Biodiversity is a hot topic these days—and for good reason. Global extinction rates have risen dramatically, and many species are now considered “of concern.” The good news is that there are simple steps we can all take to help ensure wildlife continues to thrive. Many of these practices can even save time and money in the garden. During recent tour by Dr. Sue Gordon, participants learned to identify valuable native species and observe natural features that provide shelter, f

Hello World! My name is Hunter Silvestri, and I’m the garden manager here at the Azalea Garden. This year, it’s my intention to bring you behind the scenes of our unique public garden through original writing, photography, and interviews. The plan is to put out one of these posts every month* in 2026 (* weather permitting, as we say). Common Groundskeeping may span a number of topics, from progress reports to local history, from ecological field notes to gardening tips, fro

You may have noticed ash trees (Fraxinus americana and Fraxinus pennsylvanica) in the garden with markings cut around their lower trunks. These intentional cuts, known as girdling, are part of a management strategy used to control the decline and eventual death of these failing ash trees.