Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
a row of daffodil foliage tied into pigtails

Tidying Daffodil Foliage

Hello, Fellow Lovers of All Things Green. At last, I had some time in my garden. Not much time, but any time brings such joy. Though true, I get overwhelmed at how many things need addressing. Then came a quick fix to the overwhelming feeling—tidying daffodil foliage. As much as I lov
Read More
checking soil temperatures using a cooking thermometer in a garden next to pea seedlings

When to Sow Vegetable Seeds Outside

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I found a few hours to tackle the vegetable garden on Mother’s Day. Finding time for my garden is hard, but it brings me joy when I do. Thankfully, gardens are forgiving. A bit of a save on my delinquency: I planted snap peas a few weeks
Read More
Light Green fan-like leaves of Lady's Mantle with plentiful droplets of morning dew.

Lotus Effect and Lady’s Mantle

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green; I adore clients sending plant photos from their gardens. Tara from Sparta, NJ, sent one of her Lady’s Mantle with the headline Morning Diamonds. “So lovely! I adore the lotus effect. Thank you for sharing,” my note back. Perf
Read More
Closeup of Purple Siberian Iris to be divided

Dividing Iris and Multiplying Gifts

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I look forward to when the Siberian Iris, planted by the previous owner, emerges in the rock garden and flourishes with deep purple flowers in late spring or early summer. But they have not had nearly as many blooms in the last few years. The
Read More
a colorful assortment of pansies in front of a red barn

Violet and Pansy Season of Happiness

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. In Episode 202 of the Garden Dilemmas Podcast (link below), I share a heartwarming story from my dear friend Vicki Johnson, a garden writer and photographer, about what inspired her to start gardening, which grew into a passion and a career. I
Read More
a garden of yellow daffodils in the shape of a cross

Dividing and Sharing Perennials

Hello fellow lovers of all things green. It’s the time of year to divide things which may seem to contradict the oneness we feel with nature and each other. We have enough division in our world. Don’t you agree? However, dividing perennials is about creating more of a beau
Read More
Close up of a purple dahlia

Favorite Spring-Planted “Bulbs”

A while back, I enjoyed a pre-spring theatre outing with my design colleague and dear friend, Marty Carson. Our jaunt allowed me to brain-pick her favorite summer flowering bulbs to plant in the spring. How fun to learn that one of her favorites is technically a corm.
Read More
pink flowers on a branch in front of a white indoor wall.

Encouraging Indoor Spring Blooms

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Spring soon arrives, and many are anxious for green with a splash of color. My go-to is harvesting branches of forsythia, but you can also bring other spring-flowering woody plants indoors to encourage early spring blooms. How to Encourage Ear
Read More
Mary Stone hugging a 5-foot wide caliper tree with a large root flare.

Myths Truths and Protecting Roots

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Attending the NJ Nursery & Landscape Association show in January is always a delight. This year, I especially enjoyed Bruce Crawford’s talk, the Morris County Park Commission’s Manager of Horticulture. He gave a refresher on my
Read More
African Violet with a long neck needing Radical Repotting

Fixing African Violets with Long Stems

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. During the recent deep freeze and high winds, I brought my podcast from the screened porch inside and recorded it while sitting in front of my indoor plants. I noticed that the low humidity of the house has already caused them stress. The reme
Read More