Here are three more native woody plants that attract overwintering birds in our area: Viburnum trilobum, Cranberry Bush Viburnum, sports a clear red berry resembling a cranberry that persists in the cold weather. It is low in lipids, so birds like Cedar Waxwings will choose it in late winter when they are desperate…
Native plant guru, researcher, professor and author Doug Tallamy recommends that 70% of our gardens be planted with natives. That leaves 30% for non-native plants. You may enjoy his books Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s Best Hope. Native plants and native pollinators evolved together and depend upon each other for their continued existence. We at PBOG are striving to plant straight…
So, we’re ordering plants and seeds. What are we ordering? Bareroot stock is now available for early spring planting. This is the best way to find fragrant, antique rose varieties. These simply aren’t sold in nurseries anymore. Edibles like raspberries, asparagus, rhubarb, and young fruit trees are also available as bareroot stock. What does bareroot…
All About Asian Jumping Worms Jumping Worms and the soil they create Have you noticed that some of your garden bed soil looks like coffee grounds? Do large worms jump out of the soil when you’re simply digging a small hole or pulling a weed? If you can answer at least one of these questions,…
White oak leaves Recently I was asked to identify an oak at the edge of a woodland where a new house had been built. This was a woods tree, with whitish bark somewhat resembling a hickory tree: clearly a white oak. Another clue was the rounded lobes on the leaves. The Latin name for white…
Recently I read the Boston Sunday Globe article about a field of 3,000 sunflowers that artist Euka Holmes has planted in front of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. What a great idea to take advantage of the full sun and bring a smile to the faces of passersby! And another artist, Elizabeth James-Perry, has surrounded the…
This article is reprinted from our July 2018 newsletter and is still timely today! Now is the time for summer pruning of all your spring blooming shrubs or your evergreens that were not pruned in early spring. Once the flowers fade, new growth can arch out in odd ways. If new needles and leaves have “hardened off”…
May 1 is an annual public holiday in France (Labour Day) and other countries around the world. A symbol of this event is the fragrant Lily of the Valley flower, blooming around that time. In 1560, Charles IX of France was presented with Lily of the Valley flowers as a good luck token. In appreciation, he decided…
Arbor Day is right around the corner, always the last Friday of April in Massachusetts. Get in the swing of spring by planting a tree that will bloom and attract bees and other pollinators. Most of these species will also shelter pollinators in winter, such as oak trees with their ridged bark. Many other native trees are recommended…
This year we made the decision to fold our nursery growing operations. I will be moving in late 2022 to Hager Homestead, a new senior cohousing community that will be built in Littleton. We’re left with odds and ends of 20 years in business: selected shrubs and many perennials. Please peruse the list on the Plant Order…