Home & garden summer 2014

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The evolution of regional gardens New Sheldon exhibit shows images of gardens through the years

By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — A new, colorful exhibit will bloom at the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History on May 6, when the “Lost Gardens of New England” takes root for a three-month run that will breathe new life into some of the region’s year.

The exhibit, offered in collaboration with the Boston-based preservation organization Historic New England, will use various props and

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images to explain how the region’s substance from the colonial days through the early 20th century. It will also feature images from 53 glass slides bearing color photographs of dens of the 1930s, including several that once grew in various estates and backyards in Addison County.

Adding to the garden theme will be some carvings loaned by Orwell artist Norton Latourelle. A carving of a large dog — one of Latourelle’s

specialties — will greet museumgoers in the hallway. Some of his fruit will adorn the two galleries in which the Lost Gardens exhibit will take root.

Sheldon Associate Director Mary Manley described an over-sized cricket and a rabbit, also courtesy of Latourelle, that will join the garden party as a symbolic reminder of the interesting and sometimes unwanted guests that occasionally invade a (See Lost Gardens, Page 3C)

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Lost Gardens

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Rural blooms are sign of spring Look for serviceberry on back roads, gardens

By JUDITH IRVEN

plants that thrive here, including and,

occasionally,

even

-

the way I will share

-

about we can create beautiful and yet sustainable gardens.

Goshen, on the western slopes of the an oversized garden that provides us and soul.

-

favorites: a lovely indigenous tree known as the serviceberry.

When the serhere to stay!

though the exact date is before it happens in the

North Country Reflections:

SERVICEBERRIES IN OUR GARDENS With delicate white

On gardens and gardening in Vermont

as well as a lovely red color in the fall, serlightful native trees for

along the hedgerows of our back-

they are the perfect choice for those north side of the house. I also love to edge as a gentle transition between the cultivated garden and the wild beyond.

ing, as I look down our winding dirt road, to see their lacy white veil

Amelanchier origins:

5C)

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Gardens (Continued from Page 3C) gardens” — that is, put in place by hired laborers under the direction of wealthy estate owners. ful and were thankfully captured on

Among the slides — which back in the day were shown on a screen through a “magic lantern” projector featuring bulb — are examples of gardens that once

reviewed all 53 slides and picked a dozen that were scanned and con-

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County communities of

is also loaning the exhibit photos of its historic gardens, which are in the process of being faithfully restored. should appeal to people of all ages.

own gardens. It will provide an apt will this year focus exclusively on

Reporter John Flowers is at johnf@addisonindependent.com.

Reflections (Continued from Page 4C) The name “Serviceberry” is be-

berry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is a

graves.

They

The Shadblow serviceberry “Shadbush,” because (Amelanchier canadensis) is shaped Amelanchmore like a ier large shrub because their edible fruit and matures ra at just 12 ‘LOVELIEST OF feet high TREES’ and wide. are

called

sized fruits.

Use whichever name Amelanchier.

Within the Amelanchier genus there are

the Western Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) is a 10-foothigh shrub that is grown commercially for its fruit.

legheny Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis (Amelanchier arborea) are small

native

serviceberries, -

my head:

and ten,

-

(Amelanchier canadensis

Judith Irven lives with her husband, Dick Conrad, in Goshen, where together they nurture a large

able Home Landscaping for the Vermont Master Gardener program.

You can subscribe to her blog about her Vermont gardening life at www.

Horticulturist and teaches Sustain-

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Read seed packs before buying Learn where and when to plant, and what won’t work for you Editor’s note: This article was contributed by University of Vermont Extension Professor Leonard Perry.

The colorful pictures and fanciful names on the seed packets at your garden center and in seed catalogs entice you to buy. But before you get carried away and select more varieties than you have space to plant, take a minute to read the packets and descriptions. There is much good cultural information in these, some of which may be unclear if you are new to gardening.

You may be surprised to learn that some and vegetable varieties for sale are not well suited to your particular location. Some grow best in a certain

type of soil or shade conditions, or need to be started indoors well in advance of planting. Start them too late, or just sown out in the garden, or fruit this season. So what do you look for on the packets and in catalog descriptions?

