GARDEN DILEMMAS? ASK MARY!

Some of the most beautiful bulbs you plant in the spring are like flowering pets such as freesia, dahlias, and most gladiolas. Then there are care-free hummingbird magnets such as crocosmia.

Hello fellow readers, “Is fall a good time to mulch,” asked John of Washington, NJ. I think so, mainly because there’s much to do in the garden when spring arrives. And for me, the madness of the season speedily unfolds. Like most springs, mulching didn’t happe

Hello fellow readers, Mums and ornamental cabbage have become the iconic welcome to the glories of fall, though there are other less common fall annuals gaining popularity. Lynda of East Stroudsburg PA asked what the bright pink caterpillar-like blooms that sit atop spiky foliage are?

Hello fellow readers, On September 22nd, the first day of fall, our weather seemed to turn a switch, and leaves began to drop. It’s no surprise that the early leaf changers and droppers, customarily maples, show wounds from the growing season. I stumbled upon one such leaf while

Hello fellow readers, Last week, we were on deck for new plantings for clients nearby, but heavy rains were in the forecast. While a drizzle or overcast skies are ideal for planting, when it’s raining cats and dogs, it’s not. Just as walking around soggy soil is not good for existing

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, “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 it’s native to the woodlands of the northeast, but it

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 su

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

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