All spring and summer trees and shrubs are 33% off! Whether you’re refreshing your landscape or planning ahead, fall is the ideal moment to plant for a vibrant garden. Excludes all Purple tagged items. While Supplies Last.
Green Classrooms, Happy Students: The Top Five Reasons to Add Plants
Bringing plants into the classroom isn’t just about adding a pop of green to the space—it’s about enhancing the learning environment in ways that benefit both students and teachers. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or simply curious, here are five compelling reasons why classroom plants are a must-have!
Plants are natural air purifiers. They absorb carbon dioxide and release fresh oxygen, making the air in the classroom cleaner and healthier to breathe. Some plants can even filter out harmful toxins from the air, reducing the chances of headaches, allergies, and respiratory issues. Breathing in cleaner air helps everyone stay more alert and focused, which is super important during those long school days!
Ever notice how it’s easier to focus when you’re surrounded by nature? Well, the same goes for plants in the classroom! Studies have shown that having plants around can improve concentration and memory. The calming presence of greenery helps reduce stress and mental fatigue, making it easier for students to stay on task and absorb information. This means fewer distractions and more productive learning sessions.
The presence of plants has a soothing effect, reducing stress and anxiety levels. This is particularly beneficial in a classroom setting where students may feel pressure from exams, assignments, or social interactions. A few well-placed plants can create a peaceful atmosphere, helping students feel more relaxed and at ease, which is essential for emotional well-being.
Plants are perfect for sparking curiosity and encouraging hands-on learning. Whether it’s alesson on biology, environmental science, or even art, plants provide endless teaching opportunities. Students can learn about the life cycle of plants, photosynthesis, and the importance of taking care of living things. Plus, getting involved in the care and maintenance of classroom plants gives students a sense of responsibility and accomplishment.
Having plants in the classroom is a great way to introduce students to the concept of environmental stewardship. By caring for plants, students learn the importance of nurturing and protecting living things, which can foster a deeper respect for nature and the environment. This hands-on experience can inspire students to think about their impact on the world around them and encourage eco-friendly habits, such as recycling, conserving water, and appreciating the role plants play in our ecosystem. Over time, this can cultivate a generation of environmentally conscious individuals who are more likely to make sustainable choices in the future.
Adding plants to your classroom is a simple yet powerful way to create a more vibrant, healthy, and productive learning environment. Whether you choose a low-maintenance succulent or a leafy green fern, the benefits of classroom plants are undeniable. So, why not bring a little green into your classroom and watch your students—and your plants—flourish!
Looking for ways to bring plants into your classroom? Check out KidsGardening, a program Mahoney’s proudly sponsors.
Ready to try your hand at making these easy refrigerator pickles? Download the printable recipe and enjoy the delicious results of your DIY kitchen project!
Making homemade pickles is a rewarding and delicious way to enjoy your garden’s bounty or your favorite purchased vegetables all year round. With our easy-to-follow recipe for refrigerator pickles, you can create a variety of tangy, crunchy treats that are perfect for snacking, adding to sandwiches, or sharing with friends and family. Best of all, these pickles don’t require any complicated canning process and stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks!
This activity is brought to you in partnership with KidsGardening, an organization dedicated to encouraging children and families to engage with gardening through fun, educational projects. Together, we hope to inspire a love for fresh, homemade foods and the joys of gardening.
Refrigerator pickles are a fantastic way to preserve vegetables quickly and easily. Unlike traditional canning, which can be time-consuming and requires special equipment, refrigerator pickles are straightforward to make and don’t require any special skills. Whether you’re using homegrown veggies or those from your local farmer’s market, this recipe lets you enjoy the fresh flavors of summer all year long.
One of the best parts about making your own refrigerator pickles is that you can get creative with flavors. Try adding garlic, fresh herbs like dill, or even a little honey for a sweet twist. Each batch can be a new culinary experiment, allowing you to find the perfect combination that suits your taste.
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
Follow these simple steps to create your refrigerator pickles:
After a few days of marinating in the brine, your pickles will be ready to enjoy! These homemade refrigerator pickles are perfect for adding a zesty crunch to your meals or giving as a thoughtful, homemade gift. Just be sure to eat them within two weeks for the best flavor and texture.
