You can enter plants, flowers, heirloom vegetables and fruits in the Agricultural Fair to be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5 and 6 at the Genesee Country Village and Museum, 1410 Flint Hill Road, Mumford. The competitions include one for largest pumpkin. Prior registration is required. Entry forms must be received by Friday, Sept. 13. Find the entry form and rules here. Entrants will receive one day free admission to the fair. The competitions are…...
Cooperative Extension in Erie County sets gardening classes
Three gardening classes will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 21 South Grove Street, East Aurora. The cost is $15 per class or all three classes for $40. Send a check made out to MG of Erie County to CUCE Erie County, ATTN: Carol Ann Harlos, 21 South Grove St., East Aurora NY 14052. The classes are: Sept. 10: Lyn Chimera will speak on “Why Native Plants?” Sept. 17: Carol Ann Harlos will speak…...
Learn how to get better blooms on hydrangeas at Lockwood’s fall fair
If you’ve had trouble getting your hydrangeas to bloom, you’re not alone. So many people had this problem that Tim Boebel wrote a book on the topic called Hydrangeas in the North. You can get tips directly from the author when he speaks at Lockwood’s Fall Garden Fair at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark Street, Hamburg. This year the fair will be held for two days, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 7 and 8. Hours will…...
Rally to feature steam-powered & other vintage farm equipment
by Connie Oswald Stofko For centuries, the only power that was used on farms for plowing, threshing and every other chore was provided by people or by horses. That changed with the introduction of steam power in the 1800s. Later, gasoline engines were used in all sorts of ways, including providing power to washing machines in rural areas that hadn’t yet gotten electricity. You can see fascinating vintage farm equipment during the 47th annual rally of the Western New York…...
Botanical Gardens gets grant for Plant Pals program
A unique field trip to the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens will be taken by 220 second-graders in the Buffalo Public Schools, thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Buffalo Bills Youth Foundation. The grant will fund a portion of the Plant Pals program at the Botanical Gardens. Created in 2011 with a grant from the Margaret Whitehead Foundation, Plant Pals is aligned to the New York State Standards for Science and provides lessons for second-graders in the Buffalo…...
Watch for improvements here at Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com
We want to make it even easier for you to get the gardening information you want at Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com. We’re planning a few changes to streamline our website and make it easier to find what you need. You should see the changes in the next couple weeks. I think you’ll like them! Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com is continually growing and developing to serve you better. If you have any suggestions for me, please email me at connie@buffaloniagaragardening.com or just leave a comment. I’d love…...
Look up– There’s a flower garden on the roof!
by Connie Oswald Stofko Denis Uminski said he should put a sign in his backyard that says, “Look up!” Otherwise visitors can miss one of the newest and most interesting features of the landscape: a flower garden planted on the slanted roof of the Uminskis’ garage at 95 Columbia Blvd., Kenmore. He and his wife Mary Jane got the idea during a visit to Plantasia five years ago. They had the garden installed during the second week in June, so…...
See winning photos online & at Jamestown Audubon
Prints of the winning photographs in the 2013 Jamestown Audubon Nature Photography Contest will be on display during the Monarch Butterfly Festival to be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday, Aug. 31 at the Audubon Center and Sanctuary, 1600 Riverside Rd., Jamestown, one-quarter mile east of Route 62 between Jamestown and Warren, PA. The winning images as well as the finalists’ images can be seen online. The winning photo in the Adult Wildlife category, seen above, is “Moose in…...
Land Conservancy gets $500,000 to create Stella Niagara Preserve
An ecologically important parcel of land in Lewiston that supports rare plants is several steps closer to being protected as the Stella Niagara Preserve, thanks to work by the Western New York Land Conservancy. The Niagara River Greenway Commission on July 16 voted unanimously that the proposed preserve was consistent with the Niagara River Greenway Plan. Less than a week later, the Greenway Ecological Standing Committee of the New York Power Authority approved a $500,000 funding request. This grant is…...
Four spectacular ways to use succulents in your garden or home
by Connie Oswald Stofko The wonderful shows at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens can give you lots of great ideas that you can use in your own garden or home. Here are four spectacular looks from last year’s succulent show that you could adapt for your own home. Get more ideas at this year’s succulent show to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from Saturday, Sept. 7 to Sunday, Oct. 6 at the Botanical Gardens,…...