by Mike Van Der Puy Climate change is here. What does that mean for gardeners and farmers in Western New York? Should we alter our growing plans? If so, how? Evidence that the climate is changing in Western New York You may have noticed migratory birds arriving earlier than they used to or see some bushes budding in January. Those are clues that the Western New York climate is slowly changing. However, we have more than anecdotal evidence that climate…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko At a recent workshop at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, David Clark shared this ingenious way to plant hardy annual seeds right now in the Buffalo area– outside! I love this idea because I always get itchy to do some gardening at this time of year, but there’s generally not a lot to do outside. I’ve tried to start seeds inside at this time of year, but it doesn’t work. It’s simply too soon…...
There are still two weeks left to see Night Lights at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. Check out this brief video to get a glimpse of what you’ll experience at Night Lights. If you have already visited Night Lights, you can share your photos. Email them to me, along with your name and where you live, so I can post them on the Your Photos page. The event will be held Wednesdays through Saturday,…...
Did you know that the beautiful amaryllis you have been enjoying indoors this winter can rebloom next year and the year after that, too? “I’ve been using the same bulbs through the years,” said Doug O’Reilly, horticulturist and head gardener at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. He has to make sure he has amaryllis flowers– and lots of them– blooming every year for the annual Amaryllis and Cymbidium Exhibit. The exhibit continues through Feb. 20 at the Botanical…...
Live music is a new addition to the popular Night Lights event at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo, which starts tomorrow. Also new this year, Buffalo artist Zach Boehler will install sculptures inside the Botanical Gardens to enhance the visitors’ experience. As visitors walk through the Botanical Gardens during Night Lights, they encounter creative lighting displays and soundscapes that inspire imaginations and delight the senses. Last year’s event was a huge success, and…...
Hearts in the Gardens, a fundraising party to benefit the National Garden Festival in Buffalo will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, Feb. 14, at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo. By attending the party, you’re supporting the National Garden Festival and helping to make the Buffalo-Niagara region a garden destination. The event will feature a silent auction. Items to be auctioned include garden goodies, hotel overnights and a…...
Carnivorous plants are fascinating because they do something so unusual: They eat animals. You can grow carnivorous plants in your Buffalo-area home if you pay attention to their needs in three areas: water, minerals and food, said Kenny Coogan of Kenmore. Coogan, along with Ryan McGhee, co-founded the Western New York Carnivorous Plant Club. The club will meet from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1 at Menne Nursery, 3100 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst. The topic will be the butterwort,…...
Here’s an over-the-top decorating idea for the holidays: Make your yard feel more Christmasy by planting holly bushes in the Buffalo area right now! “It’s been such a mild December,” said Teresa Buchanan, general manager of Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. “That’s the only reason you can get away with planting holly now. Normally, it would be too cold by now.” This is the time of year when holly bushes look their most splendid, adorned with their red berries, often…...
A few years ago I realized gardening had gone beyond a hobby for me and become a passion. As I jotted an appointment onto my calendar, I realized that it was already the middle of December. I got a giddy feeling in my stomach and thought, “It’s almost time for seed packets to show up in stores!” That’s when I knew I was a gardener. I may not be skilled in gardening. Heaven knows I didn’t water my garden nearly…...
What did Christmas decorations look like in Buffalo circa 1901? You can get a glimpse when you tour the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, 641 Delaware Ave., between North and Allen Streets, Buffalo. Garden clubs from the Eighth District Federated Garden Clubs of New York State have decorated the historical site for the holidays. Last week, we told you that the garden clubs were challenged to use a color scheme of silver, burgundy and pink. At the same time, they aimed…...