Photo by Jessica Hibbard Nasturtiums are easy to grow from seed, and therefore very inexpensive. The flowers and leaves are both edible. As we discovered this past weekend, they also attract hummingbirds.

Everyone is worried about the economy these days, myself included. But nothing perks me up like getting my hands dirty in the garden. The benefits aren't simply therapeutic. If you've been less-than-enthusiastic about gardening, here are some financial incentives that might make you reconsider:

• Spend less at the grocery store. If you know anything about gardening, this is sort of a no-brainer. Homegrown produce is often cheaper, fresher, and healthier than its storebought counterpart. It's late in the season, but it's not too late to grow fall vegetables: Lettuce, spinach, and broccoli all grow well in cooler weather. The Home & Garden Information Center has great tips for fall vegetable gardening.
• Wildlife is cheap entertainment. This is prime time to observe critters doing funny things. Our urban backyard is home to highly entertaining squirrels and chipmunks, who are busy gathering (and burying) food for the winter. A simple birdbath and bird feeder will also attract a wide variety of birds. Bats are a joy to watch as they swoop back and forth devouring mosquitoes, and dewy spiderwebs are enchantingly beautiful. The HGIC has tips for wildlife gardening, too.
• Get a good workout without an expensive gym membership. Gardening provides excellent exercise, including stretching and lifting. The biggest benefits come from using as few power tools as possible, which will also save money on gas. Use a push-reel lawnmower instead of gas-powered, use a hoe instead of a tiller, use a rake instead of a leaf-blower, and pull weeds by hand instead of using a herbicide.

If you're already converted to the ways of gardening, here are some suggestions for doing it on the cheap:

• Make your own compost. Plant-based food scraps, grass clippings, leaves, and weeds are great ingredients for compost. Just throw them in a pile and let nature do its thing. Ok, it's a bit more complicated than that, but not by much. Check out this set of tips from Fine Gardening magazine. And if you want to get really fancy, you can even try your hand at brewing compost tea. The proper use of compost in the garden significantly reduces the need to purchase expensive fertilizers.
• New plants -- For free. Fall is a great time of year to collect seeds from favorite plants to sow in the spring or share with friends. It's also safe to divide some plants, such as spring-flowering bulbs, to plant elsewhere in the garden.
• Extend the growing season with a cold frame. DIY cold frames are easy to make -- Use an old window, some hinges, and a few 2x4s.
• Collect rainwater. Rain barrels are easy to make. If you typically use municipal water supply to water your plants, this will help you put a dent in your utility bill. Locally, you can check McCutcheon's to see if they have any used plastic barrels for sale. We purchased our barrels for just $10 each.

What are your money-saving gardening tips? Has gardening benefited you financially? Let me know! Send an email to jesshibb@gmail.com.

We recently returned from a trip to the West Coast, where we found lots of inspiration for home and garden projects. I'm hoping this will be one of several posts where I'll be sharing photos and other tidbits from our Oregon vacation.

First up: This lovely little Hobbit tunnel, a charming feature in the Children's Garden at The Oregon Garden.

As you might imagine, it's the perfect size for kids ... But even some nimble adults can't resist crawling through:

Photos by Jessica Hibbard

Remember last week, when I warned about not eating plants you can't positively identify? Ok, I didn't think it was also necessary to warn against eating plants coated with poison ... But apparently, I was wrong.

Check out this story, about a family in Gaithersburg who unknowingly poisoned themselves -- Quite possibly with mint leaves covered in pesticides. So please, pretty please, refrain from using pesticides on anything you're going to eat. And wash your food! Even organically-grown veggies can have bird droppings and who knows what else all over them.

That's all I'm going to say, before I completely ruin your appetite. Besides, I've already ranted about this scary story elsewhere.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Gray-headed Coneflower (Ratibida paniculata) is one of my favorite perennials. (I know, I know, I say that about every plant ...)