VARIETY — Most packets and descriptions list the name of the variety (technically most are cultivars or cultivated varieties), and tell you if it is a hybrid. Hybrids come about from the crossing of other plant parents, and are often denoted as F1 or F2. This often gives a trait such as important to know if you want such traits, or if you want to collect seeds. they won’t make the same plants.

For this you would need the parent plants (often a seed company trade secret). To collect seeds that will come “true,� you should look for “open pollinated� varieties.

TYPE — Flowers also are identials, biennials or perennials.

Annuals are plants that grow, bloom and die in one growing season. Biennials bloom the second year after planting and generally die afplants that come up year after year (if they are hardy). For perennials, many descriptions have or refer to a hardiness zone map so you can see if the plants will have a chance in your area.

DATE — For best results, buy only seed that is packed for the current year. The date is generally aged for last year at a discounted price, these are probably not a good want to take a chance on these, sow 10 seeds in moist, rolled paper towel to see how many germinate.

GERMINATION — This per-

centage tells you how many seeds will produce plants under ideal conditions. However, keep in mind that the age of the seeds, how they’ve been stored, as well as how and when you plant them, also will affect germination. Some seeds may need exposure to light to germinate.

Some perennials may need special ideal conditions, count on a slightly higher germination rate than if sowing directly outdoors. Descriptions often tell you which is best.

CULTURE — Most seed packets will contain information on how and when to plant, including the number of days to seed germination, and days to harvest for vegetables.

Make sure if you see days listed that you know what they refer to — days from sowing to harvest, from planting out to harvest, or other. will note spacing requirements, height and spread at maturity, thinning instructions, growth habit, and special cultural considerations.

NUMBER OF SEEDS — Unless you are buying bulk seeds by weight, you can be misled by the size and shape of the packaging. Be sure to check the weight, or more often number of seeds, to determine how much to buy. This is particularly important with higher priced seeds like ten seeds per packet. Some descriptions provide information on the length of row the packet will plant.

DESCRIPTION — Some parts of the plant description that may be important to you are whether the what are characteristics and shape variety resistant to diseases? This is especially important for some vege(See Seed packets, Page 8C)

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Use today’s rainwater on gardens tomorrow

Master gardeners help novices learn Goal is to improve eating and lifestyle VERMONT — When Shari Johnson moved to Vermont six years ago, she was looking for a way to connect with like-minded people, and although an experienced gardener, also to learn how to grow vegetables in the unfamil-

(MS) — Rainwater collection is a way to conserve water that can be adopted by both private homeowners and businesses.

Harvesting water during peak times of precipitation ensures water will be on hand during drought or when water restrictions are implemented.

Making use of rainwater reduces reliance on underground wells or municipal water systems. Harvesting rainwater also can help prevent The average homeowner can collect thousands of gallons of rainwater each year.

To learn just how much water can be harvested, as well as how many natural resources can be produced from that rain, visit www.save-therain.com, where people can calculate their rain collection potential by geographic location and average rainfall. Afterward, homeowners may be inclined to establish their own rainwater harvesting systems.

Here is how to get started.

Potable water can be harvested from homes with sheet metal or slate be acceptable.

Asphalt, wood shingles and tar roofs may leach toxic chemicals into the water, making it unsafe for drinking. This rainwater may only be collected to use for irrigation methods or washing cars and outdoor items.

Some gutters are made with lead soldering components. A commercial lead swab test can help you determine if there is lead present in your gutters.

At a later time you can choose to replace the gutters if you desire a potable supply of water. barrel.

A number of manufacturers offer prefabricated rain collection systems complete with collection barrels.

Otherwise, you can use your own barrel or tank to house the collected water. Ensure it is large enough to handle the volume of water

collected. many trees, you probably accumulate leaf and tree debris in your home gutters and downspouts. Leaf guards will help keep the gutters clear and water collection system.

A portion of the gutter system should be removed so that it connects to the collection barrel or tank. As the

rain falls, it will run down the roof and into the gutters before it streams into the downspouts. The downspout connected to the tank will deposit the water directly inside. Filters can debris. water usage.

A spigot and hose connection makes it easy to use the collected water for outdoor purposes.

Many rainwater collection systems

safeguard that will prevent the water from backing up through the system. of the downspout when the barrel or tank is full.

