Author Archives: dirtynailz

Isn’t it beautiful? Do you have this in your garden? I let milkweed grow around my potato patch. I yank it if it starts growing inside the fence, but around the perimeter, it’s just fine. This is, of course, common … Continue reading →

I’ve had two visitors in my garden recently – one common and the other less so. In our area, the squirrel population is completely dominated by the “grays.” That’s why I was surprised to see this unusual  little red squirrel … Continue reading →

If you haven’t read Amy Stewart’s books, you might want to check them out.  Her latest , “Wicked Plants,” takes a detailed look at the  poisonous,  illegal, and generally evil members of the plant world. Her earlier best-seller, “Flower Confidential,” … Continue reading →

Now that our big “Gardening With the Masters” tour is over, I thought I’d share some thoughts and images with you. I was a docent at one of the featured gardens, which meant that I showed visitors around and tried … Continue reading →

I have been very busy this weekend (sunny at last!) with the garden tour. Here is an interesting and useful post by our friend and Master Gardener colleague, HerbDoc: The cold and wet May and June weather has spawned an … Continue reading →

So for the past several weeks, I have been helping two Master Gardeners prepare for the “Gardening with the Masters” tour. Every two years, Rhode Island Master Gardeners open their gardens to the public for an entire weekend. This year, … Continue reading →

Groundhogs, woodchucks, whatever you call them, can be the bane of farmers and vegetable gardeners. My own garden is a shambles this year because of the immense groundhog described in my last post. I am not the type of gardener … Continue reading →

I have lots of orioles this year – Baltimore and Orchard. I noticed this poor fellow yesterday, doing what sick or injured birds do – hunkering down and puffing up. His feathers looked a little worse for wear, too. Not … Continue reading →

I have been reading a lot lately about “pet-friendly” gardens, and I will admit  that there are some obvious precautions and design criteria to take into account if your cat or dog (or whatever) is going to be enjoying the … Continue reading →