PLANT IN THE FALL. That is all. Just do it. We have been telling our customers for decades that fall planting is the way to go. Now, this year, it couldn’t be more appropriate. We have had abundant rainfall. The weather is ideal. And we have NEVER had such a wide selection of awesome plants as we do right now.   When folks arrive at Natureworks at this time of year, they tell us how pleasantly surprised they are by how many plants we have. We restock CONSTANTLY. Look at this picture of all of the happy Natureworkers unloading yet another truck last week ..read more

Can you feel the difference? I couldn’t help but notice as I walked my gardens yesterday afternoon that the colors were a bit brighter, the angle had changed, and the air seemed a bit more delightful- fall is definitely in the air! It fills me with renewed energy and a desire to start getting things done that I had been putting off during the monsoons and heat waves of the past month.   Early September is the ideal time to plant fall vegetable and herb seeds and plants. It is the start of the transplanting season. Planting season never really ended here at Natureworks, but we ar ..read more

I had so much fun working in the retail shop last Saturday. It truly is amazing how many people come in to find beauty and joy wandering our benches and gardens. And the conversations! If we weren’t talking about squash vine borers, we were discussing monarch care. I did a couple of fun videos and saw lots of old friends…and made some new ones.   Is your yard a little patch of paradise too? I continue to observe with wonder the life that fills my landscape. My husband and I were commenting on the sheer number of butterflies, many of them twirling together in the air above our co ..read more

We are right in the heart of August in CT. Our gardens are bursting forth with food and flowers. Butterflies are everywhere and the landscape is abuzz with pollinators. When I think of August, I think of the classics that delight me at this time of year: summer phlox, Liatris, bee balm, coneflowers, Joe Pye weed, ironweed, black eyed Susans, butterfly bushes- the list goes on and on. All of these and a LOT MORE are now overflowing the benches at Natureworks. Abundant rainfall has meant that so many folks just keep planting. It makes it so much easier! If you want your August garden to ..read more

We welcome the month of August. I have been thrilled with the weather in the past few days- no humidity! Perfect for gardening, and boy, did I garden! I have started planting my fall crops. I planted seeds of beans, escarole, lettuce, kale, and so much more. The crazy thing is, I have EIGHTEEN raised beds but I LOVE gardening with Smart Pots. They grow such big, healthy plants and are so easy to plant and care for.   Besides planting both veggie seeds and perennial plants, I have been doing a lot of weeding, pruning, staking, deadheading, and even some edging to try and get ..read more

Are you ever outside in the garden and find yourself laughing out loud? This has happened to me so many times in the past few days. Why? There are SO MANY butterflies in my yard that I feel like they are putting on a show just for me! Plus, I was sitting on the back step and a hummingbird came right up to me (I was sitting next to his favorite pot, filled with Salvia and Cuphea). And the pollinators! Geez Louise, it is totally insane what I am seeing this year on my plants. It really does pay off to intentionally create an organic oasis and plant for these magnificent creat ..read more

  Crocosmia is budded and ready to light up the sunny garden. Hummingbirds adore it!     Clethra is a fragrant native shrub starting to bloom now. It is loved by bees and hummingbirds and the leaves turn lovely yellow color in fall. We have several varieties including Clethra ‘Ruby Spice’, ‘Ann’s Bouquet’, ‘Sugartina Crystalina’, and alnifolia.   Native Eupatoriums are starting to bud up too. These can be planted in full sun to part shade and bloom through late summer into early fall. I photogra ..read more

Did you every think you would be wishing for sunshine, perhaps even a heat wave? Day after day, it continues to rain. I got another 3/4″ last night! That is both good and bad for the garden.   It is SO tempting to wander into your gardens when it is so wet- I know! Things are a bit of a mess. Plants have grown so much, so fast, that many of them are falling over. There are Japanese beetles to knock into a jug, mushy flowers to cut off, blueberries and raspberries to pick, and so much more. Just be aware that working among some plants when it is so wet can cause them more harm th ..read more

Heat. Rain. Chill. Heat. Repeat. July in CT is filled with surprises, but we make the best of it, don’t we? I have to say, a break from the heat was very welcome in my world. I spent the long holiday weekend outside when it wasn’t pouring and managed to get somewhat of a grip on my wild and wooly garden.   Heat makes plants grow really fast. Rain makes plants grow even faster. Put the two together and you can come up with a bit of a mess. My sugar snap peas reached the top of their 6 foot trellis and bent over and eventually touched the ground! Slug damage is everywhere. The Jap ..read more

GROW! It is a good week for the plants in our gardens to grow. In fact, you may see some warm season plants double in size before your eyes. My eggplants are flowering, my early tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are forming, I am even starting to see little peppers on my plants. I guess there is no question in our minds, summer is truly here. Mother Nature has a wicked sense of humor. This week’s heat wave will be followed by a cool 4th of July weekend. Well, that just means it will be a great weekend to plant!   It’s also a good week to keep your birdbaths full. I so enjoy ..read more