A rainwater collection system harnesses a natural source of water to be used for gardens and other outdoor purposes. This water doesn’t contain chlorine or other additives, making it relatively clean and safe to use.

sentially container gardening. We are teaching how to garden, but also stressing that you don’t need acres of ground to have a garden. You can grow vegetables in a bucket outside your door.” She hopes to encourage interest in horticulture as a career by taking home. She found both through the the students to visit a local greenUVM Extension Master Gardener house to observe how a retail opcourse in 2009. eration gets started with its spring seed planting.

Gardener, the retired high school Like Johnson, Jerry Leonard teacher volunteers several days a is bringing his knowledge and month at the Addison love of gardening to students as a teacher “We are - teaching kids bury, a support and alternative education to live better summer 2009 with facility for adoles- lifestyles, eat the students’ help, cent families. She better and he broke ground on works in the greencampus for a vegmake better house and gardens etable garden with as well as serves as a choices. When resource for an elec- working in the beds, doubling that tive garden-to-plate garden, they number and begincourse for students ning construction working on their high will eat almost of a solar radiantschool diploma. This everything. heated greenhouse past fall eight stu- It’s a great the following year. dents enrolled in the way to Today the project has course, designed to teach them how to introduce raised beds for a togrow vegetables in them to the greenhouse and different feet of greenhouse prepare nutritious, and outdoor growing vegetables.” healthy meals at the space.

— Jerry Leonard center and at home.

“We are teaching Johnson helped kids to live better lifestyles, eat better and make greenhouse project with the help better choices,” he says. “When of fellow Master Gardener Jona- working in the garden, they will than Hescock, owner of Vermont - way to introduce them to different wall. vegetables.”

“We used one of his customThe Newark resident’s interest built greenhouses for the proj- in gardening took root as a teen ect,” she says, noting that the goal in Sutton, Vt., where his family was to incorporate healthy foods tended a large garden. He helped his mother and grandmother pre- serve garden vegetables and wild berries, a practice he continues today with his own family. He different salad greens for the cafeteria where the staff prepares 90 lunches daily. tive Technologies, in 2009, and “Greenhouse growing is es(See Course, Page 8C)

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Seed packets (Continued from Page 6C) tables such as tomatoes, melons, and

in certain regions, or nationwide, and can be found online (www.allamericaselections.org).

listed with letters that can be found in a key or bottom of the page, such as “V” for verticillium disease resistance.

You may see logos with descriptions. These should have a key if in a catalog, often for such as easy, organic, new or an award winner. The most common award you will see for

other products, look for what isn’t said. In other words, if you want a trait such as good freezing for beans and this isn’t mentioned, this variety likely won’t freeze as well as others. On the other hand, be wary of glowing descriptions such as “the

Selections winners. These are varieties that have proven among the best

most varieties offer the same superlatives, and what tastes good to one person isn’t as good to another.

Look for traits that are most important to you, such as size ers, height of plant, the need or not for staking, yield or desired trait of vegetables, color is often the most deIt bears repeating to have some sort of plan, or at least know how much space or how many pots you have, before buying seeds. It is so easy (speaking from experience) to be enticed by all the different varieties with colorful photos and glowing descriptions, ending up with several times as many seeds as you have the time or space to plant.

Visit some beautiful gardens on June tour Get design ideas from 9 local gems MIDDLEBURY — The Sheldon Museum in Middlebury presents its third annual Spring Garden Tour on Sunday, June 8, from noon-5 p.m. The tour offers a unique opportunity to visit nine intimate private garden settings rarely open to the public, all in Middlebury. From a beautiful terraced landscape with a Zen hut to a raucous, colorful, symphonic setting, most of the gardens are within walking distance of one another in the bucolic village of Middlebury. The tour ends with a garden reception from 4-6 p.m. at the Sheldon Museum.

The Sheldon’s Spring Garden Tour will feature the following

gardens: Main Street, Middlebury. These gardens represent nearly two decades of thoughtful design, installation, and diligent maintenance combining a mature elegance with the myriad textures and colors of the plantings.

Surrounding the main house, outbuildings, and gently sloping hill leading ultimately to a peaceful view overlooking Otter Creek. The terraced gardens, delightful fountain, inviting benches and graceful statuary make a tour of the property a special event indeed. dlebury. The old barnyard of a ca.

