by Connie Oswald Stofko Get a free native plant, hear the author of The Humane Gardener, and find out more about how you can create a wonderful garden that works with nature rather than against it. It’s all part of the event Plant for Nature! to be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at the WNY Welcome Center, 1999 Alvin Rd., Grand Island. It is hosted by the Citizen Coalition for Wildlife and Environment, which received a…
by Connie Oswald Stofko You’d be pretty embarrassed if the whole neighborhood lost its cable because you cut the line while you were digging or rototilling. And if you hit a gas or electrical line, you and others could be injured or even killed! So before you dig a hole for a fence post, water feature, garden or pool, you need to know where all those utility lines are so you don’t accidentally hit them with your shovel or rototiller….
More than 75 gardens will be featured on the East Side Garden Walk. Even though the event has expanded to two days this year, that’s still a lot of gardens to see in a weekend. Garden Walk Buffalo will have more than 300 gardens to visit in two days. It’s the largest garden tour in North America! Make the most of your time by getting maps of those two walks ahead of time so you can plan out your route….
by Connie Oswald Stofko Maybe you haven’t noticed, but food prices are going up and may continue to rise. Food plants may be a good investment right now. To deal with inflation, consider growing vegetables, herbs or fruit that: You are really going to eat Are expensive to buy You can share with others Plant what you like to eat I used to have a large section of garden filled with chives. They grow easily and get a pretty purple…
Learn more about the beautiful and historic gardens during landscape tours at Graycliff, 6472 Old Lake Shore Rd., Derby. The tours will be held at 10:30 a.m. every other Sunday. Dates are: June 5, 19 July 3, 17, 31 Aug. 14, 28 The 90-minute landscape tour focuses on the history and restoration of Graycliff’s historic gardens and grounds. It includes the first floor of the main house, designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright created the initial design of…
by Connie Oswald Stofko A seed library started May 11 at the Orchard Park Library and it’s already popular. About a week after the seed library was set up, the stock of seeds in the drawers had to be replenished, said Tim Allman, library assistant. The Orchard Park Library is located at S-4570 South Buffalo St., Orchard Park. When you enter the library, immediately to your right, in the book nook where the Friends of the Library hold their sale,…
by Connie Oswald Stofko You may have heard that if you want flavorful tomatoes, go for heirloom varieties. But did you know that there are heirloom and specialty varieties in other vegetables including eggplants, cucumbers and peppers? “These are varieties that you wouldn’t even see in a supermarket,” said Patti Jablonski-Dopkin, general manager of Urban Roots Cooperative Garden Market, 428 Rhode Island St., Buffalo. Urban Roots carries about 35 varieties of heirloom and specialty vegetable plants. “We choose varieties that…
The WNY Iris Society will hold its annual Iris and Perennial Show from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at the Reinstein Library, 1030 Losson Rd., Cheektowaga. New this year: Anyone can enter to win ribbons and awards. To compete for prizes, the iris must have its cultivar name and the perennial must have its botanical name. People entering plants in the show should be at the Reinstein Library by 9 a.m. Judging will occur from 11 a.m. to…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I don’t know what to say. On Saturday a man shot 13 people, leaving 10 dead, at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. The suspect said his intention was to kill Black people. What does one say when something this horrifying happens? I have no words. But we can’t ignore what happened. Here are some ways you can help. Since the Jefferson Avenue Tops is closed, MAP (Massachusetts Avenue Project) will join BFLO Wormworks, Faithful…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Here is one update and two reminders for the beginning of the growing season in Western New York. Some gardeners say they have seen fewer red lily leaf beetles in past years. Get tips on growing vegetables in gardens and in containers. Mulch volcanoes are popular, but bad for your trees. Are there fewer red lily leaf beetles in WNY? A few gardeners mentioned to me that they saw fewer red lily leaf beetles in Western…