In case you haven’t noticed, I can sometimes have a laissez-faire attitude when it comes to gardening. It has been pointed out to me that I’m much better at telling others how to garden than I am at taking my own advice. The truth is as much as I love my garden, I also love […]
The recent nighttime temperatures indicate that fall is officially in the air. We are either fortunate or cursed (depending on drought, ice, snow and heat) to live in an area that has four distinct seasons. As gardeners, we are conditioned to make changes along with the seasons and fall can be a welcome respite from […]
Why do my Hydrangea fail to bloom? I got out of the stores last week and got to go to the Dentist! I know that doesn’t sound like a great afternoon off for most of you, but in last weeks extended heat wave, going anywhere with air conditioning was like a mini vacation! While having […]
I built my house twelve years ago. When I say I built it, I mean to say Dan Pierce actually built it, but I did design it. When I say I designed it, I mean to say Richard designed it. Twelve years ago I got a complete blank slate for a garden and I did […]
Summer is here! I am often brought bags, containers and even just pieces of dead or dying plants. Why did my plant die my family, friends and yes even customers want to know. As a plant coroner, I gather information on it’s life (where, when) and even more on it’s death (more where, when). In […]
June is the time to pour yourself a long glass of iced tea and enjoy your garden and landscape! You have my permission to make it a Long Island type if you have finished spreading all that mulch! I’m honest enough to admit that almost everything in my life can really benefit from a little […]
June is an exciting time to be out in the garden. So many plants are in full bloom right now that just stepping outside is inspiring. If you need even more inspiration for your gardens, or just want to enjoy a great day touring local gardens, mark your calendar now for the North County Land […]
What I know about Memorial Day When I was a much younger girl I would spend the two weeks before Memorial Day working with my grandmother in her greenhouses making up planters for her customers. My job was to “go fetch” the specific plants needed to complete the order. One customer might want red […]
Each May I advise us all to remember, amid the frenzy, that there is nothing so wrong that some really good mulch won’t fix! Didn’t see that one coming did you? I know it’s not the garden advice you were expecting, but a good mulch layer will help you so very much in summer garden […]
Mother’s Day is this Sunday – Don’t mess this one up! I’m really good at multitasking, or at least I think I am. Most days I can juggle three incoming store phone lines, a store walkie talkie radio with up to thirteen staff members on it and oversee my cash check out. It can get […]