Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
a Ginkgo biloba tree with a forty-foot wide canopy along a sidewalk

Enduring Hope of Ginkgo Trees

Hello fellow readers, A dear friend, Vicki Johnson, sent a Thanksgiving card she made with a beautiful photograph of a maple leaf in its fall glory. On the back, there’s folklore about catching a falling leaf bringing good luck with golden Ginkgo biloba leaves cascading amongst
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a woman's hand holding a dark brown aged pawpaw fruit

Planting Pawpaw Seeds

Hello fellow readers, What a treat to gather a biweekly allotment at Genesis Farm in Blairstown, NJ, gifted by a client who’s become a friend. Nancy said her friend Lois would be there volunteering as a greeter if I picked up the provisions before two, which I did, and what a tr
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, How to Plant Bulbs, Daffodils

Bulbs to Extend Spring Blooms

Hello fellow readers, It’s an ideal time to plant spring flowering bulbs, so don’t put away the gardening gear just yet. I adore sharing a deer-resistant lineup to extend the bloom, suggested by my friend and design colleague, Marty of Three Seasons, who touts, “You can get three to f
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a five-foot wide sycamore trunk decorated with a ring of ghosts and a sign that reads Boo

Halloween History & Sycamore Ghosts

Hello fellow readers, How fun to see Halloween enthusiasts decorating their homes like Christmas with purple and orange lights, cobwebs, and spiders. Even smoke machines, reminiscent of the disco days. Skeletons, goblins, and ghosts adorned a front yard we came upon; some were hanging
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, White Pine Needle Drop

Fall Needle Drop of Renewal

Hello fellow readers, Seeing evergreens drop needles often triggers concern. It’s kind of like an abundance of hairs in your shower drain. Andrea of Morristown, NJ, asked what was going on with her white pines yellowing. It’s called Fall Needle Drop “of renewal”
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an elderly woman and middle aged woman walking through an arbor

Boxwood Dilemmas & Garden Delights

Hello fellow readers, What a joy to visit with Connie and Susan of Blairstown, NJ. I met Susan and her husband, Don, while walking Jolee. They are building a home nearby, and Jolee (and I) have grown to adore them. One day we spoke about her mom, who loves to garden. Susan said a few
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A flat topped mushroom amongst moss and a bottlebrush buckeye leaf

Mary Reynolds and Nurturing Nature

Hello fellow readers, After a long day placing plants, I did what I rarely do. I settled down in front of the television to veg out. Legs elevated on pillows to lessen foot fatigue, clicker in hand; I stumbled upon a movie based on a true story titled Dare to be Wild, about Mary Reyno
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog,Northern New Jersey Landscape Designer, NJ Garden Coach and Speaker,Mary Elaine Stone, Garden of Life, Claudia West, Plant More Plants, Native Plants, Native Plants, Mimic Natrures Landscape, Natures Inspiration, Wild Garden

Designing Garden Layers

Hello Fellow Readers, “Plant more plants” was music to my ears shared by Claudia West at a NJ Plants tradeshow held in Edison, NJ, a while back. Claudia is the Ecological Sales Representative of North Creek Nurseries, my go-to wholesale propagation nursery in Landenberg, P
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Bright yellow daisy-like flowers of Swamp Sunflower near a lake.

Native Plants for Native Pollinators

Hello fellow readers, About a year ago, I enjoyed a visit to a free public garden managed by the Morris County Park Commission tucked away in Far Hills, NJ, which became a column topic titled Wandering Willowwood Arboretum. Bruce Crawford, formerly the Director of Rutgers Gardens, joi
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pink and red roses in the middle of a hedge of boxwood in front of a park bench

Beauty and Beast of Roses

Hello fellow readers, After meeting Stephen Scannilello and purchasing his book A Year of Roses, my love-hate relationship with the beauty and beast of roses turned to respect. As you may guess, the fairytale Beauty and the Beast has something to do with it. I hope you enjoy the story
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