glasses at Lockwood's in Hamburg NY

Use a nature theme to bridge from fall to winter decorating

When it comes to decorating, gardeners like to bring the outdoors inside, and using a nature theme actually makes it easier to transition from fall holidays to winter holidays. Pine cones are great transitional elements, said Mary Gurtler, designer at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. The wine glasses in the photo above are a great example of that. If I describe them as being painted in fall shades of yellow, brown and green, you can picture them on a…...

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canna lilies by fence in Buffalo NY

How to keep your canna lilies over the winter & 2 more tips

“I haven’t bought canna lilies in years because they multiply,” said Kristen Suto of Busti Avenue, Buffalo. We visited her lush front yard, which has a view of the Niagara River, during Garden Walk Buffalo in July. Suto has canna lilies in pots and in beds throughout her gardens. The yellow flower in the photo below is another canna lily. If you haven’t already brought in your canna lily bulbs for the winter, do it now. When Suto brings her…...

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pumpkins with succulents at Lockwoods in Hamburg NY

Easy way to turn a leftover pumpkin into a Thanksgiving centerpiece

If you have a whole pumpkin left over from Halloween, here’s an easy way to fancy it up for Thanksgiving. This idea comes to us from Becky Watts, CNLP, garden consultant at Lockwood’s Greenhouses. Take a whole pumpkin. (Note that the green pumpkin in the photo is a real, fresh pumpkin. It’s a variety called Ghirardelli.) Glue Spanish moss to the top of the pumpkin using Aleen’s Craft Glue. Watts said she spreads a band of glue about two inches…...

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picking up autumn leaves in tarp in Amherst NY

Don’t waste those leaves! 3 tips to turn autumn leaves into compost

by Connie Oswald Stofko Autumn leaves are so valuable for your garden. You can rake them onto garden beds to serve as mulch. This can help protect your plants during the winter. After that, many of us still have plenty of leaves left. These are great for compost. Here are three tips to make the most of your autumn leaves. Gather leaves up in a tarp. I used to rake my leaves into a pile. Then I would pick them…...

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garden Amherst NY after makeover

Get professional garden design help like I did– free!

We used to have a dog named Cookie who liked to sit out front and bark at pedestrians. Her favorite spot was the garden by the front porch steps. In the summer, she would dig down a bit to find some cool soil to nestle in. If it rained or even snowed, she would snuggle in a dry spot under the overhang. Even when the weather seemed unpleasant to me, Cookie liked being out there. Cookie kept the rabbits away…...

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Northeast native flowers from National Garden Bureau

Perennial for 2013 is ‘wildflower,’ says National Garden Bureau

2013 has been named the Year of the Wildflower by the National Garden Bureau, the non-profit organization promoting gardening on behalf of the horticulture industry. Each year, the National Garden Bureau showcases a plant in each of three categories: vegetable/edible, annual and perennial. The showcased plants are supposed to be popular, easy-to-grow, widely adaptable, genetically diverse and versatile. The wildflower (though it’s more of a category than a plant) certainly meets those criteria. We talked to representatives of Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484…...

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front view Guerico garden in Buffalo NY

4 big tips for creating a garden with year-round interest

by Connie Oswald Stofko In the Buffalo area, when we talk about creating year-round garden interest, what we really mean is: How do I make my garden look good in autumn and winter? From May to August, it’s easy to have beautiful landscaping, flowers and lots of color. All the garden walks are scheduled during that period, so we can find plenty of inspiration for summer gardens. But what if we’d like our gardens to be pretty now and throughout the…...

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lava chrysanthemum in Buffalo

Mum show and more autumn news & tips for Buffalo area

Chrysanthemum Show set at Botanical Gardens Mums are the emblematic flower of autumn, and the Chrysanthemum Show at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is a Western New York tradition. It has been held annually for more than 105 years! The show is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Saturday, October 20 to Sunday, November 11 at the Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo. Enjoy all the colors of the fall season with many different varieties…...

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Twenty First Century spuria iris from Hedgecock

Iris that’s new to Western New York may save you work– hear more

You’ve probably never heard of the spuria iris, but it may be a good alternative to the tall bearded iris– the spuria iris doesn’t need to be moved every few years. If you want to avoid heavy digging, this might be a good choice for you. Learn more about this plant when the Western New York Iris Society hosts the annual meeting of the affiliated clubs of the American Iris Society Region 2. Jim Hedgecock, a renowned hybridizer and president…...

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Autumn Reflections 1 in Western New York

Is there a purpose to fall leaf color? Plus read more tips too good to miss

Is there a purpose to fall leaf color? The crimson color of autumn leaves is astonishingly beautiful, but it may serve a purpose for the tree, too, according to Leaflets, an online newsletter produced by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The red and violet colors in leaves come from a group of pigments called anthocyanins, which are created by the leaf to act as a sunblock. As the levels of chlorophyll are depleted, the leaf cannot use all…...

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