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Deer-Resistant Design by Karen Chapman (Timber Press, 2019, 240 pp., $24.95) It’s widely known that the most successful method for keeping deer out of the garden is a tall fence. But fences aren’t always an option, or even desirable. As a matter of fact, the subtitle for Karen Chapman’s newest book, Deer-Resistant Design, is definitely eye-catching. It’s certain to attract […]
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Book review: The Lifelong Gardener: Garden with Ease & Joy at Any Age by Toni Gattone (Timber Press, 214 pp., $19.95) While I was at this year’s Garden Communicators’ conference in Salt Lake City, I met a delightful lady by the name of Toni Gattone. She told me she’d recently written a book and even though it had just been […]
Read moreYes, that’s a long title for this blog post, but it really sums things up! I’ve been meaning to write about this topic for a few weeks but just haven’t had the time. But now that I’ve seen TV and newspaper accounts of the return of black flies to the Inland Northwest, it’s definitely important to address this subject. I’ve […]
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Buffalo-Style Gardens by Sally Cunningham & Jim Charlier (St. Lynn’s Press, 2019, 224 pp., $24.95) As soon as I heard Buffalo-Style Gardens would be coming out, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Why? In 2017, the annual garden writer’s conference was held in Buffalo, NY. My colleagues and I were given the opportunity to visit several […]
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The Budget-Wise Gardener by Kerry Ann Mendez (St. Lynn’s Press, 2018, 176 pp., $19.95) We gardeners love to save money, don’t we? After all, by stretching our dollars, we can spend even more on our passion right? Before I started reading The Budget-Wise Gardener, I envisioned what it would be about. Perhaps starting your own plants from seed, recycling products, […]
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Cool Plants for Cold Climates: A Garden Designer’s Perspective by Brenda C. Adams (Snowy Owl Books/University of Alaska Press, 239 pp., $35) I have found a book geared for those living in a colder climate. Especially those who have a tendency to let their heart govern their plant purchases! I’m sure you know what I mean because I often suffer from the same […]
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Starting & Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs and Flowers for Your Garden by Julie Thompson-Adolf (Cool Springs Press, 2018, 160 pp., $25) Two of the most important and useful gardening skills are knowing how to start your plants from seed and saving seeds. Yet those two skills — especially the latter — are ones that many gardeners […]
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While I was on Instagram, I saw a photo of some galvanized ribbed barrel planters on the Gardener’s Supply feed. I immediately fell head-over-heels in love with them! The style is right up my alley. They have that country look that goes perfectly with my favorite type of decor. When I swooned over them, they sent me one to test. It […]
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As many of you know, my husband and I are avid birdwatchers. Over the years, we’ve learned what will attract birds to our garden. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by adding birdbaths. Birds need to drink water and bathe — typically every day. Our bird feeders attract them, along with our landscape filled with trees and […]
Read moreAs a garden writer and a member of the professional organization, the Association for Garden Communicators, I occasionally receive seeds or product samples to test. (hey, it’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it) Last December, I received a cool package from Burpee Seeds that I wanted to tell you about. What they do is send out a type […]
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