Trees for the Northeast that Flower in Late Summer
The stamp on the postcard is a photo of the crape myrtle flower. Lagerstroemia indica, more commonly known as crape myrtle, can be planted in Zones 6 and warmer. If you live in the Northeast, be sure to look for varieties that are known for winter hardiness in a Zone...
Garden Tomatoes With Rice
As long as I knew my Italian mother-in-law, Misa Fornari, she made rice stuffed tomatoes every summer. It is a summer dish because it’s best when made with full flavor, ripe-from-the-garden tomatoes. The recipe is simple and delicious. You need: As many ripe...
A Postcard From August Containers
A Postcard From Butterfly Support Plants
Some random tips for supporting butterflies: Don’t use pesticides unless you really have to. Ignore clusters aphids and other insects that are on ornamentals and aren’t eating your food. Don’t spray wholesale tick and mosquito killers. Leave native wild cherry trees –...
Postcard From August Petunias
If your petunias aren’t looking as flower-filled and bushy as they did early in the summer, you can trim them back by 1/3 to 1/2 (sometimes more!), water them well and then give them a dose of a synthetic fertilizer. (Organic fertilizers take too long at this...
A Postcard From Daylilies
Perennial gardens need some mid-summer tending. Pulling weeds, of course. But also deadheading and editing. Pull plants that want to take over the garden…some perennials need the controlling hand of the gardener. Plants that have flowered in the spring or early...
Broken Pots and Citrus in Containers
In Italy it’s common practice to repair broken containers by drilling holes and using wire or a combination of wire and cement or other patching compound to make terracotta pots useful into the future. I have also fixed pots with waxed cord, such as the type...
A Postcard From Repaired Pots
Terracotta pots are fairly easy to repair if you have a drill that can make holes on both pieces. Use wire or waxed cord like this one that I use. In my opinion, these repaired pots are even more attractive than a new container.
The Wishing Tree
We had a lovely, large purple leaf beech tree (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’) that Dan and I planted in 2010. It grew beautifully, with one minor setback when a storm took down a nearby pitch pine that broke the current leader. The tree developed another one,...