Gardenig in state Pennsylvania. Tips & Guides

TO SAY I WAS surprised would be understating it. A lot. When I got the call from the Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania recently that I’d been named as the 2024 recipient of their prestigious Scott Medal, I was completely caught off guard.

THE AREA around Philadelphia is well known for its richness of public gardens, including many historic ones. But the region is also home to an impressive roster of distinctive private landscapes from formal 19th century European-style estates to mid-century modern residences and contemporary ones. Now, a new book takes us inside the gates of 21 of them, places filled with ideas for our own gardens maybe, too.

We’re back today to see more spring blooms in Carla Zambelli Mudry’s garden in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Today we’re visiting with Carla Zambelli Mudry in Malvern Pennsylvania:

Carol Verhake gardens in Berwyn, Pennsylvania (Zone 7a), and after two years without getting any snow, she got a beautiful snowfall this winter. Here are some shots she took of the garden looking beautiful under its white blanket. If you want to see her garden during the growing season, check out this post: Carefully Chosen Colors Bring a Garden Together.

This is Barb Mrgich, Master Gardener from Adams County, Pennsylvania. I have sent in several entries in the past. (Butterflies in Barb’s Garden and Barb’s Favorite Photos ) I love lots of color in my gardens. In January, Joseph did an entry on yellow in the garden, and it inspired me to submit these photos. I really like his description that yellow flowers are “floral sunshine.” A little floral sunshine is never more appreciated than in the very early spring when things are looking rather dull and dreary! Although I like to consider myself a wildlife and native-plant gardener, I still rely on select nonnatives for beauty and color in the early season since I have found that most of my native plants shine better in midsummer and fall. All of these pictures were taken in mid-April in my Zone 6B garden.

Must-See Public Gardens to Visit in the U.S. Whether they're around the corner or across the country, public gardens are worth the trip! Don't miss these impressive public gardens!

Today we’re visiting TJ Mrazik’s garden in Worcester, Pennsylvania.

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The record existed until 1976 when Bob Ford of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, USA exhibited a 451 pound specimen at the U.S. Pumpkin Contest in Churchville, PA. Yearly International Competition was revived again in 1979 when Canadian Howard Dill of Windsor, Nova Scotia won his first of four consecutive international pumpkinship titles at the Cornell Contest in Pennsylvania. Mr. Dill’s first world record of 459 pounds came in 1980 which he supassed in 1981 by harvesting a 493.5 pound pumpkin.

Eric Sternfels sent in these photos today, of a beautiful community-created garden in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania called Ned Wolf Park. We’ve visited this garden a couple of times before (Revisiting Ned Wolf Park) and it is always a pleasure. This garden is special because it is created and maintained by volunteers in the community, so everyone can enjoy this beautiful space.

Whether you’re house hunting, looking for a new apartment, or considering a move, Zillow surfing is one of the most lovely experiences you can have online. There’s no comment section or social media aspect to it; it’s simply a tool for exploration and fun, and, boy, did we take advantage of that this year.

We’re back in East Berlin, Pennsylvania (Zone 6b) visiting with Barb Mrgich today. We’ve visited her flower-filled garden before, but yesterday we got a different kind of tour of the butterflies that visit her garden and the plants they need to thrive. Today is the second part of the tour.

Today’s photos are from Barb Mrgich in East Berlin, Pennsylvania (Zone 6b). We’ve visited Barb’s beautiful garden before (From Barren Lot to Pollinator Paradise), and today’s she’s focusing on all the beautiful butterflies that visit her garden.

If you're lucky enough to have a fireplace mantel in your home, you won't want to miss out on the opportunity to decorate it this holiday season and create a beautiful display that the whole family will enjoy.

If you like the beauty and impact that ornamental grasses bring to a garden design, you will love the many shapes, forms, and colors that North American native species offer. Whether you need a practical ground cover, a dramatic focal point, or an airy filler to knit a matrix planting together, Danielle, Carol, and guest Paula Gross have some options that will inspire you to start your spring shopping list now.

