In the newest edition of the Optimistic Gardener, topics include: The publication is produced by the Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. Find the newsletter on the gardening page of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Chautauqua (on the lefthand side) and in Cattaraugus (on the righthand side)…....
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With literally hundreds of gardens to see in just two days, wouldn’t it be nice to get the map for Garden Walk Buffalo map ahead of time so you can plan your route? Make a donation by June 15 and the Garden Walk Buffalo map will be mailed to you. Bonus: The East Side Garden Walk map will be mailed to you as well! And there’s more! Your donation supports not only these tours, but also supports the Lunenfeld Beautification…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko Here are three brand-new, exciting plants for Mischler’s 69-cent perennial sale: Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses will hold their yearly 69-cent Perennial Sale at Mischler’s, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. The plants are sold only in packs of four plants at $2.76 per pack. Get a flat for $33.12 (12 packs per flat). See the list of plants here. The sale will take place from Friday, April 26 to Saturday, May 4, while supplies last. Sale hours are 8 a.m…....
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Burning for Biochar, a hands-on workshop on making biochar, will be held Saturday, April 27 at Henry’s Gardens, 7884 Sisson Hwy., Eden. Discover the benefits biochar can bring to your garden with John Maher, a founding member of the BioChar Coalition. Maher has degrees in both chemistry and biology, and has been producing biochar for over 10 years. Biochar has a number of benefits for your garden, from increasing microbial activity to increasing cation exchange capacity to help the soil…....
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Every year, people scoop up young wild animals thinking the animals are orphaned or neglected. They take the young animals to a wildlife rehabilitator, or worse, attempt to raise the young animals themselves. In many cases, this is unnecessary or even harmful, according to this page from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The most common young animals to be mistakenly “kidnapped” by humans are fawns, cottontail rabbits and fledgling birds. It’s important to understand the normal behavior for these…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko Cherry trees are already flowering in the Japanese Garden in Delaware Park. Will there still be cherry blossoms to enjoy during the 11th Annual Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival next week? “I feel 100 percent confident that we will have cherry trees in bloom for the festival,” said Paula Hinz, co-founder of the Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28 inside the…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko Hummingbirds generally arrive in Western New York at the end of April or early May. I’ve seen some mentions online saying that hummingbirds have already been spotted in Chautauqua County, but according to this map, they haven’t arrived yet (as of Tuesday morning, April 16). Perhaps people are seeing male hummingbirds. The males arrive a week or so before females, according to “When to Expect Hummingbirds in Your Yard This Spring” from Audubon.org. It’s possible that…...
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“Unicorn” plants for changing gardens and ecofriendly rain gardens are among the topics to be presented at the 2024 Garden Symposium to be held by Master Gardener Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County. The symposium will take place from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at Jamestown Community College, Carnahan Jackson Building, 241 James St., Jamestown. Here is the list of speakers and topics: Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with fellow garden enthusiasts. Admission is $30 for the public or $20 for Master Gardeners from any county. Lunch will be available for an additional $11. Get tickets here. For more information, email chautauquamg@cornell.edu…...
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by Connie Oswald Stofko “Come to the party! Life is a feast,” said an enthusiastic Jack Edson, expressing his outlook on his gardens and his life. I visited his landscape last year on the Buzz Around Hamburg Garden Walk. He touched on many topics, including nature, art and philosophy. As he discussed the mulberry trees in his yard, Edson noted that they have a painterly quality. He pointed out the light and dark of the mulberry leaves, and compared that…...
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Gardeners can sign up now to share their landscapes on garden walks in several areas. See details below. Reminder: If you are organizing a garden walk or other event, please email the information to me at Connie@BuffaloNiagaraGardening.com. Amherst Garden Walk combines with Williamsville There may be more gardens to see this year on the Amherst Garden Walk now that it will encompass the Village of Williamsville as well. (The organizers of the Village of Williamsville Garden Walk stepped down and…...
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