Bionutrient Gardening: The Cream of the Crop
Vegetables have attained an honored, near-sacramental position in the realm of healthful foods. It seems the green, leafy and the plump red produce stemming from a home garden is not only a source of pride, but the recommended method to assure a nutritious diet. Simply eating store-bought veggies doesn’t fill the bill, because data from...
Gardening for beginners: Start off on the right foot
Each year, thousands of first-timers will join the millions of seasoned gardeners who already know the satisfaction of picking a perfect tomato at its peak, serving up salads from greens just grown right outside the back door, or harvesting home-grown peppers and specialty herbs never even seen at the grocery store. Most of us want...
Strawberry fields forever
Get kids growing in the garden by starting them off planting their own strawberries. You can let them plant and care for a whole patch, or just one or two plants, planted in a strawberry jar or garden container. Be sure to engage your kids in the planting process and let them get their hands...
Eco-conscious ways to tend to your lawn
Many homeowners are constantly on the lookout for ways to make their homes more environmentally friendly. Such a pursuit is both noble because it helps the environment and practical because it often saves money. While there are many eco-friendly improvements homeowners make inside their homes, it’s important to note that there are several ways for...
Getting your property ready for winter
Summer is over and it’s that time of year when you search high and low in your garage, barn, or basement looking for all those end-of-summer tools. This is also when leaves fall faster than our rakes can rake, grass no longer needs watering, and shrubs and trees need to be pruned. Yes, it amounts...
Garden tours — ‘Open Days’ schedule
America’s only national garden visiting program, the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days, features some 3,000 private gardens including several in our area. The self guided tours cost $5 per visit and proceeds are used to support the national preservation work of the Garden Conservancy. More information, gardenconservancy.org Sunday, June 10, from 10 to 4 Marocco Garden,...
Garden Column — Arugula
Arugula I planted last autumn is swaying in a row beside the garden gate. Jurassic now, it towers over the spring weeds, crowned with chaotic clusters of flowers shining in the sun. On a recent farm tour, a gardener clucked at these seeming towers of neglect. After an initial blush, I reminded myself I have...
Dining delights Herb gardening in containers
The recipe calls for oregano, or rosemary, or tarragon. You could use dried herbs that might have been sitting on the shelf for months. Or, you could go to your own kitchen garden and pinch off fresh, fragrant leaves grown without pesticides or some unknown chemical fertilizer that wasn’t meant to be eaten. That’s just...
Secret gardens tour
The annual Secret Gardens Tour benefiting the New Canaan Nature Center will take place on Friday, June 8. The 2012 tour will feature properties that represent the past, present and future of New Canaan garden design. Featured properties include a historic estate with extensive grounds, a former farm recently restored with the latest sustainable practices,...
Wake up your garden: listen to the experts
This year’s mild winter and early spring-like weather has gardeners confused — leaving many with a plethora of questions on what to do now. Who better to answer these concerns than Peter and Jennifer Cipriano, co-owners of Copia Home and Garden Center, on Route 123 in South Salem (Vista), N.Y. Both are graduates of Cornell...
Take a tour for the love of gardening
Some of Redding’s exceptional private gardens will go on view in June to benefit the Redding Garden Club and New Pond Farm Education Center. “For the Love of Gardening” allows up to 200 guests from Redding and surrounding towns. It’s on Saturday, June 9, from 10 to 4:30, rain or shine. “This joint venture takes...
The art of the stone wall
Don’t believe what Robert Frost said, when he wrote: “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” The poet loved a stone wall enough to write an entire poem about it and that “Mending Wall” happens to be one of his most famous poems. Frost poked fun in his poem at his old-fashioned neighbor for...
