The fact that Thomas Gardner is a foodie is written all over his landscape. Likewise, his fondness for flowers. Merge the two, and you have an Eden where dahlias jostle tomatoes and marigolds weave into peppers, with pawpaws loitering not far away. Because Tom sees no reason to segregate his summer squash or to banish […]
plants
Bear biologist Ben Kilham lives in two worlds: human and ursine. Learn more about “the man who watches bears” in New England.
Phantom Dahlias | Mary’s Farm
A man down the road grows dahlias, the magnificent and ancient starbursts of color that in northern climes only really dedicated gardeners will grow. Ted and his wife, Wendy, are schoolteachers in another state. Several years ago, they bought this small dormered Cape as a summer place. It faces the mountain and was at that […]
When used as companion plants, edible and ornamental plants grow beautifully alongside each other and make interesting container gardens, arrangements and traditional garden beds. Pairing your favorite fruits and veggies with your favorite blossoms and blooms is a great way to grow and enjoy all of the plants you love together, while enjoying the benefits […]
DIY: Build a Backyard Greenhouse
Small, backyard greenhouses like the kind shown in mail-order catalogs are a gardener’s dream. They prolong the growing season and offer protection to young plants. Unfortunately, they can also be quite pricey. Don’t waste your money — you can save hundreds of dollars and achieve the same results when you build a greenhouse yourself. Use […]
Many gardeners, even ones that have been growing successful gardens for years, often shy away from growing lettuce in the scorching summer months, because they’re worried that their crop will be bitter or bolt before it’s ready to harvest. But growing lettuce during the hot months of summer is a breeze if you know these […]
How to Plant a Strawberry Pot
Most of us have a list of garden projects we’d like to tackle one of these days. Mine include putting in a small berry patch, some raised vegetable beds, a rose arch, a grape arbor, and wisteria vines. We live near the city, so some of these ambitions are clearly outsized. But I did cross […]
Container gardening can be fun when you think about using theme that are creative, beautiful or functional. Plants can be grouped together in any size container and are as suited to a tabletop as to a porch, deck or yard. Container gardening is not only easy to set up and maintain, these little gardens also […]
Bees buzzing around your gardens and property are a good thing, and beekeeping has been gaining popularity in the New England states. Sure, it’s a hobby with sweet benefits, but it’s also a way to boost bee pollination, ensuring that the optimum amount of plants are reproducing and bearing fruit — none of which could […]
Rhode Island Best Attractions 2012
BEST PLACE TO GET SCHOOLED International Yacht Restoration School, Newport Watch students restore and build classic wooden boats at this harbor campus, which includes a stone wharf and floating docks where you can check out visiting vessels. Or BYOB: build your own dory, canoe, or kayak during a weeklong class. 449 Thames St. 401-848-5777; iyrs.org […]
Hydroponic gardening is the art and science of growing plants without soil. For hundreds of years mediums other than soil have been used with great success to grow plants. Today hydroponic trends include succulents growing vertically as living walls and room dividers and roof top plantings designed by landscape architects to absorb rainwater run-off and […]
Build a Cold Frame
Cold frames are excellent for starting new plants early in the season and extending the growing season into early winter. Essentially a modified miniature greenhouse, cold frames may be purchased at garden centers and home improvements stores for a few hundred dollars but are also easily constructed and relatively inexpensive to build. Now is a […]