by Connie Oswald Stofko I got a question from a reader that I thought might interest a lot of people: “I planted three baby boxwood shrubs in my front flower bed this spring (in West Seneca/South Buffalo). They are still very small, but have started sprouting new growth and I’m concerned about the cold and snow affecting them. “I was thinking of putting milk crates over them and covering them with the frost blanket that I have. That area of…...
As part of Williamsville’s Holiday in the Village, you can take your holiday photo against a backdrop of fresh poinsettias at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. This photo opportunity is free. Bring your own camera and round up your family and friends– your pet is welcome, too– for a photo you can post on Facebook, make into a greeting card or print out for your relatives. The backdrop will be available from 10 a.m. to 4…...
The organizers of Open Gardens for the National Garden Festival are looking for gardeners in Cheektowaga and South Buffalo to participate in 2015. During Open Gardens, the public can visit the gardens on Thursdays and/or Fridays from July 9-31, 2015. The gardens are clustered geographically, and the days and times that the gardens are open will depend on the cluster. The time blocks are from 10 a.m. to to 2 p.m., 2 to 6 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m…....
by Connie Oswald Stofko If you’re a gardener who has complained about deer eating your plants, you’ve probably had someone respond with “Well, the deer were here first.” But gardeners who have been in their house for a few decades insist they were there before the deer. They’re right. While many people think that we are encroaching on the deer’s long-established habitat when we build new developments, suburban sprawl is actually creating refuges for deer, said Paul D. Curtis, associate…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Tourists as well as Western New York gardeners love to take photos at the various events of the National Garden Festival and at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Rick Brightman of Norwich, NY, was in our area for the Fourth of July weekend and took this photo at the Botanical Gardens. You can find “beauty from a mile away to millimeters away and everywhere in between, no matter where you look,” Brightman said. You…...
Learn about an upcoming trip to tour the gardens and villas of the Italian lakes in a webinar from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20. The trip will take place July 18-27 and is sponsored by the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, Collette Vacations and the Royal Horticultural Society. Highlights include: Explore UNESCO World Heritage site Padua Botanic Garden, the first botanical garden in the world. Enjoy a gardening workshop at the historic Valsanzibio Gardens. Discover the Cicogna…...
What’s not to like about sunchokes? They grow dramatically in one season, reaching heights of 10 feet. In September, when other plants are losing steam, sunchokes are just starting to flower. They add a lot of interest to your garden. Plus you can eat them! Find out more about sunchokes (also called Jerusalem artichokes) here. I have to admit there is one drawback with sunchokes– The roots do spread a lot. The root is the part you eat, and even…...
Enjoy a festive atmosphere with Christmas music and free refreshments including homemade cookies, savory treats and hot spiced cider at the Christmas open house to be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. Whether you’re looking for Christmas gifts or decorations for your own home, you’ll find a spectacular array of items at Lockwood’s. Look for seasonal favorites including decorated wreaths, boxwood trees and poinsettias. Check out the indoor flowering…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko A lot us of keep a container in the kitchen so we can collect potato peels, orange rinds, tea bags and other scraps for our compost pile. I use an old plastic container that has a cracked lid. Your container might be as simple as a used coffee can. You don’t need anything fancy. Here’s my big confession: I don’t like to wash out the container. I mean, you’re basically using it to collect garbage. It’s…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko You may have noticed black circles on the maple leaves in your neighborhood. That’s called tar spot because it looks like drops of tar were dripped onto the leaves. Tar spot is caused by a fungus and attacks mostly sugar maples, but can affect other maples as well, said Carol Ann Harlos, Master Gardener coordinator for the Erie County Cornell Cooperative Extension. There isn’t a lot you can do about tar spot, but the disease isn’t as…...