Gardening

Subcategories

Gardens of Cape May

Pickled in Poland

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published August 1st, 2012 in Garden Talk • Gardening

The smell of dill pickles is reminiscent of many things, but mostly of my two visits to Poland in mid-summer.
Garden Tour: The Queen Victoria B&B

Text by Susan Tischler | Published June 1st, 2011 in Garden Tours • Gardens of Cape May

Take a tour of the gardens at the Queen Victoria Bed and Breakfast. The gardens are a delight and this month we bring you close-ups of the gardens of the Queen Victoria.
Spring Blooms

Text by Macy Zhelyazkova | Published April 15th, 2011 in Gardens of Cape May

With Spring’s milder weather upon us, the trees and flowers around Cape May are already bursting with color. Enjoy this virtual look at our spring blooms!
Heirloom Tulips: The Dutch Touch

Text by Susan Tischler | Published April 1st, 2011 in Gardening • Gardens of Cape May

Though their stay here was minimal, the aesthetic influences of the Dutch are never more prevalent than in springtime when the city decks itself in an array of tulips honoring those two early explorers, Henry Hudson and Cornelis or Cornelius, depending on the reference source, Mey.
Dandelion – Really the bad boy on the block?

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published March 1st, 2011 in Garden Talk • Gardening • Recipes

Most folks would laugh if someone said they planted this common weed in their garden, yet today’s supermarkets buy vast amounts of dandelion from farmers who grow it for market.
Pressed Posies: Give your Valentine a Victorian remembrance

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published February 1st, 2011 in Garden Talk • Gardening

This is the time of the year when thoughts may turn to that which is sentimental or romantic. The Victorians were known for their attachment to that which is pretty and reflective of special times.
Mistletoe, mistletoe growing in a tree…K-i-s-s-i-n-g

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published November 1st, 2010 in Garden Talk • Gardening

Can you find some mistletoe growing in a tree? It is in Cape May County and all over. Mistletoe memories for me go back to when a pile of fresh, crisp green mistletoe was heaped in a basket at the vegetable market on the corner of Landis Avenue. It was locally grown, of course. Now, [...]
Spicy Legend and Lore

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published October 1st, 2010 in Garden Talk • Gardening

The Victorians loved legend and lore of times gone by. In autumn, they used many herbs and spices that were associated with fall holidays. The Victorians were awed by the exotic. Find out what they believed those herbs & spices meant!
Time to Wine

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published September 1st, 2010 in Garden Talk • Gardening

There is a lot of interest in growing grapes in the Cape May area now. This year’s September Food and Wine Festival affords the opportunity to visit these enchanting places. People have always grown grapes in southern New Jersey, and we have history of wine making for over 200 years. One of the oldest wineries [...]
All this and Berries too!

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published July 1st, 2010 in Garden Talk • Gardening

If your yard is a typical southern New Jersey somewhat sandy soil with some oaks here and there, blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) just might fit the bill. This tasty, succulent fruit will thrive in almost any kind of soil as long as it is acid.
Of Lilacs and Lily of the Valley

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published May 1st, 2010 in Garden Talk • Gardening

As spring matures and May arrives, gentle breezes are laden with the fragrance of Lilacs and Lily of the Valley. I love these and can drift back to childhood days in either of my grandmothers’ gardens when I could smell their wonderful fragrances. Back then, I think that most everyone had hedges of lilacs, often [...]
Making Your Garden a Birding Mecca

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published March 1st, 2010 in Garden Talk • Gardening

Do you have birds gobbling up seeds and insect pests in your garden? If not, you should consider adding a bird feeder and planning to plant some bird-friendly plants for next year.
Soup – A Gardener’s Elixir of Life

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published February 1st, 2010 in Garden Talk • Gardening • Recipes

Many gardeners like to get outside, even in cold weather. A lot of gardeners also like to cook using their garden vegetables. Enjoy recipes for Monk’s Garden Soup, Barscazc, Chicken Soup with Greens, and Tomato Soup.
The Christmas Rose – As far from a rose as one can get

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published January 1st, 2010 in Garden Talk • Gardening

Many folks want to plant plants when they see them in bloom. Unfortunately for Hellebores, the Christmas or Lenten rose, the ground is frozen or there is snow everywhere when they’re showing off!
Hollies: A Jolly South Jersey Winter Favorite

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published December 1st, 2009 in Garden Talk • Gardening

It is time to write about one of my favorite trees, the Holly. They are so glorious this time of the year and they grow so well in our area they deserve a yearly applause.
Bayberry – A native plant that yields fragrant holiday candles!

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published November 1st, 2009 in Garden Talk • Gardening

One of my favorite plants of the Cape May area is Bayberry. They are a native and one that the birds help to spread. Bayberry says seashore. Traditionally the berries of these evergreen plants have been used to make candles.
A Little Bit About Butterflies

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published October 1st, 2009 in Birding and Wildlife • Garden Talk • Gardening

One of nicest experiences for gardeners is the observation of butterflies in the garden planned for them.
A Rose By Any Other Name…

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published September 1st, 2009 in Garden Talk • Gardening

The roses that smell the best are the almost flat type blooms found on the Rugosa rose shrub. They are in both white and deep rose in my gardens and do well in sandy soil.
Summer time and the garden is growing!

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published August 1st, 2009 in Garden Talk • Gardening

Whether you garden in a pot or a plot, it is time to take notice and give the plants one last feeding if you do not already have time-release fertilizer on the plants. Clip or deadhead blooming plants so they will continue to flower. Trim back vegetables if they need it and plant some fall crops.
Monarchs are coming…plant butterfly weed!

Text by Lorraine Kiefer | Published July 1st, 2009 in Garden Talk • Gardening

Butterfly weed is a beautiful fiery orange plant that is now blooming all over southern New Jersey. It has always been one of my very favorite wild flowers. It is known by many different nicknames, but most old timers call it “Railroad Annie” because it often grows along railroad tracks or in vacant fields. Butterfly enthusiasts call it butterfly weed because its colorful blooms attract butterflies.