1820 Bank Barn, now the home

on the property, is the site of the gardens. On this sloping half acre you’ll see perennial beds, raised vegetable/herb beds, a railroad tie terrace, grape arbor, veggie garden, companion planting, and tricks to light is the “Tea-Tray Peony” named “KESS,” developed from wildcrossings found in 95 Main’s peony beds.

South Main Street.

Five years ago the owners moved into an old carriage barn and the site and land posed some gardening challenges. Today, the gardens are etables, berries, shrubs, and bird sanctuary. Over 300 river rocks paths and different areas of the gar-

den and the infrastructure provides a scenic shortcut and bridge for Chipman Park neighbors going to work or downtown.

Middlebury. This garden is a work in process, inherited from the previous generation. It is hidden behind the house and is guarded by Jane and Marshal Eddy’s garden on the other side of the trees and shaded by the gardens of the houses on either side. The vegetable section changing, it’s an adventure into the unexpected. stow, South Street, Middlebury. garden features raised beds for organically grown vegetables, an herb garden and perennial beds, all crowding this tiny village lot be(See Garden tours, Page 9C)

Course (Continued from Page 7C) soon after proposed establishing a garden at school to teach horticulture and life skills.

Leonard also teaches free adult education gardening classes in late spring and worked with the Gilman Housing Trust to develop a community garden, among other projects preciation for contributing 250 hours as a Master Gardener.

Johnson and Leonard are among the 3,000 Master Gardener graduates Heather Carrington, to become cerhours of home horticulture training including six hours of online train-

ing through the National Plant Diagnostic Network on pest and disease ship.

In 2012, the latest year data is available, 766 active Master Gardeners provided 1,420 volunteer hours working on 100 projects focusing on local foods, sustainable landscapes, invasive species and water quality.

They staffed information tables at 10 farmers’ markets and eight agricultural fairs to answer horticultural questions and responded to more than 1,100 calls and 430 e-mails through the UVM Extension Master Gardener Helpline. The Master Gardener Program also offers a Master Composter course in alternate years, which has graduated 708.

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Dandelions: Make salad, not war with invaders Garden tours

By JOE RANKIN There’s no arguing spring with nally outta here. By May,

The

not. The plants also could have come as seeds in the hooves of livestock, or in imported hay, or in a dozen other ways.

Once they got here, they spread like a yellow

Outside Story

dusted with that mellow dandelion yellow. I don’t mind. I keep honeybees, and dandelions are one of the more reliable sources of early spring nectar and pollen.

rived from the French phrase, dent de leon, it refers to the deep serrations of the leaves, which, at least to the French, resemble the teeth (dent) of a lion (leon). rets. The heads open during the day and close at night.

Arthur Haines, the research botaonly a handful of dandelion species in the Northeast. The large-lobed dandelion, Taraxacum latilobum, is a North American native that Haines red-seeded dandelion, Taraxacum laevigatum also uncommon. Hawkweeds and hawkbits, which bloom in the late summer and fall, are look-alikes but not true dandelions.

So, this time of year, when you gaze across a yellow sea of fuzzy looking at .

This is the common dandelion, a weedy presence around the globe, helped along by another weedy species — humans.

Many credit — or blame — the

“It has been really successful, like the common plantain. They’re all weeds and weeds are simply adapted to reseeding disturbed habineed access to mineral soil and disturbed soil. Those plants are doing well now because humans have so disturbed the

90 million pounds of pesticides a year. Most of those are herbicides and, you can bet your little yellow sive battle, it’s a foolish one, as people poison the environment in a war they can’t win.

You could take a different view of the dandelion. It’s a view that goes back millennia, to our foraging ancestors who saw as an herbal medicine and valuable food source. They’re good steamed, sautéed or sim- ply blanched in hot water and drained. leaves make a healthful salad (the best time to harvest them is early spring, before a plant blooms).

Ye l l o w

He noted that dandelions don’t really compete with native species or invade pristine ecosystems. Instead, they typically crowd out other non-native plants.

can be used to make wine.

The taproot can be harvested for food or to make a coffeelike beverage.

