Eastern Redbud a reliable harbinger of spring’s arrival
Like a lot of us, the Eastern Redbud simply can’t wait very long for spring to come. It pushes out flowers even before its leaves break through. Known as the harbinger of spring, delicate blossoms and buds are one of the most dramatic displays of color at a time when...
Students recreate ‘Rooted in Community’ display
One of the more eye-catching exhibits at the Philadelphia Flower Show in March was “Rooted in Community,” a depiction of The Spring Gardens Community Garden in Philadelphia put together by the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society Flower Show Club at the University of...
Crafting workshops in vogue
Spring often feels like a fresh start and a time to try something new, as well as a time to break out of hibernation. With many local artisans hosting workshops and classes at social spaces, there is surely an interesting one happening near you that can check both...
Add something new to your garden
It’s a special kind of joy that only a gardener could understand. I always get an extra spring in my step when nurseries begin stocking the year’s new plant introductions. 2024 brings new annuals and perennials that will make any plant lover bloom from ear to ear....
Talbot County homes featured in Maryland Pilgrimage tour
Talbot County is steeped in more than 350 years of American history. Named in honor of Lady Grace, wife of Sir Robert Talbot and sister of Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore, Talbot County was settled by the English about 1661. With more than 600 miles of...
Thread painting a dream scenario for Schauer
When Susan Fay Schauer says she dreamt up her art form, she’s not kidding or using a figure of speech. With years of success as a portrait artist, and a diverse career ahead of that involving neuroscience, wood turning and owning a yacht rental company, the pandemic...
Airfields that once were
While studying local history, my guess is that the subject of abandoned airfields does not often come to mind. However, many dot the landscape of the Eastern Shore and reveal some interesting tales Perhaps one of the most recognizable is what was once known as Tred...
What are your garden goals?
What are your garden goals this year? Not your plans — but your goals. Like any goals we optimistically set for a new year, it’s helpful to look back on last year. Now that your personal goals have had a few weeks to get going, shift your attention to making next...
MANTS offers remedy for cabin fever
As I write this, it is steadily snowing outside my window — yet, spring will be here soon! Your local garden centers, nurseries, and landscape designers are preparing for the busy growing season ahead by ordering new products, gathering inspiration, and collecting...
With stargazing, the sky is the limit
In the quiet winter months, it seems like the darkness comes earlier all the time. Why not make the most of it?. Taking a few moments to look up at the sky is a wonderful way to both relax and be awestruck at the same time. Just ask Talbot county local D.J. Van...
Linthicum has the sweets for your sweet
Morgan Linthicum welcomes all customers into her chocolate shop, The Market at Church Creek, but on Valentine’s Day, she pays close attention to the husbands and boyfriends who come in with a look of desperation. With a few dozen different options for sweet treats,...
Anthurium a loyal partner
Roses get most of the attention for Valentine’s Day, but anthurium might be more emblematic of long lasting love. We commonly see anthuriums potted in soil as houseplants but many varieties need to partner with another plant to survive. Those that are “epiphytic” grow...
Feed birds with responsibility
Bird feeding is intended to help birds, but what’s not as well known is how much the practice helps the people who fill the feeders. Just a few weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, internet searches for bird feeding and bird baths surged as people who were suddenly...
‘Oh’ … is for oysters!
Festivals pay homage to them, roads on the Eastern Shore were once bedded with their shells, and the unique design of the skipjack was inspired by them. Restaurant owners and chefs anxiously await their harvest, and a few hearty souls still dive for them. While...
New hardiness map shifts shore half a zone
During gardening’s winter off-season, gardeners stay active looking ahead to spring, eagerly perusing seed catalogs, making notes, and placing orders. Of all the vital pre-planting particulars armchair growers doublecheck first, the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map...
Have yourself some merry little holly
Each holiday season, a bevy of beloved botanicals take center stage. These include the array of fir, spruce, and pine trees serving as the home’s focal point. Picturesque Poinsettias fill up tabletops, adding festive pops of color. But among the most iconic yuletide...
Big Rooster Mall finds its perch
United by a love of antiques and collectibles, a team of artisan enthusiasts has created a new spot in Talbot County for shoppers to crow about. The Big Rooster Mall, part of the Le Hatchery Galleria, opened last month on Kemp Lane in Easton, housing more than two...
Holiday Side Dishes
Milby’s fox and hounds relive history
If you are cruising down Three Bridge Branch Road in Cordova, you might see quite the sight of about 20 hounds running out in the sun coming over the slope of the hill. While I swear it looks like some of the dogs are smiling, they are of course only silhouettes put...
Keith’s artistic passion takes flight
“What better place for birds, than in a Christmas Tree?” asks artist Ashley Evelyn Keith.. To the lifelong bird lover, the sight of sparrows adorning the branches of her front yard tree fill Keith with delight. As an enthusiastic self-taught artist, it also fills her...
Black walnuts: Flavorful, frustrating backyard bounty
Along with the gently welcoming cascade of falling leaves, autumn sometimes arrives with arresting thumps, followed by clumps of greenish tennis ball sized objects. Those are black walnuts, landing amid the softly crunching brown, gold, and scarlet foliage carpet, if...
