re-queening, splitting, and just plain worrying about them, now is the moment of truth. How much honey did they deposit in the combs for me to rob from them? I won't leave you in suspense - I extracted 160-180 pounds from two …
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'Jeana' Phlox is one of the top pollinator attracting plants in my garden in the dog days of summer. Attracting dozens of butterflies and other assorted bees, my patch starts in the late morning with a few butterflies and by the end of the heat of the day, the plants look like they are fluttering …
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Whats blooming in my garden? Elderberries!! The sweet umbels of creamy colored flowers that can reach 12" across are so fragrant and have a unique smell, kind of like floral, creamy, and summery all in one package! All cultivars look very similar with their shrub-like plant structure, compound leaves, and big, beautiful clusters of white …
Continue reading "Elderberry-Growing and Using a Versatile Herb"
Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic, and Aromatic Ah....The fragrance of lavender! Evoking many memories, like wandering through blooming fields of lavender on a hot summer day buzzing with bees. This is one herb that if I were on a desert island, I would want to grow! Growing lavender in my garden every year is essential and I …
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Working outside I encounter a lot of unusual pests and annoyances. One of my most despised pests is the Tomato Hornworm. Tomato Hornworms are really big green alien-like caterpillars that can munch through and devastate your vegetable  garden. Nondescript brown moths lay pearl-like eggs on your tomato, pepper, or eggplant, from which the big green monsters …
Continue reading "Don’t Kill That Tomato Hormworm!!"
