If Mother Nature and The Green Man sent you a short message about what you are calling "bad soil," it might look something like this... Details from The Garden Lady, Saturday May 24th, 2025 In addition to discussing...
C. L. Fornari's Blog
What Are You Looking For?
Dorothy was right...it's in your own backyard.
A Well Mannered Violet
In past posts I've made it clear that I don't want common violets (Viola odorata) on Poison Ivy Acres. I will periodically spot a flowering plant or...
Naming A Property
Martha Stewart's house in Maine is called Skylands, Oprah Winfrey calls her California property Promised Land, and the late Roald Dahl lived in...
I Love Geranium macrorrhizum
Name: Geranium macrorrhizum aka bigroot geranium Type of Plant: A perennial hardy in Zones 3-8. Fragrant foliage, small flowers in June. Why I...
What We Treasure
When I was going into the 7th grade my family moved from Muncie, Indiana to Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Instead of the one-day drive north, however,...
Words To Live By
There are times when we need to speak up, be bold, suggest new approaches and plant differently. It's not always appreciated, welcomed or accepted....
I Love Southern Comfort…Heuchera, That Is
Name: Heuchera ‘Southern Comfort’ Type of Plant: There are seemingly hundreds of varieties of the plant we used to call “coral bells” but this has...
Succulent Plant Crafts
If you have something that's made of wire, you have the beginning of a great plant craft project or succulent display. Since succulents don't need...
Don’t Just Pin It, PLANT It!
Now don't get me wrong...I love Pinterest. I have a series of boards ranging from gardens to books, creative interiors to great tasting recipes. I...
Herbs for the Cocktail Hour Garden
Over the next few weeks I'll be featuring some must-have plants for your cocktail hour garden. Many of these are featured in the newly published The...
I Love Gold Mop Cypress
Name: Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Golden Mop” aka gold mop cypress Type of Plant: A needled, thread-leaf evergreen…or shall we say ever yellow-green....
How Books Grow
Many who follow this blog are also people who value books about gardening and beyond. First and foremost, this blog post is a thank you note. Garden...
Garden Centerpieces
I volunteered to provide the April centerpieces for a horticulture group I belong to, and I had a vision of honoring plants and their spring...
Daily Yard and Garden Tips
I've given myself a new challenge: post a tweet with a tip for the landscape and garden every day. You can see how I do by following me on...
I Love Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’
Name: Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’ aka the pink kousa dogwood. Type of Plant: Kousa dogwoods are lovely small trees that are hardy in Zones 5-8. Most...
Local Flowers, Businesses, Gardens and Beyond…
As many of you know, I'm a huge supporter of the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival. Ten days of private gardens that are open to the public, and the...
Colors For The Evening Garden
Do you have a garden that is hit by the rays of the sun in early morning or at sunset? Do you have (or want) a firepit? If so, pay attention to the...
I Love Tropical Hibiscus
Name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis aka tropical hibiscus Type of Plant: This is a shrub in warmer climates, but a tropical container plant for those of...


















