Want a great way to shake the late-winter blahs? Get over to the Maryland Home and Garden Show at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. It is overflowing with signs of spring and the hope of warm weather to come. The theme of the show is "Symphony of Spring," so be sure to keep an eye out for the various ways this theme is used in the display gardens. The winner of last year’s garden competition, Carroll Landscaping, Inc., welcomes visitors to the show at the entrance with a large display. What a welcoming—Masses of bright yellow daffodils and various spring flowering bulbs confirm the message that…

One sure sign of spring is the arrival of the annual Maryland Home and Garden Show at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. The show runs for two consecutive weekends—March 5 and 6 and March 11 to 13. The theme of this year’s show is Symphony of Spring and the public is invited to come get in tune with the season.  Imagine wandering through 19 professionally landscaped gardens—trees, shrubbery, masses of blooming plants, water gardens, fire pits, outdoor living rooms, stone walls and more. The temperatures outside may still be in the 20s and 30s, but the atmosphere inside is warm and filled with …

I have never liked the idea of using pesticides. For years I maintained a large vegetable garden that was chemical free and often vegetable free as well. My green beans provided a feast for Mexican Bean Beetles. The strawberries, at the point of perfect ripeness, would be eaten hollow on the underside by stealth slugs who always beat me to them. But, knowing that pesticides were unhealthy for beneficial insects and humans alike, I was willing to sacrifice abundance and give the insects their due. What a dumb idea! It was a huge amount of work for minimal return and maximum frustration. I …