Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries

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, Nesting Birds, and an unforgettable Black Bear encounter near the creek, this episode explores Healing, Resilience, Emotional Courage, and the Wisdom Waiting Beneath the Surface of the Natural World. 
Along the way, Mary revisits earlier podcast stories about Mayapple folklore, Ken Roberts' beautiful song Mandrakes, and the remarkable lessons hidden within even the most unusual woodland plants. 
Link to Companion Blog Post: Healing Beneath the Mayapple
Previous Related Podcasts & Posts 
Ep 252. Edible vs. Ornamental Rhubarb — Kindness Helps Heal
Episode 31: Comedy of Crickets, Mayapple of My Eye  (Featuring Ken Roberts' song: Mandrakes)
Previous blog posts: Mayapple of my Eye
Rhubarb Edible vs. Ornamental— Kindness Helps Heal 
Thanks for listening and sharing in the Garden of Life. 🌻
 8888
I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories, as well as your thoughts on topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at [email protected].   
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook and Instagram #MaryElaineStone.
You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your favorite podcast app.
Thank you for sharing the Garden of Life,
  Mary Stone
Columnist & Garden Designer
 
 8888
I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories, as well as your thoughts on topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at [email protected].   
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook and Instagram #MaryElaineStone.
You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your favorite podcast app.
Thank you for sharing the Garden of Life,
 Mary Stone
Columnist & Garden Designer

More about the Podcast and Column:

 Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

 It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone 
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page

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, blooming tea, pole beans, and other decorative vegetables woven among flower gardens.
The episode wraps up with reflections on healing through friendship and community. And the garden lessons found in allowing others to help us through difficult seasons of life. 🌿
Link to the Companion Blog Post: Rhubarb Edible vs. Ornamental— Kindness Helps Heal
🔗 Links to Related Posts and Podcasts: 
Ep 96 - Mending Fences with Forsythia
Ep 101 - Woodcock Dance — Making a Meadow
Ep 247 - Nothing Is Wasted: Leaf Mold, Mulch & Letting Go
Blog Posts:
Mending Fences with Forsythia
Woodcock Dance — Making a Meadow
Leaf Mold vs. Mulch & The Lesson of Letting Go
Parsley comeback story: Parsley Surprise 
Special Mentions:
Panache Desai – Call to Calm 
Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice  
Songs of Hospice project in Promises That Live Beyond Seasons
Thanks for listening and sharing in the Garden of Life. 🌻
 8888
I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories, as well as your thoughts on topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at [email protected].   
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook and Instagram #MaryElaineStone.
You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your favorite podcast app.
Thank you for sharing the Garden of Life,
 Mary Stone
Columnist & Garden Designer

More about the Podcast and Column:

 Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

 It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone 
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page

What a Changing Garden Teaches  - Finding What Belongs
Sometimes 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 in our landscapes—from struggling rhododendrons and declining pachysandra to the beauty and wisdom of moss. Along the way, she revisits an old dilemma—ants in a mossy patio—with a fresh perspective shaped by time, experience, and a growing appreciation for nature’s balance.
Link to the Companion Post:  What a Changing Garden Teaches
🔗 Links to Related Posts and Podcasts: 
Podcast Episodes:
Ep 121 – Admiration for Ants & Safe Remedies
Ep 249 – Living Mulch: Layering with Native Plants
Ep 173 – Oakleaf Hydrangea for All Seasons 
Ep  10 – Beauty in Dreariness, Furry Invaders 
Ep 250 -  Weeping Cherry Dilemmas: Trees Tell a Story
Blog Posts:
Ants Be Gone
Admiration for Ants & Safe Remedies
Magnificent Moss
Native Rhododendrons
Garden Dilemmas? Visit AskMaryStone.com or listen on your favorite podcast app. 
8888
I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories, as well as your thoughts on topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at [email protected].   
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook and Instagram #MaryElaineStone.
You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your favorite podcast app.
Thank you for sharing the Garden of Life,
 Mary Stone
Columnist & Garden Designer

More about the Podcast and Column:

 Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

 It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone 
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page

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 tell us about tree health and planting practices, and why repeated plant failure in the same spot deserves a closer look. 
We also revisit how weeping cherry trees are grafted, what reversion means, and how to care for them thoughtfully.
Along the way, I share a few clever seed-planting techniques from listeners and a small correction from last week’s episode—because the garden is always teaching.
Link to the Companion Blog Post: When a Weeping Cherry “Bleeds”: What Lies Beneath

🔗 Links to Related Posts and Podcasts: 
Ep 247 - Nothing Is Wasted: Leaf Mold, Mulch & Letting Go 
Ep 249 - Living Mulch: Layering with Native Plants 
Reverting Weeping Cherry - Blog Post 

How to make DIY Seed Tape

Garden Dilemmas? Visit: https://askmarystone.com
8888
I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories, as well as your thoughts on topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at [email protected].   
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook and Instagram #MaryElaineStone.
You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your favorite podcast app.
Thank you for sharing the Garden of Life,
 Mary Stone
Columnist & Garden Designer

More about the Podcast and Column:

 Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

 It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone 
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page

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 native groundcovers and layered plantings that support soil, wildlife, and a self-sustaining garden. Along the way: spring planting timing, a client story, and a gentle reminder—plants sleep, creep, then leap.
🌱 Related Episodes
If you’d like to dig a little deeper, these earlier episodes pair beautifully with today’s conversation:
·         Ep 247: Leaf Mold, Mulch, and the Lesson of Letting Go 
·         Ep 206: Soil Temperatures and Sowing Seeds 
·         Ep 121: Admiration for Ants & Safe Remedies 
·         Ep 31: Comedy of Crickets, Mayapple of My Eye 
8888
I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories, as well as your thoughts on topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at [email protected].   
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook and Instagram #MaryElaineStone.
You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your favorite podcast app.
Thank you for sharing the Garden of Life,
 Mary Stone
Columnist & Garden Designer

More about the Podcast and Column:

 Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

 It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone 
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page