Hello Fellow Readers, One of the greatest gifts of Christmas is spending time with loved ones. I’ve just returned from visiting lifelong friends that live outside of Austin. The first stop was Round Top Texas, where Dorothy from my college days lives. She’s an artist with a gall

Hello fellow readers, Over the weekend I participated in a Family Holiday Program for Comfort Zone Camp (CZC), a bereavement camp for kids and young adults. It’s their twentieth anniversary of serving families who have lost loved ones too early in life. The holidays are especially dif

Hello fellow readers, Tom from Tranquility NJ wonders if his Flowering Pears (Pyrus calleryana) are in trouble. “The leaves immediately turned brown right after the dump of snow and are still clinging to the trees. Does that mean the new buds haven’t yet formed?” No worries Tom, ornam

Hello fellow readers, While the fall planting season is wrapping up, there’s still time to plant most species of woody plants. Good thing as Gail and Rich of Sparta NJ have a naked garden dilemma since a new neighbor moved in who opted to take down a glorious stand of Canadian hemlock

Hello fellow readers, I recently returned from a respite in Virginia Beach. What a treat to enjoy summer weather and sunshine especially given our summer of wetness. Half a watermelon in plastic wrap was in the fridge, which I didn’t think would still be viable. But it was. When

Hello fellow readers, “Is fall a good time to mulch,” asked John of Washington, NJ. I think so, mainly because there’s much to do in the garden when spring arrives. And for me, the madness of the season speedily unfolds. Like most springs, mulching didn’t happe

Hello fellow readers, Mums and ornamental cabbage have become the iconic welcome to the glories of fall, though there are other less common fall annuals gaining popularity. Lynda of East Stroudsburg PA asked what the bright pink caterpillar-like blooms that sit atop spiky foliage are?

Hello fellow readers, On September 22nd, the first day of fall, our weather seemed to turn a switch, and leaves began to drop. It’s no surprise that the early leaf changers and droppers, customarily maples, show wounds from the growing season. I stumbled upon one such leaf while

Hello fellow readers, Talk about a shift! The chill, albeit wet and soggy, feels like back to school. For me too, as I registered for a fiction workshop at Warren County Community College. It felt nostalgic going back to school; familiar butterflies and all. There’s a process of

Hello fellow readers, “Is there such a thing as wild hydrangea?” asked Tammy of Marshalls Creek, PA. There is. Hydrangea arborescens is commonly known as Smooth Hydrangea or Wild hydrangea, and it’s native in the woodlands of the northeast, but it blooms in the spring. The plant