T h e d a n delion’s value on the menu is evidenced by the fact that plant breeders have developed cultivars with bigger leaves, or are self-

From a dandelion’s point of view, a beautiful green lawn is nothing but a disturbed habitat just waiting for it to sink its taproot. From a lawn fetishist’s point Americans douse their lawns with

blanching to take out the bitterness.

-

Haines. He noted that their leaves contain large amounts of carotene, which is converted by the body to vitamin A. The plants have essential minerals including calcium and manganese. They contain lecithin, solution and so helps the body absorb more fat-soluble vitamins. The list of the dandelion’s healthful constituents is long. “It is amazingly grubbing up dandelions, “we should be eating them all spring and gatherAnd dandelions don’t just have value as a health food. Children, and heads into the wind. Blowing off all the seed heads is purported to make ten as blowing out a birthday candle.

And dandelions are accomplished muses, proliferating like, well, dandelions, across a variety of differSo, let’s sing the dandelion’s praises, whether at a poetry slam or in a salad bowl. Then blow off the not for a perfect green lawn.

Joe Rankin writes about forestry and nature from his home in central Maine. The illustration for this column was drawn by Adelaide Tyrol.

The Outside Story is assigned and edited by magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of New Hampshire Charitable Foundation: wellborn@ nhcf.org.

(Continued from Page 8C) tween the family home and the painting studio where artist Kate Gridley works. A tiny oasis in a busy part of town, Barstow and Gridley kept adding garden beds as their sons grew, eventually covering much of the lawn, which they cut with a hand mower.

Street, Middlebury. A formal cutting garden is laid out in a manner that character of the 1815 house with a profusion of shade-loving perennials growing beneath the limbs of pine trees planted in 1820. A newly added terrace highlights a splendid array of annuals.

Neuse, Seminary Street by friends and family, sits atop an old baseball diamond — a veritable

(MS) — The home improvement industry has grown considerably over the last several decades, as homeowners increasingly took steps to turn their homes into personal oases.

But such projects often produce substantial amounts of waste, negatively affecting the environment as a result. tons of building construction, renovation and demolition-derived wastes were generated in

!

Middlebury. A formal cutting garden is laid out in a manner

the traditional character of the 1815 house with a profusion of shade-loving perennials growing beneath the limbs of pine trees planted in 1820. A newly added terrace highlights a splendid array of annuals.

-

2003, a year when the housing market was thriving and homeowners were not shying away from costly home improvement projects.

many more materials can be salvaged.

brook and a Zen hut. The transition

separate materials like lumber, hardware,

Twenty-seven-year-old

rebound, the home improvement industry

salvaged from those materials that must be discarded.

Many communities are home to organizations that collect salvageable materials, and these materials can be reused by fellow homeowners or other organizations (See Improvements, Page 12C)

eco-conscious homeowners can take to reduce waste while improving their homes.

SAVE SALVAGEABLE MATERIALS Some materials simply must be discarded when making improvements to a home. But

THE

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Garden Club plans, plants and maintains all the borders, which include bulbs in the spring, and perennials and annuals in the summer and fall. It is one of the Garden Club’s major public Jim and service projects in the Elise Blair, Middlebury area.

Washington Tickets for the Street, Spring Garden Tour

The second- and thirdgeneration perennials offer a profusion of seasonal colors and a selection of favorite annuals for cutting. Vegetable gardens supply fresh produce for the family and Chipman Hill deer.

The new kitchen garden has a sheltered location allowing for a long growing season. bee, Springside Road, Middlebury.

The theme of the main garden is

Reduce waste when doing work on your home

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Other small gardens scattered throughout the 0.51-acre lot contain dwarf fruit trees, conifers, and peonies.

years, the Middlebury Garden Club has been associated with the Sheldon Museum. The period gardens complement the age and style of the

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Museum. The gardens may be viewed in any order between noon and 5 p.m. on the 8th and the tour is rain or shine; be sure to wear walking shoes and be prepared for a variety of terrains. Tickets are available in advance, at the Sheldon Museum and online at www.

HenrySheldonMuseum.org or on the day of the tour, at the Sheldon and at the featured gardens. A copy of the tour brochure with map is available on the Sheldon’s website.

The Sheldon Mu-

the event’s generous sponsors to Greenhaven Gardens & Nursery, ton Farm, Middlebury Fence Co., -

Marketing.For more information, call 802-388-2117 or visit www.HenrySheldonMuseum.org.

