Over the past decade, succulents have undergone a resurgence in popularity. Thanks to thousands of indoor appearances in the Instagram feeds of popular interior designers and bloggers, it’s almost easy to forget that these are delightful outdoor plants that are easily grown in pots. Beyond their hardiness, ease of care, and adaptability to both sunny...
When you walk across your lawn, do you feel any spongy or “bouncy” areas under foot? Or are parts of the lawn starting to show weak or thin growth, or pale colors? This isn’t uncommon in our area, and is often a sign that your lawn needs dethatching. While many people like to get out...
It’s easy to get excited at this time of year in the grocery store. Behold the green bounty—ramps, fiddleheads, dandelion greens, burdock root, oh my! But did you know that you can actually get many of these foods for FREE—potentially even in your own backyard? Yep, with a little know-how and some patience, wild foraging...
Ah, springtime in the northeast. Finally. The trees are budding, birds are chirping, the air is crisp and sweet—and if you’re lucky, you’ll see a buzzing little bee flitting about in all the fresh bloomage. For bees, it’s officially the start of their busy season—time to pollinate. Bees are invaluable to local plant life—one bee...
By Hannah Van Sickle When I was a kid, come Christmas morning, there was invariably one large box under the tree wrapped in sections of the Sunday comics. Part of me was giddy at the idea of a gift so big wrapping paper wouldn’t cut it; the other part of me would pause for a...
By Hannah Van Sickle My daughter was home for a long weekend in October–her first visit since leaving for boarding school in late August. Following an otherwise routine lunch, Kathryn got up from the table and headed straight for the compost bin to the left of the kitchen sink. With one swift flick of her...
By Robin Catalano We’re fortunate to live in an area of the country that’s treated to a fireworks-spectacular change of color every fall. If you enjoy autumn colors as much as we do, the timing is perfect for incorporating more of them into your home landscape. With soil temperatures remaining warm but air temperatures cooling...
By Hannah Van Sickle Already dreading winter and the piles of snow that will inevitably accumulate in the coming months? Tackling a fall to-do list between now and the end of November–the kind professional landscapers employ to prepare their own outdoor living space for winter–is the smartest and easiest way to ensure your landscape is...
Fall in New England is practically synonymous with apple picking or heading to the farmers’ market to stock up on sweet, juicy pears. If you’ve ever wished you could enjoy these and other tree fruits right in your own backyard, a home orchard is within your reach. All it takes is some careful planning, early...
By Hannah Van Sickle live in the country and my lawn–for lack of better terminology–is green but not so grassy. In fact, this summer’s abundance of rain has actually caused a large, seemingly dead area in my front yard to become teeming with weeds and I am ecstatic. But does everyone feel this way? I...
