Hello fellow readers, I thought we’d forgo the tradition of decorating one of my favorite evergreen conifers – the Umbrella Pine. It stands above the two-story roof, so it’s not an easy task. Last year half the new lights failed way before Christmas, lessening the enthusia

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

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

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

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”

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

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

Hello fellow readers, On Friday, while walking Jolee, I came upon a flower of a Tuliptree attached to a cluster of leaves. I learned about the culprit —squirrels building nests or sharpening their teeth, which became a column about the Litter of Tree Tips we see along roads and walks

Hello fellow readers, We chatted recently about grafted weeping cherry trees that can revert to their rootstock and shoot out straight branches, often flowering a different color. Matthew from Hope, NJ, asked if that’s what’s happening to his Alberta Spruce. “It look

Hello, fellow readers. What’s this about trees reverting back to their roots? Marcia from Columbia, NJ, sent a photo of her pink flowering weeping cherry. “There are two large boughs with pure white blossoms.” The tree looks like it has a spikey haircut as the white