Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
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
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Black and white photo of a smiling golden retriever in front of a boulder

Unexpected Furry Messenger

Hello Fellow Readers, As you know, Miss Ellie Mae is the mascot for our column since we began our weekly chats over eight years ago. With a heavy heart, I share the news that we helped her go home on Tuesday. She arrived unexpectedly eleven years ago during a tough time of transition.
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog,Northern New Jersey Landscape Designer, Coffee Grounds in the Garden, Smiling Cup of Joe

Smiling Cup of Joe

Hello Fellow Readers, I had a good laugh when I heard from my youngest brother, who lives in Tennessee. Rick texted a photo of his cup of joe with a frothy smiley face smack dab in the middle. “Look at my message this morning in my coffee.” His suspicious sister writes back, “Come on.
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, woolybears, woolybears crossing the road, worms crossing the road when wet, Hickory Tussock caterpillars

Why Critters Cross the Road

Hello fellow readers, This time of year, on morning walks with Miss Ellie, I come across woolly bear caterpillars (Pyrrharctia isabella) and can’t help but help them along. Just as I pick them up, they curl into balls of fur. After ten or so saves, I consider just letting them b
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Garden Toad, Garden Guests

Healing in the Garden of Life

Hello fellow readers, While the official start of fall has begun, the heat and humidity return after the late summer cooling spell has Mother Nature confused. I heard spring peepers the other evening while sitting on the screened porch. And, there’s early leaf drop on certain tr
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Note-to-Self: Look Up!

Nature’s inspirations are sometimes seen looking up! I took this photo on December 18, 2015 from the side of the road; Cobblewood  Road, Blairstown to be specific. As a result of stumbling upon this puffy treat I made a note-to-self : Never overlook looking up!
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Queen Anne's Lace,Daucus carota, Wild Carrot

Queen Anne’s Lace Anomaly

Hello fellow readers, While on a road walk with Miss Ellie, I saw a pinkish Queen Anne’s Lace flower with dark magenta edges on a plant where all the other flowers were the customary cream. What a gorgeous anomaly! It reminded me of grade school when we’d cut Queen Anne
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog

Good Morning Sunshine!

This is the view I enjoyed this morning after the last few days of heavy rain, heat and humidity. Glorious Rays of Sunshine! So grateful…
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Daffodils

A daffy sunset

Curt snagged this shot of the rock garden with his phone on Saturday. If I recall the plant I planted in front of the daffodils is Spiraea japonica ‘Golden Elf’ / Golden Elf Japanese Spirea Hardy in zones 4-9. This yellow leaved cutie only grows to 6-8 inches high and has
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone, Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, April Fools Day

an April Fool’s Day Delight

Mother Nature delivered this gift on April 1st! It melted quickly, but what splendor while it lasted!
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