Comfrey is kind of an awkward looking plant, growing 5' tall with giant lower leaves and clusters of small dangling flowers at the very top. But it has a cottage garden charm and grows well in any sunny spot. Choose your site wisely, though. While comfrey is usually well behaved about spreading, it is very stubborn about being removed.

A big bonus of growing comfrey is that it makes great compost and mulch. The plants pull nutrients from the soil and return it as they decompose. So it's a useful plant and not a bad looker. Win-win.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti

May is a wonderful month to be in the garden, but it's probably the most hectic month too. There's so much to get done and so many tasks that demand doing NOW. If April showers do indeed bring May flowers, most of us should be reveling in abundance. But we are dealing with nature, so who knows? Unpredictability is part of the thrill of gardening. Here's my regional roundup of gardening tips for the month of May, to get your To Do list organized.  Enjoy the merry month of May!

Photo: © Marie Iannotti

Gardeners love the company of birds in the garden... most of the time. They're not such beautiful creatures when they strip your bushes of berries the day before they ripen. Or when they wake you every morning pecking for insects outside your bedroom window. Mona Zemsky offers us some insights gleaned from working with the venerable Bird-X, Inc., a company devoted to "non-lethal, non-harmful, environmentally safe and ecologically sound products" for controlling birds. How's that for a mouthful? I've used their netting on my blueberries and although it took some patience on my part, it did work. So let's see what Mona recommends to make peace with the birds in our gardens and yards.

Polygonatum is an awkward name for such an elegant plant. Even Solomon's Seal doesn't really do it justice. Polygonatum gracefully arches and nods in the shade garden. It's one of those plants valued more for its shape and foliage, than its flowers, which is not to say the dangling white flowers aren't charming in their own right. Some varieties are even fragrant. If you're looking for a shade plant that's undemanding and deer resistant, yet eye-catching with 3 seasons of interest, you'll appreciate Solomon's Seal, blooming now, in a garden near you.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti