🍂 Is a messy autumn garden really a problem? Mary Stone explores the beauty and benefits of leaving leaves, seed heads, and a little room for Mother Nature to do her thing.

From a delightful no-mow clover lawn in Bergen County, NJ, that stirred up neighborhood controversy to her own shagbark hickory leaf cleanup and final mowing dilemma, Mary shares practical ways to work with nature rather than against it.

Along the way, there's therapeutic raking, Jolee and Boohickles playing in the leaves, and a personal reflection on getting unstuck in our gardens of life.

Sometimes beauty lies in letting things be. 🍁

Related stories and podcasts:

· The Beauty of Leaving Things Be – Companion Blog post- link to come

· Delightful No-Mow Clover Lawns – Linda and Jim's flowering lawn alternative

· Episode 101 – Woodcock Dance - Making a Meadow

· Episode 103 – No Mow May and Marvelous Moss

· Episode 273 – Haunted Trails and the Comfort of Trees

Connect with Mary Stone
Visit: AskMaryStone.com
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com

Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life. 🌻

Explore more:

🎙️ Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries – More stories and lessons from the Garden of Life.

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 peaceful autumn walk takes a spooky turn when Mary Stone and her rescue dog, Jolee, discover the Haunted Trails at Mohican Outdoor Center in Blairstown, NJ.

Amid dangling ghosts, creepy creatures, and a masked Friday the 13th visitor, Jolee's hilarious misadventure brings unexpected laughter. But beyond the Halloween mischief, Catfish Pond's beauty stirs tender memories of Mary's brother Bill, heart-shaped stones, and his Lesson of the Leaf.

It's a heartfelt reminder that nature offers room for grief, healing, and laughter—and that joy often waits around the next bend.

Because gardens, nature, and life are always teaching us something. Our role is to listen.

Explore more:

🍂 Haunted Trails and the Comfort of Trees – Read the companion column and enjoy photos of the adventure.

👻 Halloween's History & Sycamore Ghosts – Revisit Mary's earlier story about Halloween traditions and the happy ghosts circling a magnificent sycamore in Hope, NJ.

🎙️ Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries – More stories and lessons from the Garden of Life.

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 looked like a renovation in the making, the Children's Garden at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden became a reminder of childhood adventures in nature. Mary Stone recalls climbing trees, building firewood forts, and growing up with a dad who worked in the space program—when Tang was the drink of astronauts.

From Longwood Gardens to pinecone angels and miniature terrariums, discover how nature's treasures inspire imagination at any age. Plus, a fun update on Susan's battle with Japanese knotweed.

Link to the companion post: Nature’s Playground: Where Imagination Grows

Related Stories & Episodes

Fairchild & Autumn Reflections

Ep 271 – Meeting the Tree of Life & When Autumn Comes Early |

Blog Posts: Meeting the Tree of Life | When Autumn Arrives Early

Childhood Memories – Blog Posts

Mary Stone's Brief Bio | Mom Jackson's Garden

Miniature Gardens

Ep 144 – Festive Partridge Berry–Terrarium Basics |

Blog Post: Terrariums – A Mini Gardening Warmup | Festive Partridge Berry

Knotweed Update

Ep 270 – To Weed or Not Weed Knotweed

Blog Post: To Weed or Not to Weed Knotweed?

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 family visit to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Florida brings Mary Stone face-to-face with a much-adored baobab, known as the Tree of Life. Along the way, she discovers colorful tropical plants, a reluctant butterfly, and a touching reminder of how her mother's love of gardening continues to grow.

Back home, Mary's beloved sugar maple is shedding leaves weeks ahead of schedule, while a seemingly lifeless baby tuliptree offers a surprise. She explores how drought stress affects trees, why lichen and moss are harmless companions, and the benefits of turning fallen leaves into leaf mold – far better than mulch.

Holding on. Letting go. Beginning again.

Sometimes growth is happening beneath the surface, even when we cannot see it. The same is true in our Garden of Life.

Link to the Companion Posts:

• Meeting the Tree of Life
• When Autumn Arrives Early — Letting Go and Beginning Again

Links to Related Episodes and Blog Posts You'll Enjoy:

Episode 270 — To Weed or Not to Weed Knotweed?

Read the companion story.

Episode 61 — A Story of Treasured Tuliptrees

Read: A Story of Treasured Tuliptrees

• Link to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

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

To weed or not to weed knotweed? An afternoon of weeding in a client's garden leads Mary to an unexpected dilemma—and a deeper dive into this beautiful but notoriously difficult invasive plant.

Mary Stone revisits her first encounter with Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)) as one of September's roadside beauties and her neighbor Susan's success in eradicating a colony through persistent pulling. She explores what the research says about nonchemical management, herbicide treatment, and concerns about knotweed damaging homes.

