by Penny Durnin If you haven’t already hung your hummingbird feeder in your garden, do it now. The spring migration of hummingbirds is in full swing right now and there have been several reports of hummingbirds in gardens in and around Buffalo. My first male showed up Wednesday, May 4 at 7:11 in the evening. He must have been in need of some instant energy as he made about six visits to my feeder before dark. Ruby throated hummingbirds (the…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I was going to plant Queen Anne’s lace in my garden. I used to love picking these pretty wildflowers in the fields when I was growing up in Cheektowaga. And hey, planting native species is good for the environment, right? One problem: Queen Anne’s lace grows wild, but it’s not a native species. “We’re at the point where the most common stuff is non-native,” said Paul Fuhrmann of Ecology & Environment and the New York State…
Volunteers, as well as people who own land along the Niagara River, Buffalo River or creeks, are needed for planting projects to restore the habitat along the water’s edge. The projects are part of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper’s Habitat Restoration Program and Restore Corps. Landowners If you own land on the Niagara River, Buffalo River or a creek that is a tributary of those rivers, you probably appreciate your access to the water and want to help protect our streams. But…
by Connie Oswald Stofko In the early 1900s, Margaret Wooster’s family farmed land in the Genesee Valley, south of Rochester. When salt deposits were discovered underground, the family sold their land to a mining company. A mine shaft was sunk and family members went to work as salt miners for the company. Eventually the mine was sold to what became Azko Nobel and the mine became the largest salt mine in North America. Unfortunately, disaster struck in 1994. Residents of…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Native plants and flowers are strongly recommended for your rain garden because these plants have the greatest chance of growth and survival in Western New York. Using native plants also means low maintenance– you won’t need to water. Last week, we discussed building a rain garden and how rain gardens help keep our water clean. We showed you the rain garden at the Crane Branch Library in Buffalo, and we promised more information on plants for…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Whether you’re striving to protect our natural resources, or you just want to create a low-maintenance garden, a rain garden may be what you’re looking for. Pictured here is a rain garden that was created in June at the Crane Branch Library, 633 Elmwood at the corner of Highland, in Buffalo. As we explained in an article on rain barrels last week, the biggest pollution threat to Lake Erie and the Niagara River is sewage runoff….
A sale of native plants and mums is being held to benefit the Western New York Land Conservancy. You must order by Sept. 4. Pickup is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11 at Orchard Glen Retirement Community, 6055 Armor Duells Rd., Orchard Park. Native plants are vigorous and hardy and, once established, require no irrigation or fertilization. They provide a habitat for butterflies, insects, hummingbirds and other small birds and animals we know and need. These native…
by Connie Oswald Stofko This Snyder house was once so overgrown that ivy had infiltrated through a window and was growing into the gold shag carpeting inside the house. But now the home boasts a tidy formal garden in front and lush English cottage gardens in back. The home of Craig Coyne and Gary DiNezza at 31 Darwin Dr. was part of the Snyder-CleveHill Garden View in Amherst on Sunday, July 11. Though the property had been sorely neglected (there…
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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