Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries

🍂 Is a messy autumn garden really a problem? Mary Stone explores the beauty and benefits of leaving leaves, seed heads, and a little room for Mother Nature to do her thing. From a delightful no-mow clover lawn in Bergen County, NJ, that stirred up neighborhood controversy to her own shagbark hickory leaf cleanup and final mowing dilemma, Mary shares practical ways to work with nature rather than against it. Along the way, there's therapeutic raking, Jolee and Boohickles playing in the l...

A peaceful autumn walk takes a spooky turn when Mary Stone and her rescue dog, Jolee, discover the Haunted Trails at Mohican Outdoor Center in Blairstown, NJ. Amid dangling ghosts, creepy creatures, and a masked Friday the 13th visitor, Jolee's hilarious misadventure brings heart-lifting laughter. But beyond the Halloween mischief, Catfish Pond's beauty stirs tender memories of Mary's brother Bill, heart-shaped stones, and his Lesson of the Leaf. It's a heartfelt reminder that nature offers r...

What looked like a renovation in the making, the Children's Garden at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden became a reminder of childhood adventures in nature. Mary Stone recalls climbing trees, building firewood forts, and growing up with a dad who worked in the space program—when Tang was the drink of astronauts. From Longwood Gardens to pinecone angels and miniature terrariums, discover how nature's treasures inspire imagination at any age. Plus, a fun update on Susan's battle with Japanese k...

A family visit to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Florida brings Mary Stone face-to-face with a much-adored baobab, known as the Tree of Life. Along the way, she discovers colorful tropical plants, a reluctant butterfly, and a touching reminder of how her mother's love of gardening continues to grow. Back home, Mary's beloved sugar maple is shedding leaves weeks ahead of schedule, while a seemingly lifeless baby tuliptree offers a surprise. She explores how drought stress affects trees, ...

To weed or not to weed knotweed? An afternoon of weeding in a client's garden leads Mary to an unexpected dilemma—and a deeper dive into this beautiful but notoriously difficult invasive plant. Mary Stone revisits her first encounter with Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)) as one of September's roadside beauties and her neighbor Susan's success in eradicating a colony through persistent pulling. She explores what the research says about nonchemical management, herbicide treatment, and c...