Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
two brown chairs in snow in front of a brook with reflections of the trees

Stillness Teaches Growth Through Nature

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Recent rains washed away the late-fall trifecta of snow that had so festively decorated our world. It felt curious to have snow arrive ahead of schedule, but everything has its season. And sometimes, seasons come early. Now winter has official
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Jolee, a white dog wiht a black mask looking into a bucket of holly branches.

The Garden Teaches Letting Go

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Decorating with What Remains I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was on a scavenger hunt to decorate window boxes and pots. Well, the holly branches chewed off Ellie’s memorial holly dried out amazingly fast, likely due to the buck’
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White pine branches layered in winter window box with holly and pinecones

Late-Fall Tasks into Décor

Hello fellow of all things green, Last week, I shared about the buck rub on Ellie’s memorial holly (link below) and how branches ended up strewn along the base of the tree. While rubbing, deer often chew on lower branches, then paw at the soil and urinate to mark their territory. I sa
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Ellie’s recovered memorial holly Jolee, a white dog wiht black ears.

Hope Unfolds in Holly’s Renewal

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, You may remember the story of the replacement tree planted in memory of Miss Ellie Mae, my rescue before Jolee. The first tree, a ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ Blue Spruce, didn’t survive. Its roots were severely cut and crisscrossed—what’s known in the tr
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Mary Stone and Marty Carson in Stone Associates Display at the Springfest Garden Show

Goodbye to Garden Legend, Marty Carson

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, A Late-Season Harvest and Autumn Reflections Last week, I shared a late-season harvest from my no-till vegetable garden. Since then, I removed the deer netting, stakes, and cages and found other tomatoes that could’ve been harvested desp
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a basket of a late season harvest of peppers, yellow beans and cherry tomatoes.

Lessons from a Late No-Till Garden

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I harvested the last of my vegetables from the garden—late by most standards. But tucked into that final harvest were unexpected reminders of the resilience of a No-Till garden and the quiet wisdom that arrives when we let Nature lead. Ripenin
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Swarm-of-Common-Grackles

Flocking Together – Wisdom from Grackles

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, Last week, I shared the sad news that the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice in Fredon, NJ, will close on November 14, 2025. As you can imagine, my final visits as a volunteer come with a swirl of emotions. On Friday, while chatting with the a
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Ken Roberts and Mary Stone standing behind Julia Quinlan in a wheelchair.

Promises That Live Beyond Seasons

Honoring the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice and a Beloved Friend Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, As you may know, you can subscribe to my free newsletter (sign up below), which arrives in your inbox every week or two. Since the beginning, my dear friend and garden design
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bright red and green leaves of Japanese Maple and yellow leaves of Bottlebrush Buckeye in the background

Sequence of Fall Leaves Brings Life

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. We are past the peak of fall colors, though there’s still more to enjoy. Before me are the brilliant red leaves of a Japanese Maple and the golden glory of Bottlebrush Buckeye, dancing on in the breeze, bringing to mind how leaves change
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a side view portrait of blue jay on a leafless branch

Acorns and a Ruckus of Blue Jays

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, Last week, while recording the podcast version of our weekly chat from the screen porch, a loud ruckus of birds erupted, sounding like an argument from the oak tree by the vegetable garden. The ruckus was equivalent to the deafening sounds of
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