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
It’s that time of year – one day your zinnia flowers are colorful and ruffled. The next day, only ragged edges and holey leaves remain. What happened overnight? Japanese beetle attack! ...
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Your shrubs are trimmed, your perennials and annuals are blooming in sweeps of color and the weeds are (mostly) under control. Yet, something is missing. Could it be garden art? ...
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The designing, shopping, planting, weeding and maintenance of your gardens is finished (well, almost), and they are at peak bloom. It’s time to relax a bit and show off what you’ve accomplished. Share your garden with your friends at a garden party. Here are some tips for hosting a memorable one. ...
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They dart in and out of our line of sight – hovering to devour nectar from a flower or to sip from a feeder set out especially for them – and then zip away to sample another tempting bloom. If you would like to see more of them, here are some things you can do to attract hummingbirds to your yard, as well as some facts about them you might be surprised to learn. ...
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You’ve heard “his eyes were bigger than his stomach” being said about someone piling more food on a plate than could be eaten. That could also be said for gardeners who have the problem of buying more plants than they have space for. If you find yourself in that predicament, here are some suggestions to help you find homes for all those extras you couldn’t resist. ...
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Gardening is more popular than ever these days. You might think that gardening stays pretty much the same from year to year. While there will always be perennials, annuals and veggies, there are some new approaches to gardening worth considering, such as sustainable gardening, virtual gardening, or container gardening. ...
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It’s hard to tell if mosquitoes will be a big problem this summer, but you can take some preventative steps now to enjoy a bite-free season. Check out the lovely-scented plants that will also keep bugs at bay, pair plants with homemade repellent, and tidy up yard debris that provides homes for larvae and adult mosquitoes. Work now to have a nearly itch-free season. ...
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Oh, deer! The best way to avoid the shock of seeing your beautiful flowers demolished overnight by browsing deer is to deter them from entering your garden in the first place. Here are some tips for outwitting the deer whose roaming paths cross your gardens, as well as suggestions for planting what the deer don’t like. ...
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