After a vacation-induced hiatus, this weekly roundup of local flora is back! Here's what you might see flowering in the Frederick area this week:

Trees:

• Crapemyrtle (+)
• Goldenrain Tree (+)
• Mimosa (+)
• Southern Magnolia
• Sumac (+)

Shrubs & Vines:

• Abelia (+)
• Bottlebrush Buckeye (+)
• Clematis
• Hydrangea
• Oakleaf Hydrangea
• Roses
• Trumpet Vine (+)

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Asian Lily
• Balloon Flower (+)
• Bee Balm (+)
• Black-Eyed Susan (+)
• Blue-Eyed Grass
• Coneflower - Echinacea/Ratibida
• Coreopsis
• Daylily
• Geranium
• Gladiola (+)
• Golden Star - a.k.a. Chrysogonum
• Hosta
• Lavender
• Liatris (+)
• Oenothera - a.k.a. Evening Primrose, Sundrops
• Plumbago (+)
• Russian Sage (+)
• Scabiosa
• Sedum
• Shasta Daisy (+)
• Spiderwort
• Sweet Pea - Perennial (+)
• Yarrow

The (+) symbol indicates plants that are new to the list this week. Let me know if I'm forgetting anything: jesshibb@gmail.com.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard A sprig of Purslane garnishes a dinner plate at Summerhouse Grill in Montrose, Pa.

This past weekend, my husband and I paid a brief visit to family in northeastern Pennsylvania. On Saturday night, we were at a popular seasonal restaurant, and were shocked to find a few stems of Purslane artfully placed on Christopher's dinner plate as garnish. We frequently battle this succulent weed in our own garden, but never really considered eating it.

Back in Frederick, I picked some salad greens from our garden (including nasturtium leaves and flowers, and several varieties of lettuce) and decided to add some Purslane to the mix. I have to admit, the taste and texture weren't that bad. 

Turns out Purslane and many other weeds were brought to the U.S. by European settlers as food plants, and the annoying little things escaped from the kitchen garden and into the wild. If you're interested in the history behind some of these plants, you might consider reading American Household Botany by Judith Sumner. You may not be inspired to snack on weeds the next time you're pulling them from your flower beds, but you'll have a greater appreciation for their tenacity.

It's sort of fun to know which plants are safe to eat, even if our more commonly cultivated fruits and veggies are far more delicious. Many weeds are edible, including Dandelion, Violet, Plantain, and Chickweed. Obviously, you should use caution when gathering and consuming wild food plants (careful research is essential), and you should never eat a plant that you can't positively identify.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). Despite some hard rain, these blossoms have held up beautifully. This shrub also has exfoliating bark and beautiful fall color.

It's that time again -- Here's what you might see flowering in the Frederick area this week:

Trees:

• Kousa Dogwood
• Southern Magnolia (+)

Shrubs & Vines:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Elderberry
• Hydrangea (+)
• Oakleaf Hydrangea
• Potentilla - a.k.a. Cinquefoil (+)
• Sweetspire - a.k.a. Itea

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Asian Lily (+)
• Astilbe
• Blue-Eyed Grass
• Clematis
• Coneflower/Echinacea
• Coreopsis (+)
• Daylily (+)
• Dianthus
• Geranium
• Golden Star - a.k.a. Chrysogonum
• Hosta (+)
• Lavender (+)
• Oenothera - a.k.a. Evening Primrose, Sundrops
• Roses
• Salvia
• Scabiosa
• Sedum
• Spiderwort
• Yarrow

The (+) symbol indicates plants that are new to the list this week. Let me know if I'm forgetting anything: jesshibb@gmail.com.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Cleopatra, one of the avian residents at Grasshopper Perennials.

A couple weeks ago, I paid a visit to Grasshopper Perennials, a small but delightful nursery in Knoxville (near Brunswick).

Annie Hall has been in the landscape business for 25 years, but only recently began welcoming shoppers to her nursery. Her foray into propagation and growing began as a supplement to her landscape business -- Turns out the unique plants she wanted to use for her installations were too hard to come by at area nurseries, and she needed a more steady supply.

As with most gardening-related endeavors, one thing led to another, and Annie soon had her own nursery. Today, she grows 90% of the nursery's stock herself, from seeds, cuttings, and plugs. Grasshopper Perennials is transitioning to become Certified Naturally Grown, so Annie's plants are grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.

