Conquering Critters in the Garden – Part 2: Deer
When we lived at the lake, I was used to dealing with wildlife, especially deer. We had a home situated in the middle of their natural habitat so it only seemed fair that they shared in my garden bounty. (Of course the fact that my neighbor consistently set out salt licks didn’t help the situation …
Conquering Critters in the Garden - Part 1: Groundhogs
Last Friday was Groundhog Day. Normally, that particular day doesn’t even register with me until I hear a news reporter talk about Punxsutawney Phil and his shadow (or lack of). This year is different. This year just hearing the word groundhog sets my blood boiling. For the past 25 years I have been unable to …
Sustainable Landscapes -- A Sense of Place and A Sense of Peace
Growing up in the middle of a large Midwestern city, my connection with nature was little more than a few minutes in our highly manicured yard, an occasional visit to a city park or a stroll through our botanical garden for the Christmas display. My family simply did not see the need to spend much time …
Planting in a Changing World - Part 2: Climate Change
Gardening has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother had beds of iris and grew roses in her St. Louis back yard, my father had a thriving vegetable patch in the former ash pit of our home and my grandmother always had annuals blooming next to her kitchen …
It's Time For A"Long Winter's Nap"-- For Your Yard
With the temperatures staying so warm this fall — 70 degrees on December 2nd here — I’ve postponed some of my usual end of season yard tasks.With the weather so consistently warm, I was afraid that I would do more harm than good by following my usual routine. To be on the safe side, I’ve checked …
Looking Forward to Spring by Planting Bulbs Now
As the last remnants of summer’s flowers are fading, it’s time to begin some critical end of the year gardening tasks. Yes, it is now time to overseed the lawn, mow fallen leaves into mulch for compost and clean the spades and shovels. More importantly though, it’s time to stare out the windows and decide …
Creating a Sanctuary For the Birds (And You!)
Growing up, the lawn, especially in the front of the house, was my father’s pride and joy. He spent hours and probably a small fortune coddling his grass. Every blade was cherished; it got exactly the right amount of fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide and water. It was mowed, edged and raked profusely. No leaf ever …
Native Plants Are For the Birds!
My grandson is an active, curious and “helpful” three-year-old. On Monday of this past week he decided to help me by filling our empty birdfeeders with my 20 pound bag of black oil sunflower seed. Somehow he managed to undo the bungee cords that held the trash can lid on (to keep critters …
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