Sent by Frank H. of Newton, Mass.: “The cherry tomato I grew in my Self-Watering Planter got so big so fast that I had to cobble together this frame support really fast. You can hardly see the framework, which is just as well cause it's pretty ugly. I'll be better prepared this year!” Earlier this year, we asked gardeners to vote for their favorite tomato support. Cages, ladders, spirals, old-fashioned stakes or something of your own invention. We've learned that gardeners have some pretty Read more [...]

Floating waterlily leaves cover the water surface to provide shade for fish and reduce algae growth. Lively, sparkling fountain or calm, glassy pool, water completes a garden and brings life to patios and decks. Water gardening has grown in popularity as people discover the tranquil beauty of water plants, colorful fish, and soothing sounds of falling water. For more than four decades I’ve kept small water gardens and aquariums and shared my hobby with others. That includes coaching and reassuring Read more [...]

Strawberry flowers bloom in spring; the fruit begins ripening in early summer. As far back as I can remember, strawberries have been part of my family’s traditions. My grandparents grew a large patch of strawberries to help supplement their income. Grampa peddled the brimming wooden baskets of fruit door-to-door. Other customers stopped by the house and left their payment in the cigar box on the front porch. Family members with June birthdays could count on receiving a basket of strawberries Read more [...]

Stephanie Cohen touts her book, The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer. “Good things come in small packages” is an apt description of perennial plant expert Stephanie Cohen. She calls herself “vertically challenged” and named her own perennial place Shortwood Gardens in a tongue-in-cheek nod to nearby Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa. Often called “Dr. Root” in reference to Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the candid radio and television sex therapist, Stephanie Cohen shares her witty and Read more [...]