July 19
Ossining: Wildflower Island Tours. Reservations; access to the island only on tours. Children must be 12 years or older. $6. 10 a.m. Teatown Lake Reservation, 1600 Spring Valley Road. 914-762-2912.

July 20
Scarsdale: Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. Self-guided tour of six Westchester County private gardens. Tour begins at the Zimbard Garden, or the Sieh-Takata Garden, [...]

Sad story today by Greg Clary and Rob Reyser about a White Plains woman who died after eating poisonous mushrooms she picked near the Bedford rest area on Interstate 684.

A couple of quotes from the story:

“One cannot assume that because all mushrooms are ‘natural,’ they are therefore all edible,” said Dianna Smith, vice president of [...]

News from Donna Cooke about classes and tours led by the master gardeners of Rockland County on Sunday, July 27. Note the free composting bin offer:

“Sunday in the Garden” at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland:

“12 noon: “Backyard Composting” class: Rockland residents attending this class will receive a FREE compost bin (with proof of residency). Please [...]

News from Pam Freeman at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook about an event on Friday evening:

“The Wappinger Creek Watershed Intermunicipal Council (WIC)
and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies present:

Creek Walk and Movie Night
An evening of environmental fun!
Friday, July 18th, 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Join Cary Institute [...]

Along with the five private gardens in Westchester that will be open on Sunday, July 20 as part of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program, the demonstration gardens at the Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College in Valhalla will be open for the day.

I imagine the natives there will be thriving in this [...]

Here’s the latest from the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills:

“African-American Foodways Festival!
Sunday 7/27 10 AM-5 PM
FREE for Stone Barns & HHV Members!
$15/Adults, $12/Seniors, $8/children 5-17

“Join us for the 3rd annual Okra, Beans & Leafy Greens Festival at Stone Barns and Philipsburg Manor! Enjoy activities all day at both sites. Click [...]

Pearl Fryar simply wanted to win Yard of the Month from the local garden club, becoming the first African-American to get the honor.

He and his wife, Metra, had been stung by a racist remark — “Black people don’t keep up their yards” — after looking for a house, their first, in a white neighborhood in [...]

The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook is hosting a symposium on alternative energy sources on Sunday July 27 from 11 am to 2 pm.

Here’s info from Pam Freeman:

“Sunday, July 27, 11AM, ALTERNATIVE ENERGY WHAT IS THE ANSWER? Join the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies for a lively discussion about one of the [...]

Along with a luscious-looking zinnia called ‘Apricot Blush,’ Renee’s Garden is introducing a new pure white zinnia called ‘Polar Bear.’

It offers fully double 4-inch blooms that will remind most gardeners of dahlias as much as zinnias. Each bloom has a golden center that unfurls into little yellow stars as the flowers mature.

The multi-branched stems are [...]

Do it now

Perennials: Continue planting seeds of hardy perennials and biennials, also English daisies and pansies. If you have a bad problem with powdery mildew on foliage, use fungicides on phlox, zinnias, lilacs and roses.

Prune climbing roses and ramblers after they have bloomed. Remove dead canes and 2-year-old wood, and cut back the tops of [...]