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Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries
Join columnist and garden designer Mary Stone in sharing Dilemmas, Delights, & Discoveries in the Garden of Life.
Episodes
265 episodes
Ep 265 - Tending What We Can in the Garden of Life
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. A...
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Ep 264 - Another Lesson from the Leaf: Help Is on the Way
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...
Ep 263 - Doing Nothing and Everything: Wisdom from Nature & Gardens
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, wanderi...
Ep 262 - Beneath the Surface: The Mystery of the Missing Roots
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 M...
Ep. 261 – Treasures from the Warwick, NY Garden Tour
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 ...
Ep 260 - The Flag & the Knot – Growing Forward Anyway
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...
Ep 259 - What We Carry Forward in the Garden of Life
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 ...
Ep 258 - The Gift of Noticing: A Dove Tree that Didn't Bloom
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 th...
Ep 257 - Love, Lovage & Treasures at Well-Sweep Farm
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 beaut...
Ep 256 - Lessons from Spiderwort and Crooked Trees
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 purp...
Ep 255 - Growing Belonging in the Garden of Life
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,...
Ep 254 - Leave Room for Wandering: Unexpected Greenhouse Treasures
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 pat...
Ep 253 - Healing Beneath Mayapple: Skunk Cabbage Wisdom
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, Ne...
Ep 252 - Edible vs. Ornamental Rhubarb — Kindness Helps Heal
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, bloo...
Ep 251 - A Changing Gardens Teaches What Belongs
What a Changing Garden Teaches - Finding What BelongsSometimes 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 i...
Ep 250 - Weeping Cherry Dilemmas: Trees Tell a Story
A weeping cherry tree begins to “bleed,” revealing what lies beneath—from soil stress to planting missteps. Plus, seed-starting tips and a reflection on where we’re truly meant to grow. In this episode, I share what gummosis can tel...
Ep 249 - Living Mulch: Layering with Native Plants
Replacing mulch with living layers that nourish soil, support wildlife, and gently teach us patience.What if you could stop mulching—and let plants do the work instead?In this episode, we explore “living mulch” with nativ...
Ep 248 - Healing After Winter: In the Garden—and in Life
After a harsh winter, Mary Stone reflects on healing in the garden and in life—sharing spring pruning tips, plant care insights, and a humorous tale of “hotdog flies”—all woven with a gentle reminder to slow down, notice beauty, and make room f...
Ep 247 - Nothing Is Wasted: Leaf Mold, Mulch & Letting Go
As spring unfolds, I find myself reflecting on what remains, what falls away, and what—over time—returns to nourish us again.In this episode, I share a walk in the woods that took an unexpected turn, along with listeners’ questions ab...
Ep 246 - Early Spring Tending: What to Keep, What to Clear
Sometimes tending isn’t about removing—it’s about redistributing, restoring, and making space for what’s ready to grow.As winter loosens its grip, early spring invites us to tend—clearing what’s too heavy, redistri...
Ep 245 - What the Roadside Reveals: Lesson of Belief
A roadside walk becomes a lesson in tending what doesn’t belong—and trusting what quietly blooms.From plogging to snowdrops, this episode explores how small actions and nature’s signs guide us back to hope, healing, and the “lesso...
Ep 244 - A Late Winter Walk to Remember
Some walks stay with us long after they end.A quiet rainy walk through the late-winter woods becomes a meditation on healing, hope, and nature’s wisdom. On a misty morning, Mary Stone and her faithful companion, Jo...
Ep 243 - Native vs. Invasive: Who Decides?
What does “native” really mean — and who decides?In this episode of Garden Dilemmas, Mary Stone explores native vs. invasive plants, urban gardens, biodiversity, and ecosystem balance.From dandelions to the ...