Crape myrtles entrenched as a Shore thing
While they may be native to places in East Asia, crape myrtles have long been ubiquitous with Maryland’s Eastern Shore. With a plethora of color and height options among its varieties, the tree’s beauty avails itself to a lot of different situations. They line streets...
Phippins are paying it forward
As Chris and C.J. Phippin moved around from state to state, their passion for helping foster children always came with them. After moving to Maryland last fall and settling into a property with more space than they’ve ever had, they want their outreach to expand as...
In pursuit of the hot pepper
With quarantine spring underway last April, I agreed to grow a pandemic garden with some neighbors. Taking a poll of preferred vegetables to sow, I prepared to hear the old standbys requested: tomatoes, lettuce, squash, carrots, cabbage, beets. But a transplanted Nova...
Sellers playing with house money as buyers vacate cities for Mid-Shore
Six months ago or more, an appraisal on a home $50,000 below its listing price would have likely stalled the home’s sale. But when it happened a few weeks ago on the Mid-Shore, the buyer didn’t bat an eye, offering to pay the full asking price. It’s just one example...
Ethel Mae studio a pour house
“I don’t know how to paint.” ... “I’m not an artist.” ... “What if I mess up?” Deanna Pratt has heard it all from her guests the first time they visit Ethel Mae Studio, a creative space she opened a little over a year ago in downtown Easton. Pratt, a Talbot County...
Sunflowers are a beauty everyone enjoys
Sunflowers are undoubtedly one of the most loved flowers out there. Even those with limited plant knowledge can identify them and they appear everywhere from kitchen decor to inspirational quote backgrounds to tattoos to accessorizing the blushing bride on wedding...
Shrubs more than just a supporting cast
With typical uses of concealing a foundation, creating privacy along a property line or stabilizing a slope in the yard, shrubs and hedges can quickly get stuck waiting in the wings rather than featured in the limelight of a landscape. But in their supporting roles,...
A national park in your backyard
During the COVID-19 quarantine, many homebound dwellers revisited the friendly confines of their own backyards with renewed appreciation. But over the past 15 years, Dr. Douglas W. Tallamy has been a nonstop force of nature trying to reach as many people as possible,...
When life zigged, they zagged
If there was ever a time to use the word “pivot” (in addition to moving a couch) it’s during the COVID-19 crisis. Parents are turned into temporary teachers and snack dispensers, front line workers are turned into super heroes, and we’re realizing our worlds couldn’t...
Scout your victory garden like a pro
During World War I, Americans were encouraged to produce as much of their own food at home as a way to combat shortages and support the war effort. These “victory gardens” were a way for families to supply themselves and their neighbors with fresh produce during a...
Learn to grow herbs at home
There are several reasons to grow herbs, not the least of which is their beauty in the garden. Herbs such as parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme are grown for culinary use, as are less familiar choices including cilantro, culantro, pipicha and papala. Herbs grown for...
Volunteer groups need support too
It’s no secret that those affected by the coronavirus pandemic are much more numerous than the people who have actually gotten sick. Along with restaurants and retail shops taking a hit, volunteer service groups that pride themselves on helping others are struggling...
Tropical plants bring a special look to a home and outdoor landscape and as people search for solutions during the uncertain times during the coronavirus epidemic, something special could be just what you need. Often large and fast growing, tropicals can quickly...
Dipping outside the box
Picture this. You come pulling into the driveway with an 8 foot round stock tank in your husbands truck (you told him you were going to the dump). He goes on and on about what animal did you buy now, and you just say “trust me.” A few hours of elbow grease later and...
It’s important to support local businesses (Shore Things)
Maryland is slowly beginning to open up from COVID-19 restrictions, and as it does, it is still so important to continue to support the small businesses of our friends and neighbors. Under normal circumstances, heading to a big box saves on time and gas but as we keep...
Become a Purple Martin landlord
Even as a kid, birds had fascinated Bill Whelan. There were no airports within sight of his Laurel schoolhouse window. But thanks to a nearby homeowner who had erected an avian apartment unit atop a towering pole, he discovered the sheer joy of watching Purple Martins...
Make the right call for bees’ survival
The sight of thousands of honey bees clustered together on a fence post or side of a house with more bees buzzing around it can be pretty intimidating to the untrained eye. But for beekeepers, it’s akin to a winning raffle ticket. This swarm of bees happens if their...
Misunderstood bats get a bad rap
Out of the 1,300 bat species on Earth not a single one wants to drink your blood and they don’t share a family tree with Dracula. Bats are often misunderstood but an extremely important animal here in Maryland, a state that 10 species call home. Bats belong to the...
Saved from the burn pile
Last December I asked my husband to meet me after work with his truck to pick up a beautiful piece of furniture I had purchased for $40 on Facebook Marketplace. I was totally taken with the circa-1900 empire sideboard with mirrored gallery top and claw feet. He, on...
Easton woman transforms cozy lawn into thriving garden patch
When Missy Corley moved into her cozy Easton home in 2010, the tenth-acre plot featured a small front lawn with a smattering of plants tucked off to the side. As a youngster, Corley enjoyed her family home’s landscaped yard, but took no active part in gardening. In...
Pocket gardens a big hit for tiny spaces
While big, showy displays may have garnered the most attention at the Philadelphia Flower Show in March, few of them are reproducible in your own garden space without the help of a professional landscaper. One class of entries in the 191st year of the show put on by...