Today we’re off to Berwyn, Pennsylvania (Zone 6b), to visit Carol Verhake’s gorgeous garden. We’ve visited Carol’s garden before (Carefully Chosen Colors Bring a Garden Together), and it is always a beautiful and inspiring visit. Carol has a way of combining colors to make magical garden scenes.

I am Kris Northup, and I live in beautiful central Pennsylvania, Zone 6b. We are having an unusually long growing season here this year, presenting us with some really amazing fall foliage.

We’re back with Carla Z. Mudry in Malvern, Pennsylvania, today, enjoying the beauty that was late October in her garden. It is a magical moment before the first frost when there are still some flowers and beautiful displays of autumn foliage.

We’re visiting with regular GPOD contributor Carla Z. Mudry in Malvern, Pennsylvania, today.

IT’S HARD TO THINK of another place so rich with major gardens as the Brandywine Valley in Chester County, Pa., and an adjacent portion of Delaware. Five of those gardens have a historic connection—a family connection—as they were all by members of the du Pont family.

Today we’re visiting with Rachel, a gardener and artist living in Elgin, Illinois (Zone 5b). She moved in 2022 to 1.5 acres and is in the process of designing and planting a fabulous front garden. She’s also diving into forest restoration for the back half-acre—making it beautiful for wildlife and her kiddos.

We’re off to Pennsylvania today to enjoy fall in Rhonda Molin’s garden.

My name is Joanne Guerriero, and this is the garden created by my dad, Donald King, age 88. It’s located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a 6B zone.

We’re back today in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, where Chris has, over the past few years, transformed his mostly empty yard into a lush, beautiful garden.

Today’s photos are from Chris.

Today we’re back in Carla Z. Mudry’s garden in Malvern, Pennsylvania, celebrating the blooms of the end of summer.

We’re in Malvern, Pennsylvania, today, visiting with Carla Z. Mudry. She’s reflecting on the tail end of summer in her garden.

Wendy is sharing her beautiful garden with us today. We’ve visited her stunning garden before (Beauty From Wendy’s Garden).

As my collection of native plants grows, I’m developing various favorites. One of them is Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), a sweet, compact native perennial that offers a wispy texture to a garden, is a host plant for butterflies and moths, and can be used to replace a traditional lawn. In this article, I’m going to share some growing tips, as well as ideas on where to plant Pennsylvania sedge.

Growing onions is a popular task for millions of gardeners and knowing when to harvest red onions – along with yellow and white varieties – is important for success. If you harvest onions too early, it means a limited storage life. But, harvesting too late could mean a split or rotten bulb. In this article, I’m going to review two perfect times for harvesting red onions. One is ideal for fresh use and the other is best for optimizing storage life.

The elm zigzag sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda, SLF) is one of the latest non-native species to take hold in the U.S. It was first found in Virginia in 2021, and active infestations are now established in Maryland, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. EZS has not been detected in South Carolina, but it is an insect for which we need to be on the lookout.

Vandiver L Chaplin

Today we’re visiting Carla Z. Mudry in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Carla is sharing the profusion of flowers she enjoyed in her garden in July.

Inspired by trendy furniture store, i came up with this hunting lantern for 2 dollars. I shopped supplies from Dollar Tree store and used a cheese ball jar from Costco that we enjoyed my kids and me. I love cheese ball and ended to have lots and lots of jars at home. The whole sale ones are super big compared to the grocery store. Anyway, ones I had everything in between my hands I started imagining how my lanterns gonna look like and how I will hang them. I got a black synthetic rope from dollar tree store that I lined all over the jar horizontally and vertically using a hot glue. For the handles I used an old rattan woven basket that i dismantled and covered with the black rope to solidify the handles. Finally, I drilled the bottom of the jar and insert the solar light for a convenient lighting.

From trying cottage cheese ice cream to adding protein powder and bananas to morning coffee, the internet is ablaze with protein hacks lately—but Trader Joe’s just announced a bit of extra protein in its Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup that you may not want to try.