Interested in paying Annie (and her spunky brood of chickens) a visit? The nursery is open by appointment only, so call 301-432-5428 in advance. I took a few photos when I was there, so you can also visit virtually.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Yellow Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa). I recently saw this species, a lovely addition to the more typical Purple Coneflower (E. purpurea), at Grasshopper Perennials in Knoxville, Md.

The super-hot weather kept me indoors most of the weekend. As a result, I had some free time to think about blogging, so I have some fun posts planned for this week. 

Since it's Monday, let's ease into it with our weekly list of what you might see flowering in the Frederick area:

Trees:

• Catalpa (+)
• Japanese Snowbell
• Kousa Dogwood
• Lilac Tree

Shrubs & Vines:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Blackberry
• Elderberry (+)
• Mountain Laurel
• Ninebark
• Oakleaf Hydrangea (+)
• Smokebush
• Sweetspire - a.k.a. Itea (+)
• Viburnum

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Astilbe
• Blue-Eyed Grass
• Blue False Indigo
• Clematis
• Columbine
• Coneflower/Echinacea (+)
• Dianthus
• Geranium
• Golden Star - a.k.a. Chrysogonum
• Jack-in-the-Pulpit
• Oenothera - a.k.a. Evening Primrose, Sundrops (+)
• Peony
• Roses
• Salvia
• Scabiosa
• Sedum
• Spiderwort
• Yarrow (+)

The (+) symbol indicates plants that are new to the list this week. Let me know if I'm forgetting anything: jesshibb@gmail.com.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis). This large, native perennial is one of my favorites.

Well, the warm summery weather has finally kicked in. That's good news for a lot of plants! Here's what you might see flowering this week in the Frederick area:

Trees:

• Japanese Snowbell
• Kousa Dogwood
• Lilac Tree

Shrubs & Vines:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Blackberry (+)
• Deutzia
• Mountain Laurel (+)
• Ninebark
• Smokebush
• Viburnum
• Weigela

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Astilbe (+)
• Blue-Eyed Grass
• Blue False Indigo
• Chives
• Clematis
• Columbine
• Dianthus
• Geranium
• Golden Star a.k.a. Chrysogonum
• Jack-in-the-Pulpit
• Peony
• Roses
• Salvia
• Scabiosa
• Sedum (+)
• Spiderwort

The (+) symbol indicates plants that are new to the list this week. Let me know if I'm forgetting anything: jesshibb@gmail.com.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Diablo Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diablo'). This is a really striking addition to the landscape. Diablo sports purple foliage, pink buds, and white flowers.

Hope everyone's had a nice Memorial Day! Seems like this was a pretty big home improvement weekend ... Home Depot was buzzing on Saturday morning, and everyone in my neighborhood seemed to be doing some work outside.

If you spent time in your own garden, or were out and about this weekend, here's what you might have seen blooming:

Trees:

• Black Cherry
• Black Locust
• Buckeye
• Japanese Snowbell (+)
• Kousa Dogwood
• Lilac Tree (+)
• Tulip Poplar

Shrubs & Vines:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Deutzia (+)
• Ninebark
• Smokebush
• Spiraea
• Sweet Mockorange
• Viburnum
• Weigela

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Blue-Eyed Grass
• Blue False Indigo
• Chives
• Clematis (+)
• Columbine
• Dianthus (+)
• Geranium (+)
• Golden Star a.k.a. Chrysogonum
• Iris
• Jack-in-the-Pulpit
• Peony
• Roses (+)
• Salvia
• Scabiosa (+)
• Spiderwort (+)
• Strawberry

The (+) symbol indicates plants that to the list this week. Let me know if I'm forgetting anything: jesshibb@gmail.com.

UPDATE: For some reason, I keep forgetting to add roses! Obviously, they're blooming now and they're all over the place. My apologies to all the rose afficionados out there.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium), is a member of the Iris family. This native plant is not actually a grass, but a small-flowering perennial.

