Life in the Garden
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Help the planet, become a bird-scaper
Each autumn bird watching enthusiasts flock to Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, which are main stops on the Atlantic Flyway. Glimpses of rare birds and awe-inspiring views of flocks of … more
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Prioritize native woody plants like shrubs, trees and vines in your fall planting. These plants help form the bones of your outdoor space and offer high ecological benefits. They also provide essential food and shelter to pollinators and songbirds. Shown here is Hypericum prolificum, Shrubby St. John’s, which research has shown to be an important plant for at-risk pollinators. It is carefree and highly adaptable to varying light and soil conditions.
Fall is the perfect time to grow deep roots
Autumn Equinox may still be a few weeks away, but hints of pumpkin spice season have already arrived. For many it is the imminent return of kids to classrooms that marks the shift of summer to fall. … more
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A syrphid fly, sometimes called hover fly or flower fly, rests on a Rudbeckia fulgida in the authors’ garden. These flies are the second most efficient pollinators, following bees, and serve an equally important role in pest control. Their larvae can successfully eradicate up to 100 percent of aphids on a plant. Adults will raise their families on plants that are infested with aphids and lay eggs matched to aphid population numbers.
A healthy ecosystem is the best pest control
The dog days of summer are a time for enjoying and observing in the garden. While the heat may have gardeners feeling a bit weary, gardens themselves are just reaching their stride, with explosions … more
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A patch of native Clethra (Summersweet) is layered with Christmas Fern, White Avens, Wild Ginger and Labrador Violets in a shady corner of the authors’ Barrington Firefly Habitat. Leaf litter and other organic matter left in the gardens helps nurture the nutrient-rich environment essential to firefly development.
Celebrate summer with nature’s finest fireworks – the firefly
The longest day of the year will occur this week, signaling the official start of the summer season. School vacation, peak garden blooms, sunny days at the beach, backyard cookouts, farm fresh … more
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A large patch of Native Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa) replaced an area of turf grass lawn in the authors’ Barrington yard. The plant is an important nectar and pollen source for many native bees, especially bumblebees and long-tongued bees. It is a host plant for several native moths and a nectar source for butterflies. The prickly pads escape herbivore browsing but the fruits provide a nutrient rich meal for wild turkeys, deer, coyotes, and foxes. This native plant is rare and endangered in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Is it time to rethink the traditional lawn?
Spring is in the air, and so too are the noxious fumes and aural assault of overpowered lawn equipment. Bird song and children’s voices fill the air only to be abruptly halted by the roar of … more
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A Monarch Butterfly rests on a native Joe Pye weed plant in a Barrington backyard. Since the 1980s, the Eastern Monarch Butterfly population has declined by more than 80%.
Every day can be Earth Day when you landscape with native plants
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 as way to honor the planet and bring environmental concerns to the forefront of conversations and consciousness. It is a day aimed at awareness, but the intent … more
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A female ruby-throated hummingbird visits a coral honeysuckle (Lonicera semperverins) in the authors’ Barrington yard.
Welcome spring with the return of the hummingbirds
For those impatiently watching for new signs of life in the garden, the annual return of hummingbirds is one of the most eagerly anticipated springtime events. Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in … more
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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.

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