by KYW's Phran Novelli
Phran Novelli is the descendent of grandparents with extremely green thumbs. A freelance writer, she's been a home gardener for 20 years and completed the three-year horticultural program at the Arboretum School of the Barnes Foundation in Merion, Pa.
Her landscaping assistant (in photo) leads the bunny patrol, prunes hydrangeas with confidence, and digs planting holes without being asked.
(Send your questions to Phran Novelli at GardenReport1060@aol.com.)
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Assessing Snow Damage to Your Trees and Shrubs
As the snow melts you can see more and more broken branches everywhere. Be careful in assessing the damage. Hire an arborist if need be. Then see what springs in the Spring.
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Daffodils May Bloom Despite Neglect
Recently, I came upon a plastic pot of daffodils from last year - I'd left it by the front door and never got them into the ground. Looks like they're good to bloom anyway.
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Revisiting the Philadelphia Flower Show
It's fascinating to hear how differently people react to various exhibits at the Flower Show. There are so many opinions it seems anything goes. Keep that in mind in your garden.
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Herbs - An Indoor Plant I Can Stomach
Houseplants dry out so easily because they depend on us for moisture. Prune your herbs and they'll need less water, then get cookin' with those tasty cuttings.
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Let Go and Let Moss Grow
Moss is a beautiful soft groundcover that needs no attention. In the past it was considered a lawn weed but now people are getting smart .
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Listen and Learn at the Flower Show
With all there is to see when you go to the Flower Show, you may learn even more from what you hear.
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Losing Your Shrubs to Snow
Several feet of snow can be too much for any living thing and evergreens take the worst of it. Consider your options.
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My Grandfather's Gardening Advice
My grandfather was a spectacular gardener, careful, confident, meticulous, and he knew when to leave well enough alone. He is always with me in my garden.
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Get All the Gardening News
Ever wonder how everybody knows what’s going on at the area gardens and arboretums? Like the plant sales you hear about too late? Get it all at GreaterPhiladelphiaGardens.org.
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Different Gloves May Wear Different Hats
For awhile, I seemed to find a new 'favorite' pair of gardening gloves every year until I developed quite a collection. You can too.
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Give a Gift from Nature for Valentine's
You need a gift for your Valentine - and you don't have much time. Roses and chocolate are both gifts of nature.
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The Beauty of a Winter Sycamore
What are those trees you see with branches that look white washed? Probably sycamores.
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The Beauty of Magnolias Before They Bloom
When my friend bought a new house, she thought she had a pussy willow by the front door - but it turned out to be a magnolia tree with fuzzy buds.
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Choosing and Using Shrubs
Shrubs do a lot in the landscape - from defining borders, to flanking your front door, to preventing people from peeping. Here are some suggestions for choosing the right ones.
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Try Sand Instead of De-icers
Keep de-icers away from garden beds, lawns, trees and shrubs and use sand instead when possible.
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Winter Tour at Swarthmore's Scott Arboretum
This Saturday, a tour at Scott Arboretum will explore plants with all kinds of berries, buds, and bark that can help create winter interest in your garden.
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Phila. Flower Show is Just Around the Corner
It's just around the corner. The Philadelphia International Flower Show is coming to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Feb. 28 - Mar. 7.
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Weed Through the Winter
Winter annuals - like that green carpet of chickweed in my rose garden - germinate in the fall and hang around all winter. Best to get rid of them before spring.
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Kids Can Celebrate New Year of Trees at Morris Arboretum
This time of year is known as the Jewish New Year of Trees in Israel. Kids can celebrate locally this weekend at the Morris Arboretum in Chestnut Hill.
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Winter Birds Feast on Berries
I awaken to shadows of birds outside my window, swooping down, darting and diving. Why are there so many, what do they want? The berries on my holly tree.
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Track the Tracks to See Who Snacks
When we get a light dusting of snow, look for animal tracks in your yard. It's cute, but it's also a clue to which critters are visiting your garden.
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The Very Versatile Red Twig Dogwood
Not only does the red-twig dogwood look good through the winter, you can cut all the branches off every year because the shrub grows right back.
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Learn More About the Art of Botanical Illustration
The art of botanical illustration dates back to ancient Greece and Rome, and it played an interesting role in recording history for explorers.
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Hardy Plant Society's Seed Exchange Workshops
This month, you can join the Hardy Plant Society's Seed Exchange Workshop to help clean, sort and package seeds.
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Longing for Summer Year Round
This time of year, most gardeners around here are on a break from outdoor chores - and a lot of them don't like it one bit.
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Take Care When Taking Down Christmas Lights
When you take down your holiday lights, be gentle on trees and shrubs. If you can, wait for a sunny, milder day when the branches are less likely to snap.
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Don't Trash Your Christmas Tree
If it seems like Christmas tree pickup day comes too soon where you live, don't worry: there's a place for it in your garden.
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A Resolution for the New Year: Plant Grapes!
The Delaware Valley is actually a good spot for growing grapes, so why not resolve to plant some yourself next year?
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Rhododendron: Nature's Thermometer
The colder it gets, the more rhododendron leaves droop.
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Evergreen, Ever Hopeful
For thousands of years, people have decorated with evergreens in the dead of December simply because they look alive when other plants are bare.
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A Last Minute Gift Gardeners Will Dig
If you're stuck without an idea for someone who loves to garden, here's a last-minute solution to help you out.
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A Solution for Sap Sticky Hands
All you have to do is touch a wreath or Christmas tree this time of year and your hands get covered with sap. Here's your solution.
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Let Go of Your Wreath Hang Ups
OK, drop that wreath! You don't have to hang wreaths up, you can use them lying down.
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Shake Heavy Snow From Trees and Shrubs
When it snows, particularly a wet snow , a lot of trees and shrubs can get weighted down and damaged. Give them a fair shake!
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Gifts Gardeners Will Dig
Buying for a gardener? Besides a gift card to a favorite nursery, garden center or home improvement store, here's an easy and inexpensive idea.
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Keeping Your Christmas Tree Fresh
Over the years, people have come up with all kinds of ways to keep Christmas trees fresh. Here's my advice.
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Not All Conifers Are Evergreen
If you saw a conifer losing all its needles this fall, it might not be dying, it may be deciduous.
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Spruce Up Windowboxes for the Holiday
If your outdoor urns and windowboxes are looking sad and empty, here's a quick way to refresh them for the holidays.
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Bring Herbs In and Give Them Out
If you still have herbs growing, bring some inside to enjoy all winter and give as gifts.
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