Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
Weeping cherry tree in full pink bloom against a blue sky in a residential garden

When a Weeping Cherry “Bleeds”: What Lies Beneath

A weeping cherry tree begins to "bleed," revealing a deeper story about soil, stress, and what lies beneath—and a reminder from the garden about where we're truly meant to grow.
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Layered perennial garden with stone steps and colorful flowering plants surrounding a backyard landscape.

Leaf Mold vs. Mulch & the Lesson of Letting Go

As spring unfolds, I reflect on what remains, what falls away, and what—over time—returns to nourish us again. In this post, we explore leaf mold vs. mulch in the garden, along with a simple lesson in letting go inspired by nature’s cycles.
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a silver dog bowl below a rain gutter filling with snowmelt

Harvesting Rainwater & Snowmelt Wisdom

As snow melts from the roof and rain fills a waiting bowl, nature offers its original gift to our houseplants. In this post, I explore why rainwater and snowmelt nourish soil more gently than tap water — and what water teaches us about patience, renewal, and trusting life’s rhythm.
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An organic vegetable garden with a birdhouse

Readying for Organic Vegetable Gardening

Sara from Oxford NJ asked how to prepare a plot in her backyard for organic vegetable gardening come spring. She suspects the previous owners used chemicals as when they moved in, the lawn "looked like a golf course." Kudos Sara. It's smart to consider the prior use of chemicals when
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog, Queen Anne's Lace,Daucus carota, Wild Carrot, Rudolf Steiner, biodynamic farming, organic farming, Traditonal farming

Honoring the Health of our Earth

Hello Fellow Lovers of All Things Green, As we ready our gardens for the new season of growth, many add fertilizers and other nourishment such as compost and manure. You’ve likely noticed I advocate organic practices so we all may breathe green with a splash of color– hono
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the sun below a cloud in a golden yellow sky

The How-to of Soil Solarization

Hello fellow readers, Last week, we spoke about George’s weedy invasion resulting in the need for a garden do-over. Thankfully, he opted for a more organic approach, including a non-chemical remedy called soil solarization. Here’s how. Preparing your garden for planting is
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