The sky’s the limit
Warm weather entices us to think “outdoors.” The trend in creating outdoor living spaces has steadily increased throughout the years. Trellises, arbors, pergolas, decks, porches and gazebos create great outdoor spaces allowing us to share tranquil time in nature with...
Embrace moondust for your plantings
Spring planting season, with longer, warmer, brighter days, is when gardeners traditionally celebrate the resurgence of the sun. But some growers are also inclined to embrace the night sky and the moon, whose cyclical phases, they believe, can help them produce...
Ready to start your own moon garden?
We’re used to selecting plants to adorn our surroundings according to how much sun or shade they prefer. But some flowers wait until the sun sets to truly shine. These are the florae whose late (in the day) blooms emit intoxicating scents perfect for luring night...
MANTS introduces new trends
Your local garden centers, nurseries and landscape designers don’t take winter off. Instead they jump into the new year with trade shows. The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show attracts a wide universe of green industry professionals to Baltimore each January. While the...
Philadelphia Flower Show blooms with ‘Flower Power’ theme
On the cusp of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, the 2019 Philadelphia Flower Show presented by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society March 2-10 at the Philadelphia Convention Center, celebrated “Flower Power,” paying tribute to the impact of flowers on our lives....
Take your gardening out of the box
With the sunshine and bearable temperatures hanging around a bit longer and for multiple days, it’s time to rid your yard of traces of the crazy and wet winter as well as get your gardening projects started. With some progressive (and easy!) gardening techniques, you...
In defense of Mr. McGregor … (Thanks for Sharing)
Pussy willows whisper ‘Welcome, spring’
A robin’s song used to be the first sign of spring. But with robin migrations mitigated by warming temperatures, now the lucky robin plucking a worm from the warming soil is also regarded as the true harbinger. But for evidence pointing to winter winding down, there’s...
Ground rules for under-the-canopy gardens
When you think garden, do you envision open space graced by boundless sun? If your answer is “yes,” walking in the woods might open your eyes to other possibilities. Smaller trees and shrubs — think rhododendrons and dogwoods — enhance the understory. Shade-tolerant...
Save space for your stored food
Do you feel that constant nag on your to-do list that you need to go grocery shopping, yet when you get home from a grocery trip, it never seems like there is any space to stick what you just bought? Aside from your pantry and your refrigerator, you might even have a...
A rose by any other name …
Where do those paint names come from and how are they selected? Each year the leading paint manufacturers list the top paint color of the year. How is this selection process achieved? Each fall the manufacturers release their “Color of the Year” usually with advice on...
Time to get pup-and-at-’em!
Were you one of the lucky souls who had a present that barked under the tree? Or perhaps those emotional humane society ads called you to action? If so, congratulations on your new pup and family member. Studies show as a dog owner you will have lower blood pressure,...
Beware: Boxwood blight is here!
The Maryland Department of Agriculture urged residents to use caution when buying fresh holiday decorations and greens containing boxwood this past season, noting that using boxwood greens could potentially introduce a serious fungal disease called boxwood blight to...
How smart is your home?
Science fiction seers have long prophesized a golden age of automated home nirvana. Those who grew up watching “The Jetsons” cartoons, believed it was bound to happen, but in a someday off in the distance. Alexa wasn’t around then to ask when it would begin. But...
Try these remedies to break past cabin fever
We all like to snuggle in the winter with blankies, hot cocoa — and then day three comes and we might be in the same outfit and looking a little deranged, and feeling like it too. • The weather outside can be frightful, but truth is, it can still be delightful! It...
Caring for orchids in winter can be a delicate balance
Considered to be the aristocrat of flowers, the orchid exemplifies the essence of sophistication and elegance. English merchant seamen brought the orchid home during the 19th century. The exotic colors and unique fragrances made them extremely popular among Britain’s...
Plan now for good times on vacation
Some days you might not know what you are fixing for dinner that evening, but you know which speciality drink you are going to order at an exact restaurant in seven months when you are on vacation. Planning ahead for vacation is not only great for giving you something...
Let color help create a home sanctuary
Are you looking to escape the pressure and stress of today’s society? Spas offer a temporary respite from the chaos. For a consistent, long-term solution, create a comforting, healing, secure environment at home. Begin with color. In prior years, design gurus selected...
How’s your game at wild cooking?
Winter is great time to stay warm and cozy while you try out a new recipe and with many Eastern Shore freezers full of newly harvested wild game, the timing couldn’t be better. To many folks it can be more intimidating to actually cook their harvest than the hunting...
Trend report sees more connecting to gardening
Whether novice or seasoned veteran, gardening has been increasing in popularity. Last year, average households spent about $100 more on gardening than the previous year, according to the annual trends report from industry group Garden Media. “People are awakening to...
FACES retools with increased online reach
The Fiber Arts Center of the Eastern Shore — FACES — has set an ambitious goal for itself: “To become the region’s premier resource for fiber artists and fiber art enthusiasts.” This past fall, FACES received a USDA grant to help them take two big steps forward...
