Garden Gems

Knowing that success begins with their soil, many avid gardeners continually seek to improve it. Some of us go so far as to collect our vegetable scraps and lawn clippings (greens) in a backyard compost bin, mix with fall leaves and the…

They say that you should give what you would like to receive. With that in mind, and knowing my husband reads this column, I am going to recommend a few things I would like to receive and a few tried-and-true gifts. For…

Whether you call it the verge, tree lawn, banquette, boulevard, or curb strip (or any of several dozen other names, depending on where you grew up), that piece of land between the sidewalk and street is a difficult row to hoe. Often,…

A while ago, I heard about a perennial herb that was said to resemble celery in appearance and flavor, grow as much as six feet tall, and had hollow stalks that could be used for straws. Six feet! Novelty straws! Color me…

It was May 30, and the race was on to get the tomato plants in the ground before it started raining again. Belmont High School Class of 1973 alum Ross Zagami was busy digging holes with a tulip-bulb auger for his friend…

Using native plants in containers brings a bit of nature to your doorstep. The mini-habitat you create will benefit pollinating insects seeking food and shelter. Native plants are relatively pest-free, they can live for years, and the planting process is no different…

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) was introduced to North America from Europe in the mid-1800s for erosion control and as an edible herb. The leaves release a tell-tale garlicky aroma when crushed. Why is it a problem? Most of the dozens of insect…

As the sun climbs higher and the days grow longer, gardeners get fidgety. We want to do something – anything–in the garden. We want to see if our earliest perennials are up yet. Or we may become obsessed thinking of a plant…