For gardeners, autumn is bittersweet. We begin to miss the sounds, sights, and smells of the garden in bloom. At the same time, there’s a part of us that looks forward to the break. During the cold winter months, we can slow down — no more lifting heavy bags of mulch or weeding out tenacious…
Read More
Three leading lights left an indelible mark on the Commonwealth’s landscapes and open spaces. In the 20th century, the Commonwealth continued to have a profound impact on the nation’s horticulture thanks to three very different women: Rachel Carson, Pearl S. Buck, and Mira Lloyd Dock. You can connect…
Read More
One of Doug Oster’s earliest memories involves hanging upside down from the maple tree in his grandmother’s front yard in Ohio, watching her tend to tomato plants. “I can remember exactly what she was wearing,” he recalls. “I came out of that tree and went over to see what she was doing. I became…
Read More
The Honorable Lillian Ransom has been a judge for almost 30 years, but she’s been a gardener much longer than that. Her agrarian childhood was the original seed that grew into a passion for plants. She is a board member at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and a member and former president of…
Read More
Pennsylvania’s peak garden visitation season is springtime. And summer. And fall. And winter! Our vast and varied collection of garden destinations across the state makes it possible to connect with the beauty of Mother Nature throughout the entire year. Join PA's Travel Newsletter…
Read More
Head to your nearest one for inspiration and education. There are dozens of public gardens in Pennsylvania that welcome visitors and emphasize nature education. They are an important part of what makes the state such a special place for plant-lovers. “We know the value of being outdoors in nature,”…
Read More
As parents know, going to a place where kiddos can stretch their legs, and get a little nature to boot, is always worth adding to the itinerary. Gardens certainly fit the bill, and there are green spaces across Pennsylvania that offer exciting outside adventures for kids large and small, whether…
Read More
When leafing through a gardening catalog or perusing your favorite local nursery, you might have spotted something called a “planting zone” on a seed packet or sapling. Also called “growing zone” or “plant hardiness zone,” this number/letter combo indicates which climate, as designated by the USDA…
Read More
Photo credit: Mariah Steckler Photography Mara Tyler grew up in California, but she really grew up in her mother’s garden. It was a magical place, filled with roses. But it also required a lot of weeding, which didn’t seem worth the trouble to a young girl. Oh, how times have changed. These days, Tyler…
Read MoreShared plots feed the neighborhood and bring people together. Here’s your guide to community gardens. What used to be an overgrown, unused baseball field is now a valuable source of healthy food, a safe place for kids to play, and a catalyst for change. Pittsburgh’s Martin Luther King Community…
Read More