It's that time again ... Here's this week's list of plants you might find in bloom around Frederick:

Trees:

• Black Cherry
• Black Locust (+)
• Buckeye
• Kousa Dogwood
• Pagoda Dogwood
• Tulip Poplar (+)

Shrubs & Vines:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Ninebark (+)
• Smokebush (+)
• Spiraea
• Sweetshrub / Carolina Allspice
• Sweet Mockorange
• Viburnum
• Weigela

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Blue-Eyed Grass (+)
• Blue False Indigo (+)
• Chives
• Columbine
• Golden Star a.k.a. Chrysogonum (+)
• Iris
• Jack-in-the-Pulpit (+)
• Peony (+)
• Salvia
• Strawberry
• Tiarella a.k.a. Foam Flower

The (+) symbol indicates plants that to the list this week. Let me know if I'm forgetting anything: jesshibb@gmail.com.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Iris

I found some time to take a walk around town yesterday, which is where I found the new additions to this week's list. It's a good thing I made it out of the house when I did -- Today's rain is really putting a damper on my weekend gardening time!

Here's this week's list of plants you might find in bloom around Frederick:

Trees:

• Black Cherry (+)
• Buckeye (+)
• Kousa Dogwood (+)
• Pagoda Dogwood (+)

Shrubs & Vines:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Spiraea
• Sweetshrub / Carolina Allspice (+)
• Sweet Mockorange (+)
• Viburnum
• Weigela (+)

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Anemone
• Chives
• Columbine (+)
• Iris
• Salvia (+)
• Shale Barrens ('Larinem Park') Sedum
• Solomon's Seal
• Strawberry
• Tiarella/Foam Flower
• Tree Peony
• Poppy
• Trillium

The (+) symbol indicates plants that to the list this week. I really feel like I'm forgetting a plant or two that I intended to add. If you know of something I've forgotten, let me know: jesshibb@gmail.com.

UPDATE: My husband, the horticulturist, assumed the role of Monday morning quarterback today ... So I've made a few additions to the list.

My boss went shopping at Tammy's Garden in Walkersville this past weekend, and discovered that the shop owners are planning to relocate to central Pennsylvania. What a bummer!

Meanwhile, my source reports that Tammy's Garden is still well-stocked but offering some discounts on merchandise. I didn't get any details on the timeline for their move north ... But it wouldn't hurt to visit this nice little nursery while you still have the chance.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

I'm really excited to add some of my favorite edibles to the list this week -- Chive flowers (which are both edible and ornamental) are just starting to open, and strawberries have been blooming for the past week. Actually, my strawberry plants are already starting to form tiny green fruits. Luckily, rhubarb is also ready to pick, so I see some delicious pies in my future.

Ok, before I drool all over my computer ... Here's this week's list of plants you might find in bloom around Frederick:

Trees:

• Dogwood

Shrubs & Vines:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Blueberry
• Cherry Laurel
• Chokeberry (+)
• Fothergilla
• Spiraea
• Viburnum
• Wisteria

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Anemone (+)
• Brunnera
• Chives (+)
• Iberis/Candytuft
• Iris (+)
• Shale Barrens ('Larinem Park') Sedum (+)
• Solomon's Seal
• Strawberry (+)
• Tiarella/Foam Flower
• Tree Peony (+)
• Poppy (+)
• Trillium
• Tulip
• Virginia Bluebells

The (+) symbol indicates plants that to the list this week. I really racked my brain trying to think of some ornamental trees other than dogwood, but I really can't come up with any at the moment. If you see a tree, shrub, or perennial that I should add to next week's list, send me an email: jesshibb@gmail.com.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Mt. Airy Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii x major). The white flowers smell like honey. The foliage looks similar to Witch Hazel, and has a brilliant orange-red fall color.

