Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
a turkey puppet on a Norway Spruce in the snow

Giving Thanks

Hello fellow readers, Last week, I crumbled under the stress of racing to meet deadlines. It felt paralyzing with classic symptoms of anxiety, a tight chest, and labored breathing. It’s a good thing I’m in good shape, I thought to myself, so my heart can ride the race. I also thought
Read More
Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Virginia Beach Sunrise

Reflections from Virginia Beach

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
Read More
Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Mary Stone with Miss Ellie Mae

Independence Day on the Top of the World

Hello, fellow readers. Last Sunday, we visited Big Pocono State Park, which sits atop Camelback Mountain Resort in Tannersville, PA. I’ve coined it the Top of the World, where you can see eastern Pennsylvania and portions of New Jersey and New York. More than that, there’s
Read More
Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone, Gardening tips, Garden Blog, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Northern New Jersey Landscape Designer, NJ Garden Coach, NJ Garden Speaker, Arbor Day, The Hidden Life of Trees, Do Trees Talk to each other

Talking to Trees on Arbor Day

Hello Fellow Readers, Arbor Day occurs worldwide at different times of the year, based on the growing season. In the United States, it’s celebrated on the last Friday in April. The origin of Arbor Day here dates back to 1872 when J. Sterling Morton, President Cleveland’s S
Read More
a large fallen branch of a hemlock in front of a garage that spared hitting my umbrella pine.

In Like a Lion

Hello fellow readers, As I write it’s the second day of March and a wild storm with high winds and heavy snow is underway. After a mild February with temps in the fifties, even some seventies, soil is saturated and soft. The risk of trees falling causing power outages are high. Talk a
Read More
Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Catfish Pond Blairstown NJ

Peace among the ‘Trees’

Hello Fellow Readers, The Press publishes a pictorial issue during Christmas week – few written words, simply photo highlights from their year of publication. While I enjoyed the deadline respite, I couldn’t let the week go by without posting for my followers online (Thank
Read More
Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Miss Ellie Mae

Merry Christmas Memories

Hello, fellow readers, Miss Ellie learned to flail her tail by the door where the ribbons of bells hang, making a sound like a reindeer making a landing. The bells are right next to where we stash her biscuits. Ellie’s cleverness earns her a treat. Fluffy snow and frigid temps g
Read More
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
Read More
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
Read More
Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog,Konstantin Dimopoulos Blue Trees

The Blue Trees

Hello fellow readers, Seeing the Forest through the Blue Trees by Konstantin Dimopoulos set the pace for the lecture series at the recent Woody Plant Conference held at The Scott Arboretum in Swarthmore, PA. Kon, born in Egypt to Greek parents, began his creation of brilliant blue tre
Read More