by Connie Oswald Stofko The landscape of Mary Lou Szalach and Kevin Papendick is beautiful, with garden islands in the front yard, but it was the backyard that I wanted to see. That’s where they have raised beds that are self-watering; the beds are connected to their sprinkler system. I visited them last year on the North Tonawanda Garden Walk. Papendick displayed a diagram that laid out the set-up; see above. I colored it in to make it easier to…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Have you ever fallen in love with a houseplant, only to discover it’s not for you? Find a compatible houseplant in “Blind Date,” one of the activities during Houseplant & Succulent Weekend at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, March 8 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 9. In “Blind Date,” houseplants will be set up at stations around…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Gardening often has blunders, and so does technology! My subscription page has been wonky for more than a week. Now people can’t subscribe at all; they get an error message that says, “We do not think you are human.” Heavens, no! Gardeners are the best humans I’ve ever met! I’m not sure how long the problem will continue, but the engineering team from the app company is working on this problem. Until it’s solved, I have…
Lemon balm, soil science and the many kinds of compost bins are some of the topics in the newest edition of The Optimistic Gardener. The publication is produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. Find the newsletter on the gardening page of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua (on the lefthand side) and in Cattaraugus (on the righthand side)….
by Connie Oswald Stofko This could be the warmest winter in the history of record-keeping in Western New York. Yesterday it was sunny with a high of 53 degrees Fahrenheit in Buffalo, and overnight it never reached freezing. It was even warmer today—We broke the previous record of 64 degrees for this date. Maybe it’s too warm to do winter sowing. But then again, WNY will have a high in the 20s on Thursday. So maybe we can still do…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I’m so happy to welcome new subscribers to Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com. You’ll enjoy the gardening tips, wonderful gardens, Events page, and more! As a new subscriber, you are automatically entered into a drawing for a prize package worth approximately $525! And I love my longtime subscribers! They are also entered into the prize drawing. There will be three winners, and each winner will receive the entire prize package! The three winners will be selected at random from our…
The Orchid Exhibit at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is nearing its end. The grand finale happens this weekend at Orchid Fest, featuring Niagara Frontier Orchid Society’s Orchid Show. The show will feature award-winning orchids, special displays and showcases, as well as vendors and orchid experts. Visit during the day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 2 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 3. You can also see the stunning collection of orchids under special…
Putting purple and orange together creates excitement in your garden, says painter Val Szeluga. See how it’s done in Val & Gene Szeluga’s Moonlight Garden in the video above. The video was created by Jay Jinge Hu, who shares his Williamsville landscape on Open Gardens. You can also see the Szelugas’ marvelous garden in person on Open Gardens in July. The Tours of Open Gardens Guide, which you need to visit these exceptional gardens, will be available at Plantasia. You can…
Artisans and vendors are sought for the 13th annual Gardens Buffalo Niagara Garden Art Sale to be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 29 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 30 at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. The event welcomes diverse mediums including sculptures, planters, metalwork, fountains, wind sculptures, vintage signs, ceramics, woodwork, birdhouses, birdbaths and more. “This is an exceptional opportunity for artists and creators to connect with our…
by Connie Oswald Stofko If you are subscribed to Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, you are already entered into our prize drawing—and this year the prize packages are worth about $525 each! There will be three winners, and each winner will receive the entire prize package! The three winners will be selected at random from our list of subscribers. If you haven’t subscribed yet, do it now. It’s free to subscribe! And once you have subscribed, not only will you be entered into this great prize drawing,…