Monthly Archives: September 2010

When Rhode Island Master Gardener, Paula Bartnick, announced that she and her husband were moving to Florida, I asked her to let me know what the gardening was like there, and how she was adapting to her new and MUCH … Continue reading →

Recently, I spent a glorious September Saturday visiting Planting Fields, a 400-acre estate on the North Shore of Long Island, NY. The house and grounds are excellent examples of what is known as the “Gold Coast era.” In other words, … Continue reading →

This is the best of times and the worst of times for my tomato plants. The worst of times because the clever new system I decided to use this summer to hold up my plants, the “Florida Weave,” was a … Continue reading →

It seems that whenever we start talking – or writing – about wildlife in and around the garden, our fellow gardeners always have their own stories to tell. Here’s a guest post from our good friend and Master Gardener, Denise, … Continue reading →

In keeping with this week’s unintended theme of wild things, here’s HerbDoc with a rant about deer: As someone who lives not far from the Great Swamp, a state- protected area in southern Rhode Island, I’m constantly invaded by deer.  … Continue reading →

Ok, so maybe not so scary, unless you get up real close, but I found this wandering around in my driveway this morning. Auugh! It’s a teeny tiny lobster! But it’s really a crayfish. Most crayfish species breed this time … Continue reading →

I was eating lunch at a local seafood shack the other day, and noticed an orchid languishing on the window ledge. Orchid lover that I am, I picked up the pot to take a closer look. There were two brown, … Continue reading →

Clematis is one of the plants that adds vertical elegance to any small garden or to a small perennial bed.  And, since there are various types of clematis that bloom at different times these plants can also add color to … Continue reading →

I couldn’t resist chiming in on the Verbena Bonariensis lovefest here on DiggingRI. I too love this plant. It blooms all summer, it’s drought tolerant, and it’s just lovely. I have it in and around my Black Lace Elderberry, and … Continue reading →

In a recent post, Herbdoc mentioned how her Purpletop Verbena (Verbena Bonariensis) attracts butterflies. I’ve been touting the virtues of this plant for years. These include: It’s a pollinator magnet – loved by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds It’s tallish, but … Continue reading →