Gardening Tips It’s the time of year when gardeners come out of their dens, dig out their gloves and prepare for a new season with eager anticipation.

While no gardener, however seasoned, can there are plenty of secrets and tips that help make gardens thrive.

We have gathered some of these insider tips from local gardening and landscaping experts, this season.

Peter Norris from Greenhaven Gardens & Nursery says, “The most important thing that you should consider when putting in a vegetable garden is proper drainage. Using raised beds or mounding your garden with topsoil/compost will assure that your plants are vigorous and productive.”

Ed Burke at Rockydale Gardens: Many people think of rhododendrons as spring blooming. There are, however some rhododendrons (in this case deciduous azalea types), that are perfectly hardy (and fragrant!) that bloom in mid-summer, (July) when many summer residents can enjoy them. These are the “viscosum” or “viscosum-arborescens crosses.” These sell by the trade names, Rhododendron ‘Weston’s Innocence,’ ‘Pink and Sweet,’ ‘Lemon Drop’ and ‘Millennium’ among others.

Other crosses between Rhododendron viscosum and Rhododendron prunifolium are also mid to late summer blooming — these are the “Carlson Postscript” late blooming azaleas. Rhododendron viscosum is commonly named “swamp azalea” and is native to New England. Enjoy a change of pace and some sweet scented air in midsummer.

Rock ydale Gardens

Margaret Merrill, nursery manager at Middlebury Agway says, “Great gardens start with great soil! Amend your garden soil every year with compost or manure. This helps to keep the soil friable and adds organic matter. Test your soil for PH. Soils which need to be more acidic can have peat moss added. If they need to be sweetened add lime. By spending a little time amending the soil, your garden will have a great base in which to thrive!”

The Old Farmer’s Almanac says that planting parsley around rosebushes will make more fragrant.

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Sebastian Miska of North Branch Farm & Gardens says, “To avoid girdling roots and slow death of woody landscape plants, do not pile mulch too high around the trunk.

Leave the junction of trunk and collar root exposed.”

The National Gardening Association reminds us to p shrubs: “ ering, prune springblooming shrubs such as acacia, azalea, ceanothus, forsythia, spirea, and quince removing any broken, diseased, or errant the size of the location.”

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Better Homes and Gardens offers many tips on picking easy plants to ensure success for novice gardeners. “Here are a few easy-to-grow plants for beginners. Annual: cosmos, marigolds, impatiens, geraniums, Calendula and zinnias. Perennials: Russian sage, lamb’s-ears, blackdaylilies. Vegetables: lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers.”

From the Addy Indy: Did you know that newspaper can help control weeds in your garden?

Apply several layers of wet newspapers to your garden around the plants for a natural, inexpensive way to control weeds. Most newspapers (including the Addison Independent) use soy-based, non-toxic inks, so you don’t have to worry about chemicals that may leach into your garden.

A newspaper barrier will naturally decompose in the garden, which means you don’t have to try to pull it out of the garden as you would with most commercial cloth or plastic barriers.

Tree Service

The Helpful Gardener (a popular gardening website) says, “When planning your garden, it is important to know what your climate zone is and choose your plants accordingly.

This can mean the difference between success and disaster.

The Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed a Plant Hardiness Zone Map that breaks North America into eleven zones based on the annual minimum temperature, zone 1 being the coldest and zone 11 being the hottest.”

(Most of Addison County falls into zones 4a, 4b and 5a.)

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Invite hummingbirds with flowers Vermont horticulturists offer many gardening tips for this month

By CHARLIE NARDOZZI and LEONARD PERRY

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Editor’s note: Charlie Nardozzi

is a nationally known horticulturist, author, gardening consultant, and garden coach (www.CharlieNardozzi.com), and Leonard Perry, is a horticulturist with UVM Extension.

Container plants require special care

By LEONARD PERRY UVM Extension

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Sheldon Museum

Middlebury Garden Tour The tour offers a unique opportunity to visit nine intimate garden settings, all in Middlebury.

From a beautiful terraced landscape with a Zen hut to a raucous, colorful, symphonic setting, most of the gardens are within walking distance of one another.

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