Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
Pink flowering Rosa-Dr.-Van-Fleet -Climbing-Roses on a stone hose

The Beauty and Beast of Roses

Hello Fellow Readers, Roses can be fussy. But when roses are in their glory, they surely are glorious. Lessons shared in the Beauty and the Beast… One should never judge another based on appearances – a lesson shared in the Beauty and the Beast enjoyed at the Papermill Theatre i
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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, Black Knot

Black Knot

Hello Fellow Readers, I recently heard from John of Sparta NJ. I’ve heard from him periodically over the last eleven years for which I am wholeheartedly grateful. He’s been providing updates on his mother and father-in-law; my former in-laws, who I dearly love. Sadly, he shared that D
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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, Palace Purple Coral Bells, Heuchera micrantha 'Palace Purple'

Doublefile Viburnum Angels

Hello Fellow Readers, I am thrilled to report the robin mentioned last week did indeed nest in the Doublefile Viburnum outside our kitchen window. Perhaps the same robin that nested there last year. Both momma and poppa robin are involved in the homemaking and childrearing, though mom
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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, Asimina triloba, Pawpaw Flower

What’s a Pawpaw Tree?

Hello Fellow Readers, As I write, it’s President’s day, honoring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Some states combine remembrance of Thomas Jefferson, who was born in April. This brings to mind the Pawpaw tree most have never heard of. Jefferson planted a grove of th
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Boxwood Blight

Boxwood Blight Coming to Town ?

Hello fellow readers, I recently learned that Boxwood Blight might be coming to town from Patrick LePore, an associate from Bartlett Tree Experts, who alerted me that it’s arrived in Central New Jersey. He was on his way to our client’s Bob and Kathy of Piscataway to asses
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Planting trees around a septic

Trees Around a Septic

Hello fellow readers, While the fall planting season is wrapping up, there’s still time to plant most species of woody plants. Good thing as Gail and Rich of Sparta NJ have a naked garden dilemma since a new neighbor moved in who opted to take down a glorious stand of Canadian hemlock
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She’s a Beautyberry

Hello, fellow readers, A visit with Jacquie, a dear design client, leads to sharing life stories and an introduction to her newest favorite plant – Beautyberry. It’s a marvel how life brings people together. It’s one of the joys gained from the work I do. Especially when I
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Dogwood Diseases,Anthracnose

Doggone Dogwood Disease

Hello, fellow readers, Anthracnose (Ann-thrack-nose, my phonetics) is the most discussed and severe among the doggone dogwood dilemmas. Though powdery mildew, leaf and flower blight spots and crown cankers also rank high. Never mind the dogwood borer, which can run amuck. Discula dest
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Woody Plant Conference, Scotts Arboretum, Morton Arboretum

Baobab Tree of Life

Hello fellow readers, I’m back from the Woody Plant Conference held at Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College PA, always a treat. While not nearly as knowledgeable as the scientists and arborists in attendance, I have a love affair with trees, especially those that have lived far longe
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Mary Stone with Miss Ellie Mae

Independence Day on the Top of the World

Hello fellow readers, Last Sunday, we visited Big Pocono State Park, which sits atop Camelback Mountain Resort in Tannersville, PA. I’ve coined it the Top of the World, where you can see eastern Pennsylvania and portions of New Jersey and New York. More than that, there’s
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