Hello fellow readers, A few weeks ago, we chatted about fall flowering perennials. An old friend, naturalist, and bird photographer, Mike Niven of Coatesville PA, wrote in that his Joe-pye weed, one of the fall beauties, grew especially tall this year likely due to plentiful rains. He

Hello fellow readers, While the official start of fall has begun, the return of heat and humidity after the late summer cool spell has Mother Nature confused. I heard spring peepers the other evening while sitting on the screened porch. And, there’s early leaf drop on certain trees be

Hello fellow readers, As we approach the homestretch of the gardening season many gardens grow tired. Mine especially so as the poor things suffer from neglect. Busy tending to other folks’ gardens is my not so perfect excuse. Thankfully there are late season bloomers I rely on to lif

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

Hello fellow readers, One of my favorite vines is the Sweet Autumn Clematis in her glory this time of year with a plethora of tiny white blooms from August through September that looks like a snowdrift and smells heavenly. Once the blooms are spent, a silvery blanket of seed heads fol

Hello fellow readers, The sound of the late summer cicadas brings back the memory of the nagging indication it’s time to return to school. The trepidation was more about the nervousness of being in a new class. Once the newness wore of, it wasn’t that bad. There’s much to

Hello fellow readers, As I write I am preparing for a Writer’s Conference in New York City where I will be rubbing shoulders with writers, agents and publishers. I’m dreaming big about bringing our column to others in the form of a book; God willing. Thank you for your five years of s