Well, this is quickly becoming a fun Sunday afternoon tradition. I just returned from a walk around Baker Park, where I saw a few new plants that can be added to the list. Here's what you might find blooming in the Frederick area this week:

Trees:

• Apple (+)
• Cherry
• Dogwood
• Plum
• Redbud

Shrubs & Vines:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Blueberry (+)
• Cherry Laurel (+)
• Fothergilla (+)
• Lilac
• Spiraea
• Viburnum
• Wisteria (+)

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Bleeding Heart (+)
• Brunnera
• Iberis/Candytuft (+)
• Solomon's Seal (+)
• Tiarella/Foam Flower (+)
• Trillium (+)
• Tulip
• Virginia Bluebells

The (+) symbol indicates plants that to the list this week. Did I forget something that's flowering in your neighborhood? Let me know via email: jesshibb@gmail.com.

Celebrate Frederick just announced the lineup for their 2008 garden tour. Here's the info from their press release:

Celebrate Frederick's 2008 Beyond the Garden Gates Garden Tour features seven private gardens and three public gardens, all in Frederick. The tour will be held in Frederick, Maryland on Saturday, May 17th and Sunday, May 18th, from 1 to 5 p.m., rain or shine.

• 18th Century Heritage Garden -- Schifferstadt Architectural Museum at 1110 Rosemont Ave.
• Heritage Garden -- Historical Society of Frederick County at 24 E. Church St.
• The Garden of Doug Bailey, ASID & Dick Williams at 220 E. Church St.
• The Garden of George & Diane Ruszat at 240 E.Church St.
• The Garden of Michael McCrossin at 117 E. Patrick St.
• The Garden of Eugene E. Perreault at 109 E. Patrick St.
• The Market Street Garden & The Director's Rose Garden --  The Federated Charities of Frederick at 22 S. Market St.
• The Garden of John & Ethel Frye at 121 W. Church St.
• Old C. Burr Artz Library at 120 Record St.
• Governor Lowe Condominium -- The Garden of Pete & Eleanor Bowers, Greg Feeser, Warren & Carole Larkin and Tom & Carol Patterson at 100-102 E. Second St.

Tickets for the tour cost $15 per person and are available starting May 1, 2008 at locations throughout downtown.

For more information, please call The City of Frederick Office of Special Events at 301-600-CITY (2489) or visit the Celebrate Frederick web site. 

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

Greetings, gardeners and plant appreciators! Here's what you might find blooming around Frederick this week:

Trees:

• Cherry
• Crabapple (+)
• Dogwood (+)
• Magnolia
• Pear
• Plum
• Redbud (+)
• Serviceberry

Shrubs:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Lilac (+)
• Kerria (+)
• Spicebush
• Spiraea
• Viburnum

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Brunnera
• Daffodil (aka Narcissus, Jonquil)
• Hyacinth
• Tulip
• Virginia Bluebells (+)

The (+) symbol indicates plants that to the list this week. Cherry, Pear, and Magnolia blossoms are really starting to fade, but I kept them on the list anyway.

Of course, flowers aren't the only things that make plants interesting this time of year. I'm a big fan of the miniature, emerging leaves on trees and shrubs ... They're often more colorful and textural than more mature, summertime foliage. Step up close to a tree nearby, or check out some of the recent photos on my Flickr page.

Attention apartment dwellers: There are four garden plots available in Willow Brook Park. Here's the info from the City of Frederick's press release:

Effective April 14, 2008 there are four (4) Community Garden Plots available for rent.  These plots are located in Willow Brook Park off of Opossumtown Pike on McClellan Drive.  Plots numbers 10, 15, 16 & 17 are available for rent.

The plots are approximately 25' x 50', rent for $35 each and are available for the 2008 calendar year.  These plots are on a first come, first serve basis and once the four (4) plots are rented, there will be no more this year.

Anyone interested, please contact Kristi Winterstein at 301-600-1493 or kristi@cityoffrederick.com for an application.

If you're frustrated by the lack of space in your urban environment, this might be the ideal place to experiment with a veggie garden.

