C. L. Fornari's Blog
David, Goliath, and the Negative Nosy Neighbor ~ A Weed Story ~
David was thrilled with his new house. After years of renting, this was the first home he’d ever owned. He loved the size (small), the location (on...
Soil Amendment From The Top Down
People often ask about fertilizing in the spring, but many ignore how Nature fertilizes and amends soil. There is no little Fertilizer Fairy...
Hellebore House
People who live in neighborhoods with sidewalks are so lucky. It's easy to walk past area yards and gardens, and appreciate plantings that might...
Spring Equinox
Today is the first day of spring. In some parts of the world spring weather has come and gone. In others it is in full bloom, while in the more...
‘Raspberry Rose’ Hibiscus – A Stunning Plant
Imagine: “I need a plant that will be huge in July and August,” she said, looking out her kitchen window at the back patio. “But it can’t be there...
GWA – A Crowdsourced Poem
I belong to GWA: The Association For Garden Communicators. It is the group for those who write, speak, teach, blog, photograph or otherwise...
A Violet That Doesn’t Take Over
Imagine: Sandra’s beloved dog, Violet had died. Sandra cried every time she walked into the house and Violet wasn’t there to greet her. She cried...
How to Stake A Flopping Peony – Attractively!
Faced with a peony with heavy flowers falling into the dirt, must gardeners stick a heavy stake in the back and wrap a cord around the circumference...
Saving Something Small
When I saw a hummingbird in my Massachusetts garden shortly before Thanksgiving, I did what many 21st Century gardeners would do: I posted a photo...
Tiger Eye Sumac Love
Imagine: “I want more color in the gardens,” she said. “No problem,” he replied. The next day when she got home there was a flock of pink flamingos...
Make a Garden Lighthouse
I decided to revisit the instructions I wrote a few years ago for creating a lighthouse garden ornament using a galvanized chicken feeder. You can...
Planning A Cutting Garden
You want to be able to cut a few flowers and stick them in a row of bottles above your kitchen sink. Perhaps you want to snip some colorful blooms...
I Love American Holly
Imagine: Beth and John loved the stand of American holly trees in their backyard. On summer evenings the light grey trunks were visible as they sat...
Flowers in February
If you like picking small bouquets for the house, you don't have to give up this practice just because it's the middle of winter. In many parts of...
Words To Live By via Dorotheanthus bellidiformis ‘Mezoo Trailing Red’
Imagine: Sara had too much on her plate. Her in-laws were coming for dinner over the weekend, her boss had just assigned her the campaign he was...
How To Make Twig Hearts
Sunpatiens: a Flower-Making Machine
Imagine: Dedee walked through the display garden with an eye on the plants but her mind on her new patio. It was going to be her first outdoor room...
A Visit To Patch of Heaven Gardens
First of all, huge thanks to the FNGLA for making my visit to Patch of Heaven Gardens possible. They were kind enough to arrange for a group of...