Plant trees with Re-Tree WNY at Forest Lawn

Forest Lawn & Re-Tree WNY seek volunteers to plant trees from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1 and 2 at Forest Lawn, 1411 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. No experience is necessary; a brief training session will take place each day. Children under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult. During this event, about 300 bare root deciduous hardwood trees will be planted throughout Forest Lawn as part of Forest Lawn’s ongoing efforts to “return the forest…

cactus in bathtub in Tonawanda NY

There’s a 9-foot cactus in a bathtub– & that’s just the beginning

A double-tub wringer washer, a bucket for a milking machine and a pan from a salad bar are some of the items that have been found new uses in the garden of Terry and Debbie Calway on Hampton Parkway in Tonawanda. The Calways’ garden was among the more than 50 gardens open to visitors during the Ken-Ton Garden Tour on July 21 and 22. In the photo at left, a huge coffee machine on the Calways’ front porch becomes a…

front garden in Buffalo NY

Gardener goes old school with organic gardening in Buffalo

“We’re from New York City,” said Shawn King. “It’s all concrete there. When we got here and saw all this land, we just started planting.” She and her husband, Lew-Jean, have lived for 27 years at 166 Lasalle Ave., Buffalo. I visited them on July 13 during the Samuel P. Capen Garden Walk. “We’ve always had a garden,” Shawn said. “The love of gardening was instilled in me by my grandmother.” In the front yard, a neat arrangement of flowers…

backyard garden on Argyle in Buffalo NY

Small backyard in Buffalo goes vertical to add gardening space

Kathy and Ed Burke moved to their home on Argyle Park in Buffalo about eight years ago. “We moved from a home with a huge garden, but it had become more of a chore than a joy,” Kathy said. Their current backyard is small, but flowering perennials in the sunny beds and colorful foliage in the shady beds make it feel joyful. The Burkes shared their gardens during Garden Walk Buffalo, the largest garden walk in the nation, on July…

Perennial garden in Amherst NY

Objects picked from trash add beauty to Amherst garden

Suzi Redino estimates that only 5 to 10 percent of the furniture and decorations in her yard were purchased. The rest were picked out of the garbage. Literally. Suzi specializes in trash to treasure in her interior design business, Cherry Tree Design. Her husband Rick’s family business is a junk yard, R & R Salvage. Almost every day he brings something home to her, and many of the items find their way into her yard. “That’s from the junkyard,” she…

Jerusalem artichole or sunchoke flowers in Amherst NY

Celebrate Earth Day in your garden

Gardeners treasure the chance to get outdoors and work with plants. They feel the rhythms of the seasons. They’re in tune with nature and want to make their corner of the world a better place. Earth Day is coming up this Sunday, April 22, so this seems like a good time to review ways we gardeners can be more effective in helping the environment. Many of the tips on our list today are things we’ve talked about in previous articles,…

Fargo Estate Neighborhood Community Garden in Buffalo NY

Grants given to community groups by Garden Walk Buffalo

Garden Walk Buffalo announced grants, including a $2,500 grant to Re-Tree WNY, at its Beautification Awards event held last night at D’Youville College in Buffalo. “With the grants we’re giving out, we’re sort of spinning green into gold,” said Jim Charlier, president of Garden Walk Buffalo. Garden Walk Buffalo is a free event that brings visitors into Buffalo from across the country. The nonprofit organization raises money for its expenses through the sale of merchandise and through corporate sponsorships. The…

Events mid-Sept 2013 to June 2010

Gardening Events for January to mid-September 2013 (For events from mid-September 2013 to yesterday, see Past Events.)     Sunday, September 22 Sunday Kids Program at Botanical Gardens 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children ages 4 to 12 will enjoy these hands-on activities held in the new indoor Wegmans Family Garden at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Avenue, Buffalo. The activities are included with admission.   Sunday, September 22 Hydrangea wreath workshop at Lockwood’s Designers…

visitors to Lewiston NY garden walk 2010

Buffalo-area gardeners have many reasons to be grateful

We Buffalo-area gardeners should take a moment to stop and count our blessings. We live in an area with so many gardening riches that it’s easy to take them for granted. Let’s start with something as simple as a garden walk. Backyards, which normally are private spaces, are opened to strangers and friends alike. You’re invited to enjoy the scenery and take photos if you want. The gardener is willing to answer questions you might have about their garden. Wait,…

Have a seat in paradise Amherst NY

It’s autumn, and this Amherst garden is still blooming!

“We like to have our coffee out there,” said Ann M. Bednarek, referring to her beautiful garden that you can see in her photo at left. She named the photo, “Have a Seat in Paradise.” Ann and her husband Jack have lived in the duplex at 136 Fairgreen Dr., Amherst, since 2004. They have been adding to the backyard garden there every year. Many of their plants are perennials, which are still blooming. Ann enjoys the zinnias because they come…