Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries

A walk along the Paulinskill Valley Trail leads Mary Stone down a memory trail of beloved dogs, changing paths, and how we adapt through seasons. 

Memories of Sara—a tennis-ball-loving golden retriever who learned to play differently after two surgeries—lead back to the screen porch and a magnificent garden planted by Mother Nature. 

We explore Jewelweed with exploding seeds and White Snakeroot that nourishes po...

A trail closure sends Mary Stone and her rescue dog, Jolee, in another direction for a restful walk along the Paulinskill Valley Trail, where late-summer wildflowers, remnants of railroad history, and the reestablished Paulins Kill River offer a reflection on change and restoration.

Along the way, an old mile marker brings a profound, spirited lift. And memories of the former Paulina Dam, the river, surrounding landscape, and wildli...

From sweet peas and peaches as terms of endearment to squirrels stealing the only peach on the tree, Mary Stone starts this week's garden chat on a playful note. Then a jelly-like peach-tree dilemma leads to gummosis, Cytospora canker, peach scab, and how stress and wounds can leave trees vulnerable to disease.

Mary revisits a similar weeping cherry dilemma and what trees can teach us about looking beneath the surface—where ol...

A neglected patch of vegetable garden, a disappointing spring harvest, and a few leftover seed packets inspire a late-season experiment—and a reminder that missed opportunities don’t always mean the season is over. 

Mary Stone revisits an old “Sweet Pea” story while exploring fall crops of snow peas and beets, and discovers that sometimes we need to clear a little space, plant again, and see what happens...

Sometimes we can't tend to everything at once. 

Mary Stone shares her mission to manage the undesirable Mile-a-Minute weed and Japanese Stilt Grass, while heavy rains unexpectedly cleared the pond of favorable Duckweed. 

Along the way, an old stone wall, resilient Blackberry Lilies, and newly visible frogs offer reminders that while we can't get to everything in our gardens—or our lives—we can tend what we can a...

What happens when life tests the very lessons we hope to live?

In this heartfelt episode, Mary Stone shares an emotionally difficult week that almost preempted the weekly chat. She invites listeners onto her screened porch, where a summer thunderstorm replaces the noisy cicadas, setting the stage for a conversation about acceptance, resilience, and hope. 

Inspired by a recent Call to Calm meditation with Panache Desai, Mary refl...

On a cool, humid summer morning from her screened porch, Mary Stone reflects on the richness of slowing down. 

From a modest vegetable harvest and the gift of one perfectly ripe cherry tomato to birdwatching, fledgling birds, wandering goats, and the hidden life beneath our gardens, she discovers that doing nothing is often far from doing nothing at all.

Join Mary as she explores gratitude, presence, the wisdom found in simply n...

A thriving rose suddenly becomes loose in the soil, revealing a mystery hidden beneath the mulch. What first appears to be Chipmunk Damage leads to a closer look—Voles, a likely culprit. 

Mary Stone explores the differences between Moles and Voles, practical ways to protect treasured plants, and how gardens often remind us that what we see on the surface rarely tells the whole story. 

“Sometimes the greatest les...

What makes a garden unforgettable? Sometimes it's a rare plant or a beautiful pond. More often, it's the people behind the garden.

Join Mary Stone for a day exploring seven remarkable private gardens on the 32nd Annual Countryside Garden Tour, hosted by the Warwick Valley Gardeners. 

Along the way, she meets passionate gardeners, discovers clever design ideas, learns about unusual plants, shares conversations with fellow garden ...

 A "quick" Fourth of July project turned into an unexpected lesson in patience, perseverance, and letting go of perfection. 

After years of waiting to paint an old flagpole, Mary Stone decides it's time to raise a new flag. What follows is a comedy of mystery knots, weathered rope, improvised repairs, and a reminder that life rarely unfolds under perfect conditions.

Along the way, she reflects on freedom, belonging, the wis...

In this Fourth of July episode, Mary reflects on a Victorian berry spoon gifted by a friend's son, a family table and long-forgotten letter from her father, a dear friend's journey to United States citizenship, and the lessons unfolding in the vegetable garden.

From heirlooms and promises to volunteer tomatoes and a bird building a nest, this episode explores the stories, values, and acts of kindness we carry forward from one genera...

On a humid morning after a much-needed rain, Mary Stone reflects on the celebration of the life of legendary New Jersey gardener and friend Marty Carson.

From stories of children helping to prepare the gardens to the remarkable tale of the Dove Tree (also known as the Handkerchief Tree) to an unexpected gift from Marty's son, this episode explores how gardens teach us to notice beauty, kindness, and one another.

Though beloved garden...

A visit to Well-Sweep Herb Farm in Warren County, New Jersey, leads to unexpected discoveries both in the garden and in life.

 Mary Stone shares highlights from a tour with third-generation grower Patrick McDuffee, explores the beauty and lore of herbs such as Plantain, Scented Geraniums, Jewelweed, and Lovage, and reflects on the treasures often hidden in plain sight.

Back home, a thriving 'Jethro Tull' Coreopsis, gifted to her...

Join Mary Stone as she reflects on Spiderwort, a native plant growing in the wrong place; a conversation with a dear client; the wisdom of the song "Crooked Tree"; and a reminder that what appears flawed or out of place may have a purpose we cannot yet see.

Along the way, Mary shares a brief update on her vegetable garden, a surprising use for carrot greens, and a favorite story from The Lesson of the Leaf about a beech leaf that la...

In this episode, Mary Stone shares an unexpected realization that emerged while revising her book proposal for The Lesson of the Leaf to Hay House Publishing. Along the way, she reflects on belonging, commitment, the wisdom of gardens, and the connections that sustain us through every season of life. 

Plus, a garden update featuring radishes, sunflowers, clover, and a reminder that growth often happens beneath the shelter of so...

In this episode, Mary Stone shares a spring greenhouse adventure that begins with shopping for annuals and vegetables and turns into a delightful journey of unexpected discoveries.

Along the way, she reflects on a bear emerging from a patch of skunk cabbage, bird nests tucked among flowering shrubs, a mysterious hornet visitor, and the wisdom that can emerge when we leave room for wandering.

Mary also offers practical tips for select...

Mary Stone shares reflections from a deeply meaningful weekend serving as a Big Buddy at Comfort Zone Camp for children grieving the loss of a parent or sibling to suicide. 

Through stories of Mayapple, Skunk Cabbage, Barred Owls, Nesting Birds, and an unforgettable Black Bear encounter near the creek, this episode explores Healing, Resilience, Emotional Courage, and the Wisdom Waiting Beneath the Surface of the Natural World.&...

This week, from the screen porch, Mary Stone shares reflections on edible versus ornamental rhubarb—both unusual, delightful, and deer-resistant additions to the garden. She also shares stories of rhubarb custard pie, overwintered parsley, blooming tea, pole beans, and other decorative vegetables woven among flower gardens.

The episode wraps up with reflections on healing through friendship and community. And the garden lesson...

What a Changing Garden Teaches  - Finding What Belongs

Sometimes what we see as a problem is simply a message.

While visiting a longtime client in Sparta, New Jersey, Mary Stone reflects on shifting conditions in our landscapes—from struggling rhododendrons and declining pachysandra to the beauty and wisdom of moss. Along the way, she revisits an old dilemma—ants in a mossy patio—with a fresh perspective shaped...