I've not participated in a community garden before, but these are the things I would look for in a rented plot:

• Sunlight -- If you want to grow tomatoes (and many other vegetable crops), you'll need about 8 hours of sun each day. Make sure you're not shaded out by nearby trees, fences, or buildings.
• Water -- Is the plot excessively wet or dry? Is there access to a spigot or other source of water?
• Cleanliness -- You won't want to grow edible plants in an area where there's a lot of littering or dog-walking.
• Neighborliness -- If nearby plots are overrun with weeds, plant diseases, and not-so-beneficial insects, your plants may not be very healthy.

Interested in learning more about community gardens? Check out this forum on GardenWeb.

	Photo by mouseandtrowel.org

Just recently, I discovered Mouse & Trowel via a link on You Grow Girl. Strangely enough, it's a blog about garden blogging.

Apparently the web site is giving out awards for the best gardening sites, forums, podcasts, and blogs. The finalists are listed here, but you'll have to visit this page to see the links for all the contenders and to place your vote.

Despite the huge roster of home & garden blogs stacking up in my Google Reader, I'm only familiar with a few on the list of finalists. I'll definitely be spending some time checking out each site, but it will have to wait for a rainy day. The weather is too nice to stay inside after work!

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Allegheny Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis)

Now that the growing season has officially started, I'm rolling out a new weekly feature -- A brief list of flowering ornamental plants currently in bloom around Frederick. These plants are now  flowering in a yard near you.

Trees:

• Cherry
• Magnolia
• Pear
• Plum
• Serviceberry

Shrubs:

• Azalea & Rhododendron
• Forsythia
• Mahonia
• Quince
• Spicebush
• Spiraea
• Viburnum

Perennials & Bulbs:

• Brunnera
• Daffodil (aka Narcissus, Jonquil)
• Hyacinth
• Tulip

A brief note about this new weekly list -- You may have noticed that I haven't named any annuals. For one, I'm not as knowledgeable about those plants, so it's more difficult for me to identify them from the sidewalk or street. The other thing is, most are grown in greenhouses or started indoors from seed, so their bloom time isn't determined by nature and seasonal changes as much as perennials and shrubs.

So ... What's blooming in your garden? Email to let me know. (If you include a picture, you may even see it here with next week's list.)

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Our rain barrels, made with repurposed containers from good ol' McCutcheon's.

The biz section is at it again, with an interesting story about eco-friendly ideas for the garden. This time, it's rain barrels.

Rain barrels are incredibly inexpensive to make yourself, and the project is not very difficult. For our own barrels, we purchased two containers from McCutcheon's that had originally been used for something apple-flavored. After cleaning them out, we found some instructions online, and purchased some hardware, silicone, and  mosquito screen. We also needed a couple of new gutter/drain pieces to redirect water into the barrel.

The whole project probably cost us less than $20 per barrel. Now, if we get more than a quarter of an inch of rain, both barrels are full. That's over 100 gallons of water that we can use for watering plants or filling bird baths. (Please note: It's not safe for drinking or cooking!)

During last year's water ban, the supply in our barrels really came in handy. Even when the city's water supply is at normal levels, we still enjoy knowing that we don't have to pay for our rain barrel water, which would have otherwise just washed into our lawn area ... Or worse, down a storm drain.

Of course, there are more attractive options than the blue plastic barrels that we made. Wooden barrels are available at many garden centers. Or you could cover yours with a screen or vine, like this barrel I spotted on Apartment Therapy yesterday.

Now that my calendar page has turned to March, I'm counting the days until Spring arrives. It's a little early to do much outside, but it's the perfect time to examine the garden and formulate plans for warm weather work sessions.

Not sure where to start? Our own yard was pretty trashed when we bought our house, so the first order of business was to clean out all the overgrown shrubs and invasive weeds. After that, we set to work on establishing the framework for our garden, beginning with some pathways and other hardscaping, including a small patio.

Bluestone is one of my favorite paving materials, probably because most of it is quarried where I grew up in Northeastern Pennsylvania. When my parents generously offered to bring us some cut stone for a housewarming gift, I drew up a plan for a small (8 x 10') random rectangle patio area. (Click here for a PDF of the design.)

This is the small bluestone quarry on my family's farm in Susquehanna County, Pennyslvania. (Interesting trivia: The county's entire population is less than the population inside Frederick's city limits. It's pretty rural.)

