THE Best Mulch for your Garden   There are sooooo many mulches out there to use in the garden beds. Most mulches are varied by the regions in the country. Down in the Southeast, Pine Straw mulch and Cocoa shells are used. In the southwest it can be rocks, thick bark shelled mulch, or in … [Read more...]

Rose Garden Maintenance   “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet” --William Shakespeare The classic beauty of the garden is the Rose. There are so many breeds, so many colors, and so much variety yet… needs either a lot of maintenance to … [Read more...]

The New England Landscape New England homes have historically gone through many phases of the landscape. From the practical homestead in the 1700's to the lush, wild romance of gardening in the 1900's. These phases are quintessentially New England, especially for homes in Western Massachusetts. An … [Read more...]

Cut Flower Gardens Floral decorative use of the provincial ‘cut’ flower brings the air of the outdoors to inside of the home. Gaining in popularity with CSAs, home use, and local Floral greenhouses; cutting gardens are seen throughout or are being created by homeowners.   Where to … [Read more...]

Basic Container Ideas Containers have always been a popular attribute to the outdoor landscape, isolating a few on a patio/deck area or adding a focal point to the landscape itself, it’s a poem amongst the garden story. I believe containers can be whatever you want! It could be just a petunia … [Read more...]

TOP TEN HARDY PERENNIALS The Northeast especially New England is a tough area for plant material due to the inconsistent weather patterns we are famous for. How do I classify these as hardy? Well, no matter where I put them they are easy and low maintenance. These perennials can tolerate what is … [Read more...]

Winter Kill Image of Winter Kill on a Rhododendron After a long winter, maintenance in the landscape is crucial for a good season of growth. Especially when it comes to our garden beds. The snow melt reveals spring flowering bulbs and soon greener lawns. It reveals damage too and stately shady … [Read more...]

Gardening for Little Ones                 Recently I was asked to design garden beds with a cottage feel. Great, one thing I knew about the clients they had a year and a half old. As a Mama myself, I know what my little one at that age did, everything EVERYTHING goes in the mouth. I know … [Read more...]

Hydrangeas and the Mysterious Blooms Every season without fail I am asked; “My blue Hydrangea bloomed beautiful for the first two years and now it doesn’t; why?” Before I knew the science behind it, I would shrug and say it was the hybrid especially the Endless Summer Bloomer variety which I … [Read more...]

Integrated Pest Management IPM: Integrated Pest Management, a systematic 4 step methodology that includes sustainable less toxic means of ridding one or more pests to crops. It’s a foundation that has been taught for years and is one of the first things to be learned once you take the leap to … [Read more...]