Hello fellow readers, “Is there such a thing as wild hydrangea?” asked Tammy of Marshalls Creek PA. There is. Hydrangea arborescens is commonly known as Smooth Hydrangea or Wild hydrangea and its native in the woodlands of the northeast, but it blooms in the spring. What Tammy is noti

Hello fellow readers, The dog days of summer are soon to end. No longer will we be sweating like a pig. These old sayings came up as Curt and I were walking Miss Ellie during these last hazy lazy days of summer and we wondered their origin. After all, what do dogs have to do with summ

Hello fellow readers, Thanks to those who braved the heat magnification of the glass conservatory during our pow-wow of garden dilemmas at the NJ State Fair. As always, critters were a hot topic. Lorraine of Sparta NJ, a Flower Show volunteer, master gardener, and friend who invited m

Hello fellow readers, The week of July 4th ignites the summer vacation season. With the plentiful rains so far this summer, plants will likely be more vulnerable to heat stress once the heat and dryness kick in.  So, before you head off to de-stress, here are a few tips to help your p

Hello fellow readers, Last Sunday we visited a favored hiking spot, 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,

Hello fellow readers, Last year a den of fox provided a reprieve of my chipmunk dilemma. They’re back! Leaving piles of dirt around the garden pots. But my dilemma pales in comparison to Phil’s in Whitehall PA, worthy of a standup comedy routine. In early spring Phil asked “how to dis

Hello fellow readers, What’s with all the poison ivy? I asked myself as I employed the “Mary-technique” of removal using a plastic grocery bag; a technique most dog owners will find familiar, except perhaps for the protective gear. With long sleeves, long pants, and garden gloves enha

Hello Fellow Readers, Just before our gardens kicked into gear, I had the privilege of dropping in on a succulent event hosted by A&J Messina Greenhouses in Blairstown NJ which served as a mini-gardening warmup. What a lively group of over seventy guests learning how to make a ter

Hello fellow readers, What a whirlwind trip venturing to Tennessee to attend my nephews wedding. Ellie in tow, brother Rick suggested a great walking spot in Knoxville called Lakeshore Park, with spectacular views of the Tennessee River and Great Smoky Mountains. What a glorious day!

Hello fellow readers, I’ve had the privilege the last few years to work with Stephanie of Denville, NJ who moved from the west coast. She bought a cute cottage in a lake community with views overlooking a magnificent forest that’s reminiscent of scenery on the Appalachian trail. The d