Anyway, I digress ... Here's the story of our patio, in a few small pictures:

Top left: This is what our yard looked like when we moved in ... The area where we wanted to build our patio was completely overgrown. And yes, that is a satellite dish in there amongst the weeds.

Top right: If you plan to transport your own stone, be careful. It's extremely heavy material, and you'll need a truck that can handle the weight.

Bottom left: Installing the patio. Once we had the area cleared and prepped, it didn't take us long. (These instructions are similar to what we did, if you're interested in trying it yourself.)

Bottom right: Our much-improved outdoor living area. It's shaded in the morning, so it's a great place to have breakfast in the summer. Bring on that warm weather ... we're all set!

The FNP Business section does a great job, but it's not often that I have the pleasure of linking to a biz story with a home & garden angle.

If you missed Jon Stewart's "Back to Basics" story on page A-15 in today's FNP, click here to read it online.

It seems the Emmitsburg Business and Professional Association has been hosting monthly Green Living Forums. This week's event featured presentations by Pax Gardens and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The topic? Native plants and DNR's Backyard Buffers program.

Despite several attempts to find a useful link to Backyard Buffers on DNR's web site, I came up short. To learn more about the program, which offers free seedlings to qualified applicants, call 301-416-7261 or 301-791-4010.

	Photo by wikipedia.org Common domesticated honeybee

Two recent news stories caught my attention:

• Last week, on NPR's Morning Edition, they mentioned Haagen Dazs' $250,000 contribution to research projects at Penn State and the University of California. Many of the company's ice cream flavors require ingredients that are pollinated by honeybees, and the poor little critters are disappearing. Click here to listen to the story.
• Just this morning, The Baltimore Sun's political blog reported on a proposed bill to proclaim a special Pollinator Week in June in the State of Maryland. (I know you're probably laughing about this, but 75% of our flowering plants rely on animals to do pollination work. That includes all the fruit, vegetables, and grains we eat every day. Without pollinators, we'll all starve to death.) Here's the post.

So what does this mean for gardeners? Well, there are several ways you can make your garden more attractive to pollinators. It's fun to watch them at work in the garden, and you'll benefit from increased fruit & vegetable production. Here's how:

• Reduce (or preferably, eliminate) the use of pesticides -- Bees and other pollinators are super-sensitive to chemicals.
• Plant native flowering plants (trees, shrubs, and perennials) to provide nectar -- Bees seem to love plants in the aster family (daisies, asters, sunflowers) and the mint family (mint, lavender, salvia), but there are many great choices. Shop for plants locally and ask a helpful employee to make recommendations for your garden.
• Create habitats -- Place bat boxes and bee nesting blocks in the garden. If you're really into it, you can take a course in beekeeping and set up your own hives.

There's a huge list of links to online resources at pollinator.org. Locally, you can contact Maryland Cooperative Extension's Frederick County office for information about beekeeping and other garden-related inquiries.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Yesterday's coating of ice made these dogwood branches look like something from another planet.

You have to love our crazy weather. If for no other reason than it gives Marylanders something to talk about.

Obviously, ice storms present serious problems ... Power outages, traffic jams, injuries, and tree casualties, just to name a few. For those of us who are garage-less, it also turns cleaning off the car into a major production.

Despite the minor annoyance of slipping and sliding around my driveway yesterday, I couldn't help but notice how interesting the ice looked on my dogwood.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Gardens by Design. This book is chock full of essential eye candy. Curated by Noel Kingsbury, it features insight from a worldwide "who's who" list of top garden designers.

When the ground is covered with snow, there's nothing better than curling up on the couch with an inspiring garden book. Here's a list of my personal favorites, which would all make perfect additions to any gardener's library.

For beginners, DIY enthusiasts, and urban gardeners -- You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening, by Gayla Trail.

For nature lovers, native plant geeks**, and those who don't like to mow the lawn -- The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest, by Rick Darke.

