Home & Garden
The Beauty in Nature: Two Hollies
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- Written by Clyde McMillan-Gamber Clyde McMillan-Gamber
American holly trees and winterberry shrubs (a type of deciduous holly) are two kinds of hollies that are native to the eastern United States, including southeastern Pennsylvania.
Melinda’s Garden: Give the Gift of Preserving the Garden’s Harvest
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- Written by Melinda Myers Melinda Myers
Give a gift that helps your favorite gardeners enjoy the flavors of their garden well past the end of the growing season.
The Beauty in Nature: Unique Seed-Bearing Structures
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- Written by Clyde McMillan-Gamber Clyde McMillan-Gamber
Seeds of many kinds of pollinated flowers develop in protective structures. And many of those structures are unique, picturesque, and interesting, including some in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Melinda’s Garden: Fall Landscape Care with Pollinators in Mind
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- Written by Melinda Myers Melinda Myers
No matter where you live, investing time caring for your landscape now will pay off with a healthier, more beautiful landscape next spring and for years to come. Incorporate the following practices into your fall maintenance to support pollinators and the plants in your landscape.
The Beauty in Nature: Wolf Spiders and Fishing Spiders
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- Written by Clyde McMillan-Gamber Clyde McMillan-Gamber
One spring evening, I saw a wolf spider crossing our street in front of our suburban house. Fearing a casualty on the street, I chased that spider off it.
The Beauty in Nature: Small, Local Snakes
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- Written by Clyde McMillan-Gamber Clyde McMillan-Gamber
As adults, ring-necked snakes and brown snakes are a little over a foot long and slender. Both are common species in southeastern Pennsylvania and the eastern two-thirds of the United States.
The Beauty in Nature: Fake Eyes Save Lives
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- Written by Clyde McMillan-Gamber Clyde McMillan-Gamber
July, August, and September are the months of insects in southeastern Pennsylvania. And many kinds of insects have unique ways to protect themselves, including exhibiting large, fake eyes that frighten away would-be predators.
Melinda’s Garden: Keep Your Houseplants Safe from Cats
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- Written by Melinda Myers Melinda Myers
Growing houseplants when curious cats are in the house can be challenging. We want our cats to be safe and happy while keeping our houseplants intact.
The Beauty in Nature: Diverged and Converged Turtles
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- Written by Clyde McMillan-Gamber Clyde McMillan-Gamber
Eastern box turtles, Blanding’s turtles, and wood turtles are beautifully colored, camouflaged species in the northeastern United States. These species demonstrate divergence (branching out) and convergence (coming together).