C. L. Fornari's Blog
Hydrangeas I’m Growing
Recently I made a delightful connection with a fellow Hydrangea lover in Wisconsin, and she asked me what Hydrangeas I am growing. This made me...
A Postcard From Asters
A Postcard From September Hydrangeas
A Postcard From Trees
My guest on The Garden Lady on September 5th was Scott Lajoie, Communications Director for the Buzzards Bay Coalition.
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...
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...
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...
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!),...
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...
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...
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....
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...
A Postcard From Lavender
A Postcard from Mid-Summer Plants: Fertilizing?
A Postcard From Flowers Leading to Seeds
On The Garden Lady on the Fourth of July I featured several groups of four things to keep in mind when it comes to plants FOUR THINGS THAT ARE...
A Postcard From Plants About the Myth of Sunlight and Water Drops
My Guest on The Garden Lady on June 27 was Mason Vollmer - his book made me want to plant spindle apple trees!
What to do With the Fallen Branches and Brush?
One of my goals when we moved to Poison Ivy Acres was to not have any organic matter leave the property. My desire was that all leaves, sticks and...