Archives by: Donna Hessel
About the author
Donna Hessel is the author of our Gardening Sweet Spots blog and has been working in gardens for as long as she can remember, pulling weeds and planting beans and radishes in her grandfather’s garden. A recent move to a smaller home and very small garden restricted to “containers only” has presented gardening challenges as well as new opportunities. She enjoys the camaraderie and benefits of belonging to the Emerald Necklace Garden Club, which is open to new members and encourages guests to attend its monthly meetings. To learn more, go to emeraldnecklacegardenclub.org.
Donna Hessel Posts
There’s nothing like fresh herbs to add that “je ne sais quoi” to favorite entrees. But how do you grow the perfect herbs for your culinary masterpieces if you’ve moved to a smaller home or condo with limited garden space? Growing herbs in containers is the answer. ...
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Looking for a low-maintenance solution to a problem area in your yard? A rock garden may be the answer. Find tips here on creating one, from a large area to a miniature one in a container. ...
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If your garden includes seasonal annuals, grasses with graceful fronds, perennials and shrubs with colorful fall foliage, you’ll have bright vistas throughout the cold days to come. To learn about plants that thrive in cooler weather, read on. ...
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Versatile, age-friendly and space-saving, container gardening is a terrific way to grow flowers, vegetables and herbs while packing an eye-catching punch. ...
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When there’s light snow covering the ground, it’s easy to see the “bones” of your garden. It's a perfect time to plan for redesigning existing garden plots, adding new ones, or creating transitions from one to another for a more pleasing flow. In this inspiring and practical blog piece by Donna Hessel, discover how to develop an artist's eye and redesign your garden in ways that please the senses. ...
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Online order hassles, masks, crack-of-dawn store hours, lousy selections. Wouldn’t it be nice to get food from your back yard instead of a grocery store? Like Victory Gardens during World War II, Pandemic Plots promise to be the go-to hobby this summer. Grab a shovel and get started. ...
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Every time you buy a plant, remove the tag that comes with it, record the year and where you planted it on the back of the tag, and put the tag in the plastic bag. On a separate piece of paper, write the year in large print and put it in the bag. If you want even more information about your gardens, buy a large book journal with blank pages. However you keep your garden journal, you’ll find it a handy reference. ...
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Terrariums are easy to make with children of any age. The older the child, the more complex the design can be. Shopping for plants can be part of the fun. Garden centers stock house plants, cacti and succulents year-round and miniature plant varieties in the spring designed especially for fairy gardens; as well as the soil, small rocks and other materials you will need. ...
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