By: Gabrielle Phillips The days begin to get longer and hotter, sweat seems to be a regular part of our wardrobe and the lush foliage of our landscape is in full effect. Flowers are in bloom everywhere and if you have a vegetable garden you maybe harvesting fresh tomatoes, herbs, and squash for your dinner. The summer brings us a feeling of abundance due to the great amount of growth […]
The Allure of Hardy Orchids
By: Karl Deibert Orchids have captivated people for millennia. They are a massively diverse group of plants that have colonized almost every corner of the world minus Antarctica. There is an estimated 30,000 naturally occurring species making them the largest flowering plant family. We are still finding new species as they constantly evolve new ways to trick insects and now people into pollinating them and carrying on the next generation. […]
Fungi in the Garden
By: Karl Deibert Friends, foes and tasty treats… Our world hosts an untold number of species and nowhere is that more evident than within the kingdom of fungi. To date, we’ve described around 5 percent of the estimated 2.2 million species. Throughout most of our horticultural history mushrooms, molds, and other fungi have been viewed as no more than garden pests and boy, were we wrong. The vast majority of […]
Maintain to Protect Your Property
By: Andrew Obloy No one enjoys spending their hard-earned money on repairs or damage that could easily be prevented. Something that a lot of people may not think about when considering landscape maintenance is that it is far more than just aesthetics. Poorly maintained landscapes can cause damage to your property, but with the right care you will not have to worry about these unnecessary expenses. Trees are an obvious […]
Going Native: Highlighting Spring Natives For Your Garden
By: Gabrielle Phillips One of the loveliest seasonal changes the mid-Atlantic region experiences is the transition from winter to spring. The deep freeze and blanket of snow began to melt away, the sun starts to beam its rays for a longer period and the beautiful, soft, and delicate blossoms of springtime start to emerge from the thawing earth. These little signs of spring bring a symbolism of renewal and lots […]
Spring Clean-up
By: Samantha Wright Spring has sprung and it is time for a good spring cleaning. As we walk around the garden, we notice last year has taken its toll on the beds in one way or another. Before we start, note things that may need more attention in the future. Spring clean-up starts with cleaning out the unwanted remainder of past seasons. Pulling weeds, removing leaves, and cutting back remaining […]
White-tailed Deer Overabundance
Written By: Elena Roman The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is undoubtedly one of the most witnessed wildlife we interact with in our American existence. Come fall, as vegetation dwindles, depleting food sources in wooded areas, deer are forced to search for food in places they otherwise would feel insecure (as you can probably notice by your mauled or nonexistent Hostas). More recently, this shift has become particularly evident as deer […]
Fall Edition: What’s Going on in the Garden
Written By: Renee Godfrey Quillin As temperatures begin to fall and there is a cool crisp sensation in the air, this is one of the busiest times year in the life of a gardener. As plants begin to go dormant or dieback, this marks the beginning a completely new display with the right design and type pf plants. Autumn is also the perfect time to prepare for the upcoming Spring […]
Invasive Species in our Landscape
Written By: Elena Roman There can be many obstacles in the process of establishing a new garden, or even in the maintenance of an existing garden. The usual suspects being weeds, improper soil pH and/or drainage, irrigation, and pests. Among the most pervasive and stubborn of obstacles we encounter as gardeners are invasive plants; they compromise our designs, and more importantly, the health of our foundational native ecosystems that support […]
Boxwood Blight
Boxwood are a favorite evergreen shrub in home gardens, loved for their versatility, lush year-round color, and general hardiness. Unfortunately, in the past decade, Boxwood blight has threatened the health of many of these plants. Boxwood blight is a fungal disease that can affect all aboveground parts of the plant. Boxwood blight originated in the United Kingdom in the 1990s and was first confirmed in the United States in October […]