For foodies, chefs, and vegetable gardeners -- The Edible Garden, Sunset Books

For modernists, minimalists, and design junkies -- Gardens by Design, by Noel Kingsbury

** This term is used most affectionately ... After all, I'm married to one.

	Photo by wikipedia.org Poinsettias don't last in my house, but some people (including my grandmother) find ways to keep them alive for years on end.

'Tis the season for holiday plants. Poinsettias, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis ... Most of us receive one of these plants as a gift at some point in time.

Though I'm seriously passionate about landscape plants, I usually adopt the motto of "only the strong survive" when it comes to houseplants. For one thing, there are several cats in my house, all of whom love to munch on greenery. So all of my indoor plants sit in my office window, and are lucky to get so much as a sprinkle of water each week.

It turns out that most houseplants do just fine with only occasional attention. However, some holiday gift plants aren't known for their longevity and user-friendly behavior. If you're determined to make your prized poinsettia show festive color in time for next Christmas, you'll probably need to expend some effort.

Before making a major commitment to a plant (or giving a high-maintenance plant as a gift), it doesn't hurt to read up. Here's some helpful linkage:

• Plant care guide (Teleflora)
• Caring for poinsettias - PDF (Maryland Cooperative Extension)
• IPM for houseplants - PDF (Maryland Cooperative Extension)
• Specialty potted plants - PDF (Virginia Cooperative Extension)

And if you really want to psych yourself up for the holy grail of houseplants, check out this post on Derek Powazek's orchids at You Grow Girl.

If you've been putting off the chore of raking up the leaves in your yard, don't worry. The City of Frederick has extended its leaf collection campaign -- City residents now have until December 16 to set out leaves, which will be collected by December 21.

Residents are asked to spread leaves in a low pile along the gutter to make it easier for the street sweeper to clean the street. Use off-street parking where available.

For more info, call the Department of Public Works at 301-600-1440.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Our own small yard in Frederick is now a Certified Wildlife Habitat.

It's always this time of year, when the trees start to look bare and the temperature drops, that I start thinking about all the critters outside who don't migrate south for the winter. Their needs for food and shelter are even greater than usual at this time of year ... And if you know what they're looking for, you can create a backyard habitat that's a magnet for some pretty entertaining wildlife!

Over the past couple years, we've added native plants, a birdbath, bird feeders, and other elements to our own yard that make it more enjoyable for us and our wild friends. We've seen a Monarch butterfly laying eggs on our Asclepias incarnata, and Goldfinches eating the seeds from our Echinacea purpurea.

Earlier this spring, we realized we had all the elements required to register our yard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat. According to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), we're not alone. Since 1973, over 75,000 homes, schools, and businesses have been certified as wildlife habitats.

Wondering where to get started? Here are the essential elements:

• Food sources (seeds, fruits, and nectar)
• Water sources (birdbath, pond, stream, water garden)
• Places for cover (rockpile, birdhouse, bat house, shrubs)
• Places to raise young (shrubs, nesting box, pond)
• Sustainable gardening practices (mulching, composting, rain gardening, eliminating pesticides and synthetic fertilizers)

To learn more, check out these online resources:

• NWF: Garden for Wildlife
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• US Fish & Wildlife Service: Bayscaping

There's something really lovely about the first frost in the garden. I have several annuals, including the nasturtium above, that have been flowering beautifully, even through the recent cold weather. This morning, everything was coated with frost, so I know they won't last much longer.

Wondering what to do to help ease your garden through these seasonal transitions? The University of Maryland's Home & Garden Information Center (HGIC) is a fantastic resource. Click here for some timely tips.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Beautiful fall color of Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra). Oaks are notorious for holding onto their crispy leaves as long as possible, but will probably fall off in time to be collected by the city’s crew.
	For more info on this year’s leaf collection campaign: Visit the City of Frederick web site or call 301-600-1440

If you live in the City of Frederick, have a yard, and have trees nearby, this message is for you: The Department of Public Works is collecting leaves until Wednesday, December 14th. Some leaf raking* tips:

Set out all leaves before December 9th.

* Not to be confused with muckraking. Some blogs engage in this activity, but we have a bit more integrity around here.

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