Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
a large truck with a spaded holding the giant umbrella pine as a mother and young boy watch.

The Gift of a Giant Umbrella Pine

Hello, lovers of all things green. Our public gardens are a sure way to get a garden and nature “fix” with no cost of admission. Bruce Crawford, Morris County Park Commission’s Manager of Horticulture, invited me to tour the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown, NJ.
Read More
a white stucco house with a boxwood hedge and pink knockout roses and white climbing roses.

Holy Moly Rose Remedies

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I am recovering from a respiratory infection that snuck up on me, much like plant diseases can. Gratefully, I’m on the mend, as are two unsightly rose dilemmas calling for holy moly rose remedies (smile). We’ve chatted about the pl
Read More
a close up of John Cabot Roses with hot pink petals and yellow centers.

The Irresistible John Cabot Rose

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, What a treat to learn about John Cabot Roses through a story shared by a writer friend, Koleen Garland, who lives in Canada. She titled her “two-hour writing binge” (meaning first draft, hard to believe)—That Indestructible, Irresi
Read More
A smiley face made of tomatoes with beans as hair.

Making Friends with Companion Plants

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, It’s spring madness mode for those of us in the horticultural industry and for home gardeners, busy planning and planting this year’s bounty. The same is true for critters such as the peepers I adore in the pond with their evening
Read More
A selfie of black sneakers on a lawn filled with sunny yellow dandelions

Benefits of Plantain & Dandelion “Weeds”

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Have you ever considered Broadleaf Plantain, the flat-leaved weed with spikey seed heads that invades your lawn, a beneficial plant? It was news to me to learn that it’s a valuable herb, though I’ve known for years that Dandelions
Read More
A rejuvinated pruned maroon leaf smokebush in bloom that looks like smok

Rejuvenation Pruning & Smokebush

Hello, fellow lover of all things green, It felt therapeutic to tend to the rejuvenation pruning of the Smokebush and other shrubs. Rejuvenation pruning involves drastically cutting back overgrown plants to restore them to their intended shape or to manage their size, which was the ca
Read More
Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog,Northern New Jersey Landscape Designer, Early Spring Trasnplants

Early Spring Transplants

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, Early Spring, after the ground thaws, is ideal for transplanting many deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs before they break dormancy. It’s the second-best time in my book. The first best time is after the leaves drop or when they go
Read More
Happt St. Patricks Day Clover in white pots.

St. Patrick and the Legend of Clover

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, The fascinating history of St. Patrick leads to the legend of shamrocks featured in the holiday. Plus, the folklore of the four-leaf clover. While shopping in a nearby grocery I came upon cute little shamrocks on display for St. Patrick’
Read More
Looking up at a Sycamore with creamy white, grey, and greenish patches on the trunk against a blue sky

Anatomy & Array of Beautiful Bark

Hello, fellow lover of all things green, During winter walks through the woods, the bark of trees takes center stage, especially standing in the snow. I confess to not being the best and identifying species without leaves unless a few are on the tree or the ground nearby. Bruce Crawfo
Read More
Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Mary Stone, what rose colors mean, valentines tips

Meaning of Roses & Valentine’s Traditions

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, Do you recall Valentine’s Day traditions as a kid having to bring cards to school? It was an assignment. An obligation. One for each classmate. Cards came in assortment packs and while the sayings were mostly about friendliness, which is
Read More