Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
a black and white dog in a snowbank with a tennis ball in shadow

History of Groudhog Day

Hello fellow readers, As I write, the snow is falling and is likely to continue well into Groundhog Day. They say if the groundhog sees his shadow, they’ll be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, it will be an early spring. With all this snow, it may be six weeks before we see the
Read More
a stack of ashwood logns invested with EAB

Help Control Emerald Ash Borer Spread

Hello fellow readers, Last week’s chat about the end of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) quarantine brought quite a buzz. Though authorities will no longer restrict ash wood movement, we can help control Emerald Ash Borer spread by doing our part. Which brings the question of Robert
Read More
a large patch of bark fallen from an ash tree

Emerald Ash Borer a Lost Cause?

Hello fellow readers, Upon investigating the culprit of a tree largely de-barked, I learned the US Department of Animal and Plant Health Inspection recently dropped the quarantine laws to prevent the further spread of Emerald Ash Borer. Could it be that EAB is a lost cause? After the
Read More
red fox sleeping in lawn

Foxes in the Garden

Hello fellow readers, After a week’s transition in the garage to re-acclimate our ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ Spruce to the outside world, Ellie’s memorial Christmas tree now sits in a protected spot. She’s in front of the future vegetable garden where the rundown h
Read More
comfort zone camp 2020 pin in the shape of glasses sitting on a purple flowering violet

Better than Twenty-Twenty

Hello Fellow Readers, We welcome a new year, with sentiments of good riddance to 2020. A year we entered with optimism. The number itself, 2020, invites the concept of balance, of “perfect” vision. But twenty-twenty is not a perfect vision. It’s an average vision. It
Read More
green chritmas ornament with a reflection of the photgrapher taking the photo

Happy New Year of Growth

Hello Fellow Readers, The Press publishes a New Year’s pictorial issue to provide their staff time off between Christmas and New Year’s. I enjoy the deadline respite, too, but I wish to reach out to my faithful online followers to thank you for being part of our community. We welcome
Read More
a mysterious unaddressed Christmas Card opened up on a wooden table with a red cardinal decoration

Mysterious Christmas Card

Hello fellow readers, May I share a story of the mysterious Christmas card that landed in our mailbox with messages addressed to all. The unaddressed envelope has a lovely illustration of a male and female cardinal. Red cardinals, the males, are often featured in Christmas decorations
Read More
blonde woman in pink garden with a three foot tall blue spruce in a red pot

Ellie’s Living Christmas Tree

Hello fellow readers, We were late putting up a Christmas tree due to waffling of what type of tree to decorate—a cut tree, an artificial, or a living Christmas tree, perhaps. In truth, my indecisiveness is primarily because of a heavy heart. The tree is on the corner of the family ro
Read More
pinkish-salmon colored poinsettia variety next to a red one

Poinsettia Varieties

Hello fellow readers, The other day, while shopping for groceries, I stumbled upon an array of poinsettia varieties arranged at the floral department entrance. Hopefully not annoying other shoppers, I snagged a bunch of photos to capture their beauty. Of course, there were the traditi
Read More
closeup of a large yellow sunflower bloom

Lessons from Woman with Flower

Hello fellow readers, While searching my stash of questions and garden of life tidbits, I came across an influential poem by Naomi Long Madgett titled Woman with Flower that I first heard over a handful of years ago. Most that review Naomi’s poem believe it pertains to a mother-
Read More