As often happens in the garden, sometimes answers are complicated. And sometimes our dilemmas invite us to remain curious, learn from one another, and grow from our mistakes—the same is true in our Garden of Life.

Link to the companion post: To Weed or Not to Weed Knotweed?

Connect with Mary Stone
Visit: AskMaryStone.com
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com

Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life. 🌻

Related stories and episodes:

• September Roadside Beauties - Blog Post September 2018

• Knotweed Meets Crown Vetch / the story of Susan tackling Japanese knotweed, June 2022. Also featured in Episode 62 - Rethinking Weeds & Invasive Plants

Nighttime Chorus of Garden Insects - Blog Post

Also featured in Episode 177 - Nighttime Chorus of Garden Insects

Weeding Mugwort – Picking up Litter - July 2022

Also featured in Episode 18 - Walking & Plalking, Queens & Bachelors

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 walk along the Paulinskill Valley Trail leads Mary Stone down a memory trail of beloved dogs, changing paths, and how we adapt through seasons.

Memories of Sara—a tennis-ball-loving golden retriever who learned to play differently after two surgeries—lead back to the screen porch and a magnificent garden planted by Mother Nature.

We explore Jewelweed with exploding seeds and White Snakeroot that nourishes pollinators but has a toxic history. Plus sweeping colonies of Hay-scented Fern turning toward autumn yellow.

Then the memory trail returns to Miss Ellie Mae and Jolee, whose journey from a fearful rescue dog to a confident walking companion offers another lesson: sometimes a frightening road becomes familiar, and eventually we discover there is more than one way to go.

Different dogs. Different walks. Different chapters of a life. And still, the Garden of Life grows. 🌿🐾

Link to the Companion Post: A Memory Trail Through Nature’s Fall Palette

Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life.🌻

Related Stories & Podcasts:

🐾 Miss Ellie Mae — My Unexpected Furry Messenger- Blog Post
Ellie's story is also featured in Episode 20, along with Father John's Memorial Garden.

🐾 Jolee — Merry Season of Love Over Fear - Blog Post
Jolee's early journey from fear toward trust is featured in Episode 37.

🌿 Last week's story —Ep 268: Finding Our Way Again Along the Paulins Kill

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 trail closure sends Mary Stone and her rescue dog, Jolee, in another direction for a restful walk along the Paulinskill Valley Trail, where late-summer wildflowers, remnants of railroad history, and the reestablished Paulins Kill River offer a reflection on change and restoration.

Along the way, an old mile marker brings a profound, spirited lift. And memories of the former Paulina Dam, the river, surrounding landscape, and wildlife finding their way again remind us of life's transitions.

Sometimes a familiar path is closed, and all we can do is turn in another direction and keep walking to find our way again.

Enjoy the Comanion Post: Finding Our Way Again Along the Paulins Kill

Related Stories & Episodes:

Ep 267 A Not-So-Peachy Gel Dilemma

A Not-So-Peachy Gel Dilemma – Blog Post

Connect with Mary Stone
Visit: AskMaryStone.com
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com

Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life.🌻

Related Posts and Podcasts:

Preservation of the Paulins Kill River – Blog Post

Ep 185. Preservation of the Paulins Kill - Overcoming Hardships

Helpful Links:

About the Paulina Dam Design/Removal

Restoring the Paulins Kill River

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

From sweet peas and peaches as terms of endearment to squirrels stealing the only peach on the tree, Mary Stone starts this week's garden chat on a playful note. Then a jelly-like peach-tree dilemma leads to gummosis, Cytospora canker, peach scab, and how stress and wounds can leave trees vulnerable to disease.

Mary revisits a similar weeping cherry dilemma and what trees can teach us about looking beneath the surface—where old wounds and stresses may affect what's trying to grow aboveground.

Sometimes, despite all our careful tending, the squirrel gets the peach. But there will be other seasons and other sweetness still to come. The same is true in our own Garden of Life.

Enjoy the Companion Blog Post: A Not-So-Peachy Gel Dilemma

Related Stories & Episodes:

Ep 266 — It's Not Too Late to Plant Again, Sweet Pea

It's Not Too Late to Plant Again — Blog Post

Ep 250 — Weeping Cherry Dilemmas: Trees Tell a Story

When a Weeping Cherry "Bleeds": What Lies Beneath — Blog Post

Ep 176 — Revisiting Cicadas and How Gardens Glow

Ep 133. Ripening Fall Tomato Hand-me-Downs

Ripening Fall Tomato Hand-me-Downs – Blog Post

Connect with Mary Stone
Visit: AskMaryStone.com
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com

Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life.🌻

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