Emma Goldman said, "I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck." I'm not particularly fond of roses, but flowers in my house, especially when all is brown and gray outdoors, are a sensory pleasure I can afford to indulge in. When the weather outside is cold and discouraging, the warmth of my sunny kitchen window provides year round gardening opportunities. Yours can, too. Forcing spring bulbs to bloom indoors and early is an easy undertaking. All it really takes is planning ahead and patience. Tulips and narcissus are both simple and reliable, even for beginners. Now is a good…

Wasn't it great to have some extra time to play in the garden this weekend? Sure, Thursday's weather in Scotch Plains and Fanwood encouraged us to stay indoors and overeat. And Thanksgiving Day was perfect for watching the parade, cooking, lighting a fire and cuddling on the couch with a kitty while making a list of Things To Do with Dirt. But the rest of the weekend was perfect for crossing things off that list. The final chore I completed was turning-off the outdoor water and putting the drained hoses away. I mention it first because I feel such a great sense of loss and relief. No more …

So, how about them leaves? November is shouting at us this year. The trees are singing harmony to the melody of the shrubs in Scotch Plains. The colors of this season are no less rich and varied than the colors of spring. I think that the textures of autumn are deeper, and more dramatic than any other season in New Jersey. Natural beauty is abundant in the Garden state. I enjoyed the new column "5 Things You Should Know Today." With a nod to Alan, I'd like to introduce you to "5 Shrubs You Should Plant Today." If you don't have room to plant them all, you should still go check out how …

Think daffodils. Think tulips. Alliums. Crocus. Iris. Think of that first royal purple bud peeking through the melting snow on the sunny side of the back door.  Think of swaths of bright pastel-yellow flowers nodding in the spring rain in the middle of your perennial beds.  Think of the flash of scarlet red tulips rising out of the mud in a corner.  The time to plant those delicate spring bloomers is now. First go shopping. When facing a large display or catalog of spring bulbs, start by choosing the flowers pictures that you like the best.  Now read the label to see if it is zone hardy.  …

Halloween pumpkins, displayed on doorsteps and windows, are a time honored American tradition. We all know the big, round, orange, heavy fruit that Scotch Plains kids love to paint and carve.   Shop for the perfect hard sphere, with no blemishes or soft spots and a decent length of curved brown stem firmly attached.  Then carve an intricate design (thanks Martha) or a happy/scary/goofy face with a lighted candle inside for a festive Jack-o'-Lantern.  (When you're finished decorating, toast the washed seeds sprinkled with sea salt for a bonus, healthy and tasty snack.)   This humble native …

There is a wide variety of exciting texture and color in the early fall garden. I walked my yard with a pad, pen and camera to record and gather my thoughts to talk to you about creating autumn interest beyond the classic mums, hay bales, pumpkins and cabbages. I intended to talk about my preference for native plants, especially going into the cold season. Then I got distracted. An abundance of mature reds, dusky, delicate mauves and royal maroons are setting the stage for bursts of yellow and purple in my gardens. I kept going back to the same three plants.  Their bold beauty called me back …

Propagating perennials by division is a frugal way to get more plants.  It's fun to share favorite plants from garden to garden among friends and fellow gardeners.  It is good design practice to repeat a plant or color throughout the garden. When you find a plant that thrives in your conditions, by all means, plant more of it.  So many flowers look best grouped in a cluster to make a bolder statement. Not only do you and your friends get more plants, the parent perennial plant benefits from being lifted and divided every few years. When a perennial gets a bare spot in the center, when the …

Imagine a warm, fragrant peach pie coming out of your oven. Maybe you tossed in a handful of blue or red berries with the fresh orange fruit. Think about juicy slices of sweet summer pie with scoops of vanilla ice cream shared on the patio with family or friends. Listen to tales of summer adventures shared under the darkening sky. Tell the story of when you planted the peach tree sapling this dessert was made from. Now go forth and plant a fruit tree this weekend so you can have pie next summer. The average frost date for Scotch Plains and Fanwood occurs in mid-October. Plant a fruit tree (or…

In late summer, a garden will often become hot and tired, and bloom production will slow. Gardeners are slowing down, too, from the relentless heat and blistering sun of August in New Jersey. Our zinnias are hanging as limp as our pony tails. The daisies and our shoulders are browned from the sun. The bugs, caterpillars, deer, bunnies and other thugs have all been hanging out and munching our plants while we're having dinner with family and friends on the patio. Here are some easy things you can do to brighten your garden for the next eight weeks or so until the first frost. It's always time …

Many lawns and sidewalks in Scotch Plains look as if fall has arrived early. Yellow and brown leaves litter the ground. Limp, wilted leaves hang from birches. Tan, crispy edges on euonymus and willow trees mar the lush summer beauty. Trees planted in the past two years have nearly naked branches and the ground under them needs raking. Even evergreens have needle-ends turning light tan or pinkish. What is going on? Heat and insufficient rain are to blame. Moisture transpires out of the leaves faster than the roots can absorb water. The weather has remained hot, and the region has not received …

Did you know that the only plant that Monarch butterfly larvae eat is Asclepias? It is also known as Milk Weed or Butterfly Weed. The tall pink variety, commonly known as Swamp Milkweed, is indigenous to New Jersey. The beautiful butterfly gardens in the Fanwood Nature Center have some well established specimens. Butterfly Gardens at several schools and backyards in Scotch Plains and Plainfield also have this versatile plant. The widespread use of herbicides has forced the native Asclepias Incarnata onto the endangered list. Scientists have genetically modified strains of corn to be resistant…