Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
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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large brown ring shaped patch on lawn with a dachshund dog in the center

The Phenomenon of Fairy Rings

Craig has had two rings that have made recurring visits to his lawn over the past few years in the same place. Each one is about ten feet wide and spaced five feet apart. He and Caroline live in front of a farm field and thought pesticides used over the years could be causing the myst
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A copperhead with hourglass-shaped bands laying in dirt

Curious Copperhead Encounters

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. About a month ago, at late dusk, I took Jolee over the footbridge across the pond to her potty spot. On the way back, I noticed an oddly flattened snake, but there was no blood, and the head was intact. How strange, given there’s no vehi
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Beaver or Woodchuck? What to do?

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, Episode 211 of the Garden Dilemmas Podcast, titled The Truth and Tale of Two Country Gardens, shares a story written while taking a fiction class. However, much of the story is based on my experience working with clients to enhance their garde
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a huge white ash tree with three young adults standing in front of the trunk.

The Wolfe Tree- A Grand Ash

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Last week, we discussed how disease and insects are impacting stands of trees. Among them, the emerald ash borer has devastated native ash trees, which comprise roughly ten percent of the forests here in Northern New Jersey. Some specimen tree
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sunbeam through branches of beach tree with emerging leaves

Hope Beyond Declining Native Trees

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, The influx of insects and other diseases killing stands of trees is heartbreaking. We feel helpless as remedies are experimental or beyond our means to implement. Then comes acceptance—the awareness that the gift of life is making the most of
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spongy moth larvae feeding on leaves

Spongy Moths Vs. Tent Caterpillars

Spongy Moths look similar to Eastern Tent Caterpillars and Fall Webworms but can kill trees. Learn about the differences and safe remedies.
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a brown Carolina mantis on a stem.

Praying Mantises Beneficial or Bad

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Lora asked how to determine whether the praying mantis egg sac in her yard was native or non-native. She’s concerned because she raises monarch and painted lady butterflies and a few toads she wishes to protect. The comment came after I
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Cicada

Cicadas Sing Back to School

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. In recent weeks, while recording the podcast, I’ve apologetically mentioned the ruckus of cicadas in the trees. The sounds remind me of a cicada encounter during a garden installation and a reminiscence of how the late summer sounds of c
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A rabbit in a lawn facing side ways

Koleen’s Dagnabbit Rabbit Dilemma

Hello lovers of all things green, You may remember the treat of learning about John Cabot Roses through my writer friend Koleen Garland who lives in Canada. Well, Koleen recently sent a saga about her dagnabbit rabbit dilemma sure to delight. Koleen’s story: I like to garden wit
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