Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries

Welcome to our chat from the screen porch about garden and nature stories that help heal and grow our lives. This episode starts with Forest Bathing, a topic not new to me, though the label is. Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy is not about hiking; it's about Being in the woods. Not only does it feel good, but it's also scientifically proven to help heal the body and soul.  https://askmar...

Welcome to our chat from the screen porch about garden and nature stories that help heal and grow our lives. This episode starts with a story of a lifelong friend’s adventure of growing ungodly HOT Peppers in pots that turns into a gift of delicious jelly. https://askmarystone.com/growing-hot-peppers-into-jelly/ Then there’s a tidbit on the outcomes of the anticipated Brood-X invasion you can read...

Thank you for being part of our community, sharing how gardens and nature heal and grow our lives. Shagbark hickory produces Juglone, a natural herbicide, but in far less concentration than the Eastern Black Walnut, famous for being allelopathic – a fancy word for emitting chemicals that harm other plants. Thankfully many plants will thrive around Juglone. I share a story of Elisabeth who bought a...

In this episode, I share the story of our rescue pup coming upon an American toad. Gratefully, Jolee didn’t pounce for the kill, the fate of cave crickets, though we’re grateful for her finesse. Bringing a curiosity— do cave crickets benefit the garden? https://askmarystone.com/do-cave-crickets-benefit-the-garden/ Then we chat about Mayapple, a desirable native perennial, unbeknownst to me, while...

Thank you for being part of our community, sharing how gardens and nature heal and grow our lives. In this episode, columnist and designer Mary Stone shares why and how to attract toads to your garden. Plus a heartfelt story of an American toads’ visit during her mother’s decline -- when the garden became sorely ignored.  https://askmarystone.com/attracting-toads-to-your-garden/ https://askmarysto...

Mary Stone shares the story of aphids once again wreaking havoc on the Leatherleaf Viburnum. She talks about the desperate measures of rejuvenation pruning a few years back and other reasons to prune, mirroring how we take care of our families and ourselves. Then, she shares a story of a kind neighbor who came to the rescue with ladybugs that feed on aphids.  Links to Related Blog Posts  Reasons t...

This episode starts with an overview of Three Sister’s Gardening, which leads to a story of stumbling upon a baby porcupine and the angels that helped.  Then we learn about No-Till Gardening thanks to an interview with Patti Doell, owner of a Little Big Farm, a cut flower farm in Blairstown, NJ—and how, with less work, you'll have better soil and more flowers and veggies! Related Stories (and...

Thank you for being part of our community, spreading the word about how gardens and nature can heal and grow our lives. The episode starts with the fascinating chemistry of skunk cabbage, its attractive appearance, and its appeal to pollinators despite its foul smell. Can it be used in your garden? Indeed, in a boggy spot, it can, but there's more to consider… https://askmarystone.com/skunk-c...

This episode starts with a chat about an old-time saying, “March Comes in Like a Lion and Out Like a Lamb.” Or is it “In Like a Lamb and Out Like a Lion?” They imply a balance in weather, a balance in life.  While the old sayings are fun to consider, we have no control over nature or the cycles of life. We can, however, control our ability to spread love to grow feelings of hope. https://askmaryst...

Thank you for being part of spreading the word about how gardens and nature can heal and grow our lives. This episode starts with The Little Prince's view that it's critical to rid the little planets he visits of all the bad seeds that turn into bad plants. Specifically, the Baobab—ironically, an ancient tree adored here on earth—leading to a lesson of clearing resentments and growing in...

Thank you for being part of a community spreading the word about how gardens and nature can heal and grow our lives. This episode starts with an update on Ellie's Living Christmas Tree and the arrival of a new rescue adopted from a kindhearted shelter featured in the story of Father John's Animal House Garden .   Did you know 20-20 Vision not perfect vision? I share lessons of recovery i...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

If I may share the origin of a memoir underway titled The Lesson of the Leaf, wisdom my soulful twin brother Bill Stone gave me before he passed away. And while this episode was recorded at the unset of the pandemic, The Lesson of the Leaf is timeless. I hope it inspires you, too.  Thank you for tuning in, Mary Stone  More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Di...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...

More about the Podcast and Column:  Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.  It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots t...