Why send organic waste to landfills when you can compost? This is a sensible solution, but maybe you aren't able to compost outdoors or you live in an apartment. Try composting with worms indoors, which is known as vermiculture. "Vermicomposting has many advantages," said Susan Harrison, Master Gardener at Penn State Cooperative Extension-Bucks County. "You can compost all year—the decomposition process is non-stop and it's not dependent on the weather since it's done indoors. Your food scraps help create worm manure full of rich nutrients that can enrich your soil. You can eliminate the need…

Spring-flowering bulbs are easy to plant and easy to grow. They require a chilling period to initiate flowering. Plant some this fall and enjoy the view from your window next spring. When planted properly in a sunny location, you'll enjoy colorful spring blossoms for decades. If hungry deer visit your garden looking for a buffet of greens, then plant daffodils. Deer do not bother these hardy, carefree plants. However, deer love tulips and eat them like candy. The many varieties of daffodils are all members of the Narcissus genus. You'll find trumpet types, long and short-cup, doubles, …

As you stroll through the garden centers and nurseries this fall, you'll find colorful pansies and violas—both great choices for fall planting. Ideally, these cool-weather loving flowers should be planted from now until mid-October to allow their roots to become established. However, you can plant pansies into November depending on the weather conditions. The sooner you plant them, the more likely that they will survive the winter and re-bloom next spring. Pansies have larger flower heads, while violas have a larger number of smaller flowers. You can find pansies in just about every color …

Blueberries are a great crop to grow in your backyard. Besides the pleasure of picking your own homegrown berries, the bushes offer lovely blossoms in late spring, glossy green to blue-green leaves, and reddish foliage in the fall. Blueberry plants love acidic soil, so if you can grow azaleas and rhododendrons, then you can grow blueberries. Mark Ehlenfeldt, USDA research geneticist and blueberry breeder will present “The native American blueberry—a home garden favorite,” on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. during Fordhook Farm's August Garden Open. "You need to know four basic things to grow …

I hope you are enjoying the butterflies fluttering around your yard this summer. If you don't see too many floating around, it's easy to create a haven for these lovely creatures. You can plan your butterfly-friendly garden now and plant it as the weather cools from early September until late October. This is a great time to start a new garden. I've had great success planting most of my plants in the fall over the years. If you provide nectar plants for butterflies, you're only half way there. Be sure to provide "host" or food plants so a caterpillar can grow and thrive as it sheds its …

Now that the 2012 Summer Olympics are underway, I wonder how many gold medals our U.S. athletes will bring home. If you are itching for some gold medal winners, you can plant some in your garden. That's right! There may not be a 'Michael Phelps' dogwood, but there are plenty of gold medal winners to plant right in your yard. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Gold Medal program has recognized plants of outstanding merit for over 30 years. Each year the winners are selected for performance, appearance, and hardiness (generally, in zones 5-7). Gold Medal-winning plants exhibit excellent …

If you haven't been to Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, Discovery Day is a great opportunity to bring the family and explore various facets of the natural world. If you have been to the preserve, you can always learn something new in this ever-changing arena of plants and insects. The event is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Activities will be held at the stone Pavilion at the entrance to the Preserve. "Discovery Day is one of our favorite events because we have a chance to really engage families and teach them about the aspects of nature that we know and love," said Amy Hoffmann, …

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting a lavender farm for the first time. My family and I strolled through the endless rows of lavender and dreamed of purple fields long after we had returned home. While you can close your eyes and breathe in the heady aroma, you'll want to keep them open to take in all of the lovely scenery on this special farm in beautiful Bucks County. Over the last 264 years, various farmers on Carousel Farm have raised cows, horses, exotic animals and corn. For most of the past decade, Niko Christou and partner David Braff have been growing lavender on the farm. …

Heirloom vegetables are designated as such if they have been around for at least 50 years, according to most gardeners. Others believe that the seeds must be at least a century old. Some say that the seeds can be designated as heirloom, regardless of age, if they have been passed down through generations or if the plant has a story. If seeds could talk, they would spin some fascinating tales. Some seeds were tucked into the dress seams of immigrants or hidden under suitcase linings to avoid the eyes of customs officers. One of my favorite stories is the tale of Jimmy Nardello and the "Jimmy …

Each year I resolve to plant fewer annuals and save time—and then something happens. The weather warms up and I crave color. But I like to plant annuals I can plant and fuggedabout. Perennials add fabulous texture, color and variety to the garden, but they bloom for a short period each year. A backbone of trees, shrubs and perennials comprise the best-planned gardens, with some colorful annuals added for punctuation. Annuals brighten up a bare patch of ground. Want an instant focal point? Pot up some annuals in interesting pots and you're done. Group containers together for your own unique …

