By Audrey Clark It’s that time of year: Hundreds of gardeners are busy rushing against the clock, using the extra daylight hours to stay out until 9pm, only coming inside when the sun goes down and the mosquitoes get fierce. Western New York gardeners are a dedicated bunch, and with the Gardens Buffalo Niagara’s (GBN) season officially underway, every day counts. Throughout July and August, close to 500 gardens will open throughout the region to participate in GBN events, welcoming…
Warmer, wetter, and weirder
Welcome to Western New York’s new growing season By Lauren Newkirk Maynard Have you found sour cherries? This year, the crop was affected by late frost in places like Niagara County, shutting down some u-pick operations. “I was speaking with a grower at the East Aurora Farmer’s Market this past weekend and no one had sour cherries at that time,” says Sharon Bachman of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Erie County. This spring saw more rain and cooler temps than we…...
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Open Gardeners’ top tips
Beetle traps, black paint, and other brilliant backyard hacks Story and photos by Jim Charlier I’ve learned a great deal from visiting gardens, and the best way to do that is on a garden tour. Here are hints and advice from Open Gardens gardeners—some of the region’s most knowledgeable and generous green thumbs. Here’s my own tip, which I borrowed from Master Gardener Sally Cunningham: bright yellow Japanese beetle traps work so well that they can attract more beetles to…...
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This month in the garden: July
Merciful chops, endless watering and the communal joys of the high season. By Peggy Koppmann I’m in the market for a crystal ball. As this is being written at the beginning of June, many national weather forecasts predict a hot, dry summer. By the time you read this in July, gardeners may be praying to the rain gods for help. Now, if we could just find a fortune teller who is also a meteorologist…and a gardener. Happy July! Make the…
Oak wilt: A Q&A with Cornell’s John Farfaglia
By Ellen Goldstein John Farfaglia, horticulture educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension, Niagara County, sat down with Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com to talk about a deadly new disease threatening local oak trees. What is oak wilt? Oak leaf wilt is a plant disease that attacks oak trees. Basically, it is a fungus that shuts off the abilities of the oak trees to transport water from the roots to the branches and leaves. The disease disrupts the water flow in the plant, and it has…
Blooms & Brews
The best garden tour, it turns out, starts the night before. By Lauren Newkirk Maynard This summer, a garden-season tradition is back. Years ago, before Gardens Buffalo Niagara brought several garden events together under one organization, Garden Walk Buffalo threw an annual party at the former Bullfeather’s bar and restaurant on the West Side. The evening connected gardeners, local garden lovers and out-of-town visitors together on the Friday before the big event. It was a great time, giving hard-working gardeners…
Comeback kids: perennials we love
By Lauren Newkirk Maynard In my shade-loving, woodland-ish city yard, perennials rule. The plants popping up every year, and sometimes every other if biennial, delight me with their determination and consistency. Perennials can be workhorses in the garden, battling climate change, drought, soggy rain and certain pests (deer and rabbits, we see you). They can be grown in all levels of sun and shade, and provide blooms for cut arrangements or interesting foliage in shady spots. They can also help…
Garden art: When good gardens go great
Story and photos by Jim Charlier Does your garden need art? There are many world-class gardens, and gardens on local tours, with no garden art, and they don’t seem lacking. However, here are some reasons why you may want art in your garden: Creates a focal point. Where the eyes go, the feet follow. Even if it doesn’t lead the feet, it gives a destination for your eyes. Maybe they’ll skim over areas of a garden you want skipped over!…
This month in the garden: June
On checking temptation, hitting thugs where they hurt, and above all, enjoying your patch of heaven. By Peggy Koppmann I saw a quote recently that said, “I garden, therefore I am.” With apologies to Descartes, I believe that to be true for gardeners. As June arrives, acts of gardening are part of our very existence. We plan and plant to feed our families, to support pollinators, to sustain our environment, and to create beauty. We are the face of resistance…
Elevate your outdoors: The Garden Art Sale is back!
By Elizabeth Foy Ready to transform your yard from ordinary to extraordinary? Gardens Buffalo Niagara’s 15th annual Garden Art Sale, in partnership with the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, is your opportunity to discover truly unique, handcrafted treasures that will make your outdoor spaces sing. Explore an incredible lineup of more than 70 vendors (including 22 new ones!) showcasing one-of-a-kind creations. Whether you are hunting for a bold, dramatic sculpture, stunning ceramics, rustic woodwork, or just a touch of…
