Features

Wildflowers allowed to take over

Wildflowers allowed to take over

There’s a lot of history at Wye Farm in Queenstown, going back centuries in Anne Habberton’s family. Her and her husband Jon Shaw’s recent efforts to enhance wildlife and plant diversity is as much focused on the future as it is in bringing back aspects of the past....

Black Eyed Susan is a Maryland all-star

There are some things that are just so Maryland: Old Bay and crabs, of course — but also, the simple, cheery look of Black Eyed Susans, rudbeckia hirta, along roadside stands. When it comes to a state symbol, the Black Eyed Susan has Old Bay beat by more than 20...

Dream Weaver: Walton finds solace in fiber art

Jenny Walton’s daughter doesn’t weave but she was instrumental in her mother learning how to do it. It was her daughter’s fifth birthday and Walton selected a child’s loom for a gift. As they were getting it set for the first time, Walton said she got things going...

‘Foodscaping’ slips vegetables among flowers

I recently started my seeds – tomatoes, cucuzza squash, climbing zucchini, golden beets, Florida cranberries, nasturtiums, zinnias, edelweiss, various herbs and Roma beans. Come planting time, they also won’t all fit in my 4-by-4-foot raised beds, grow bags, Earth...

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...

Thread painting a dream scenario for Schauer

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

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

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

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...