There is an extra-special place in Lower Makefield Township—a place where students, teachers and community members gather to celebrate life—both plant life and life in general. "What if we created a school garden?" Last year, this was the thought of Tom Guest, a third-grade teacher at Makefield Elementary School. Mr. Guest has always loved gardening, and wanted to share his passion with his students and fellow teachers. In stepped Susan Mazzitelli, parent of two Makefield students, and cheerleader of all things environmental. She also champions the recycling efforts at the school. Mazzitelli …

Derek Fell became hooked on growing vegetables as a child when he watched pea seedlings thrive in a small garden at his grandfather's English row house. Fell, an award-winning garden photographer and author, shared his passion for vegetable growing in front of a crowd of nearly 150 in the Newtown Township building. The Bucks County Foodshed Alliance presented his talk, "High Production Vegetable Mini-Gardens." If you don't have much room for vegetables, don't despair! Fell provided some tips for utilizing the space you have whether you plant in raised beds or containers, or plant a vertical …

Every April, I look forward to walking among the amazing display of Virginia bluebells along the trails of Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve near New Hope. I encourage you to go there now while the ground is carpeted in blue. Why make haste? Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are classified as spring ephemerals together with plants such spring beauty, bloodroot, trillium, and Dutchman's breeches. Virginia bluebells bloom and set seed in a very short amount of time before the trees leaf out—generally in April in our area. After the blossoms fade, the foliage dies to the ground by mid-…

This year's Philadelphia International Flower Show theme "Hawaii: Islands of Aloha," may have inspired you to think warm, tropical thoughts. But how do you get that tropical feel in your own garden? Large foliage, colorful flowers, and wonderful floral aromas add that special tropical feel to Hawaiian gardens. However, true native Hawaiian gardens focus on subtle colors and the textural qualities of the leaves and stones, according to Anna Yorba, registered landscape architect and owner of Hawaiian Garden Design LLC, based in Aiea, Hawaii, just outside of Honolulu. To create your own "special…

It's February — time for the annual collection of seed catalogs to pile into my mailbox and onto my desk, coffee table, dining room, kitchen ... everywhere! You can save money by growing your own plants. In addition, you can choose from hundreds of varieties compared to just a few at the garden center. It's comforting to know that your food came from your own yard. Starting seeds and harvesting plants with family and friends can be rewarding. The anticipation is half the fun! Warning: witnessing the miracle of plant growth is contagious! When I started out growing seeds years ago, I purchased…

It's January — time for those New Year's resolutions. While you're thinking about getting your body in shape, how about getting your landscape in shape as well? You don't have to recreate your entire front and back yard — just think about one or two areas that you'd really like to change. A small transformation or two will add up to big results in the long run.Lawn Gone. If you spend more time than you'd like mowing, consider reducing the amount of turf on your property."When we moved into our house, we had all lawn on the property," said Beverly Auvil, of Beverly Auvil Landscape Design. "We …

This time of year, many of us add lights and decorations to adorn our properties for the season. One of my favorite ways to decorate is to take what I have around my yard — branches of various shrubs and trees — and create seasonal displays. Take winterberry holly, for instance. This shrub, native to our area, lends itself well to holiday decorations. This deciduous holly will grow well in both wet and dry conditions, preferably in full sun. The shrubs will grow in partial sun but the berries won't be as bountiful. Think about planting some winterberry holly plants next spring. There are …

This year consider leaving some leaves in your yard. By leaving some of this "free food" for the garden, you'll save yourself work and money. Leaves. You rake them, blow them and shred them each year. Sure, it's a chore. But it can be a pleasant one. If you are able-bodied, and have kids, think of it as bonding time. Get a couple of rakes out and get the whole family involved. You'll be surprised at how quickly the job gets done. The kids will have learned a lesson (that an old-fashioned rake can do the job and not pollute the neighborhood like noisy leaf blowers do), and you've cleaned up …

Are you suffering from seasonal allergies? When you see yellow this fall, don't blame goldenrods for your suffering. Ragweed, a non-descript plant that blooms at the same time, is the most likely culprit. Heavy, sticky goldenrod pollen is not at all airborne. On the other hand, ragweed pollen floats through the air into your nose, mouth and eyes. Now that we have that cleared up, try planting goldenrods in your yard this fall for their benefits to wildlife and to add color to your fall garden. Most of us notice goldenrods along roadsides. They function to hold soil and attract pollinators in …

Fall is an excellent time to plant a tree. Trees will become more easily established now since the soil is better able to retain moisture in the fall rather than during the heat of summer. If you are too busy now or you're not sure what to plant, then wait until early spring. But don't plant in late spring or summer because the tree may suffer from heat stress. Trees that Heal. Over the last few weeks, we've all reflected upon the tragic events a decade after September 11, 2001, by gathering at memorial sites and sacred places around the country. At The Garden of Reflection 9-11 Memorial, the…