by Connie Oswald Stofko You can visit all of Cherie St. Pierre’s gardens in Eggertsville as part of the Open Gardens program of the National Garden Festival, but one is so different than the others that we had to give it an article of its own. While St. Pierre’s home and an adjoining property have traditional yards, her rental property across the street at 3887 Bailey has no grass in its front or backyard! She loves gardening, but the retired…
by Connie Oswald Stofko One garden in front of Cherie St. Pierre’s home at 3881 Bailey Ave., Eggertsville, is positioned near a large tree and used to be in deep shade. “I couldn’t grow a thing in this area,” she said. “The good thing about that terrible storm is that it took out a branch.” Without her saying anything more, those of us who experienced that storm know immediately that she is referring the October Storm of 2006. Thursday, Oct….
by Laura Sileo-Lepkyj I started my adventures in organic gardening almost by accident when I decided to enter my garden in the Amherst garden walk this spring. As I was filling out the application, I had a dilemma: what boxes should I check to describe the various features of my garden? Sculptures? Nope. Native Plants? Not so much. Pond? Nada. Arbors/Pergolas? Seriously? I was getting worried. What did I have to offer that makes my garden unique? Then there appeared…
There are many elements to the landscaping at the Williamsville home of Susan Holt: a long stone wall, a winding gravel path leading to a secluded shade garden, a waterfall as the focal point of a lush back yard. The vegetation is full, abundant, interesting and colorful. What you won’t see is many flowers. Some of the few blooms are on the flowering dogwood, the white flowers on the bush in the first photo. “I intentionally have a foliage garden,”…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Clouds and drizzle couldn’t dampen the spirits of visitors in the opening hours of the 2010 Lewiston GardenFest, which was held Saturday and Sunday, June 26 and 27. BuffaloNiagaraGardening.com visited the garden of Dominic and Susan Hofert at 400 Plain St. The new homeowners are working toward a formal garden that’s still friendly and has lots of curb appeal. The gardens that wrap around the large front porch are beautiful and well planned, with shrubs and…
by Connie Oswald Stofko “Not everything is hardy. The definition of a perennial is something that lives three or more years– if you don’t kill it.” Stephanie Cohen, known as the “perennial diva,” gave tips on summer gardening in the sometimes irreverent and often funny keynote address of the National Garden Festival in Buffalo (now Gardens Buffalo Niagara). The event was held Saturday, June 19 in the Nichols School in Buffalo. After the talk, Cohen signed copies of her books,…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Have you ever considered growing wild daisies in your garden? Some people think of them as weeds, but they have a treasured spot in my garden. They’re hardy and easy to grow. Whether we get a hot, dry summer or a cold, rainy summer, the daisy can take it in stride. They do like sun, but you may be able to grow them in shadier spots, too. (Correction: I had written that these are native plants,…
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