Hello fellow readers, Last week’s chat about cleaning stone walks and patios without harming plants in the nooks and crannies brings the question of favorite plants between steppingstones or amid patios. I adore volunteers Many favs found their way on their own, like the Lady

Hello Fellow Readers, As we speak, I’m overlooking the gardens along Virginia Beach. Three years ago, our last time here was with Miss Ellie in tow, how she loved it here. It’s heartwarming to see Jolee put her paws in the sand for the first time. Along the shoreline is a

Hello fellow readers,  We planted Ellie’s memorial tree over the weekend, a ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ Blue Spruce that served as our Christmas tree. It was a heartfelt moment as Jolee stood nearby watching. And, she helped dig a few holes in the yard too. Yup, we have a digge

Hello fellow readers, Last week, I enjoyed a visit with facilitators of a recently installed memorial garden at Father John’s Animal House, a no-kill rescue facility in Lafayette, NJ. My colleague and dear friend Marty of Three Seasons Garden Design volunteered to create the gar

Hello Fellow Readers, Chris from Morristown, NJ, wrote in, “My small Shasta daisies didn’t survive the winter, so I’ll have to choose another variety.  Also, the holly is on a lifeline right now. I’m upset because it was doing well.” Chris is a hardcore DIYer who did an extraordinary

Hello, fellow readers, A visit with Jacquie, a dear design client, leads to sharing life stories and an introduction to her newest favorite plant – Beautyberry. It’s a marvel how life brings people together. It’s one of the joys gained from the work I do. Especially when I

Hello fellow readers, When I met Stephanie of Denville, NJ, she wished to forgo a front lawn and plant a pollinator-friendly front lawn alternative garden. A garden she could stroll through and enjoy viewing from the inside, looking out. An ambitious undertaking for most, but I quickl

Sara from Oxford NJ asked how to prepare a plot in her backyard for organic vegetable gardening come spring. She suspects the previous owners used chemicals as when they moved in, the lawn "looked like a golf course." Kudos Sara. It's smart to consider the prior use of chemicals when

Hello Fellow Readers, I’m delighted to help Pam and Ed of Sparta NJ create a useful backyard for their rescue canine kids to run. It surely was a dilemma as the grade change from their side gate to the flatter back forty compares to a ski slope. Walking the area was difficult for two-

Hello fellow readers, The reasons to prune are similar to the reasons for caring for ourselves and our families– Improving appearance and health, training the young, controlling size, preventing injury or damage, rejuvenating the old, and influencing bounty. But choosing the rig