Looking for another fun activity for the kids ? Check out our Garden Scavenger Hunt activity
Ready to get started? Download our Garden Scavenger Hunt printable activity and watch as your child discovers the joys of the garden. Whether you’re looking for a weekend project or a way to make the most of a sunny afternoon, this activity is sure to be a hit with the whole family.
Engaging children in outdoor activities is a fantastic way to nurture their curiosity and foster a love for nature. Our latest printable activity, in partnership with KidsGardening, is a Garden Scavenger Hunt—a simple yet exciting way to get young ones exploring and observing the natural world around them.
Gardens are full of wonders waiting to be discovered, from the tiniest insects to the most colorful flowers. However, young gardeners might sometimes need a little guidance to focus their attention and make the most of their time outside. A scavenger hunt offers the perfect balance of structure and freedom, allowing kids to explore while honing their observation skills.
Materials Needed:
Instructions:
Gardening in New England can be a challenge. With cold winters and sometimes scorching summer days, finding the right plants that can handle the heat without wilting can feel like a tricky task. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with some amazing heat-tolerant perennials that are not only tough but also beautiful and easy to care for. Let’s dive into the top 5 perennials that will keep your garden looking fabulous, even during the hottest New England summer days. Annuals more your speed? Check out our blog on heat loving annuals here!
Looking for a plant that’s as tough as it is beautiful? Sedum, also known as Stonecrop, is a succulent that can take the heat and keep on thriving. These plants love the sun and can handle drought like a champ. Plus, they’re cold-hardy, which means they’ll survive New England’s winter chill too. Consider adding varieties like ‘Autumn Joy,’ ‘Rock N’ Around,’ or the vibrant ‘Angelina’ to your garden for a pop of color that lasts all season long.
Mahoney’s Grown Sedum at Mahoney’s in Winchester, MA
Echinacea, commonly known as Coneflower, is a perennial favorite among gardeners, and for good reason. These plants are not only heat-tolerant but also drought-resistant. They’re perfect for adding a splash of color to your garden while requiring minimal upkeep. Plus, they attract butterflies, which adds a touch of magic to your outdoor space. Try out varieties like ‘Magnus,’ ‘PowWow Wild Berry,’ or the colorful ‘Cheyenne Spirit’ for a garden that’s both vibrant and resilient.
Pink Echinacea in New England
If you’re dreaming of a garden filled with soothing fragrance and low-maintenance plants, Lavender is your go-to. This Mediterranean beauty loves the heat and thrives in dry conditions, making it an excellent choice for New England summers. Lavender isn’t just pretty to look at; it’s also incredibly useful. You can use it in sachets, potpourris, or even in cooking! Some top varieties to consider are ‘Munstead,’ ‘Hidcote,’ and the always beautiful ‘Annet.’
Perennial Lavender in New England
Coreopsis, also known as Tickseed, is a bright and cheerful perennial that loves the sun. These plants are heat-tolerant and require very little water, making them perfect for those hot summer days. They’re also incredibly easy to grow, so they’re great for both beginner gardeners and seasoned pros. Consider varieties like ‘Moonbeam,’ ‘Zagreb,’ or ‘Crème Caramel’ for a burst of sunny color in your garden.
Coreopsis (Tickseed) at Mahoney’s Garden Center in Winchester, MA
No garden is complete without the classic Black-eyed Susan. Rudbeckia is a hardy, heat-tolerant plant that’s perfect for New England’s summer heat. These vibrant yellow flowers are easy to grow and maintain, making them a favorite for busy gardeners. Plus, they’re butterfly magnets! Try planting varieties like ‘Goldsturm,’ ‘Viette’s Little Suzy,’ or the compact ‘Little Goldstar’ for a garden that’s both beautiful and bustling with life.
Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan) At Mahoney’s Garden Centers of New England
Gardening in New England doesn’t have to be a struggle, even during the hottest days of summer. With these heat-tolerant plants, you can create a garden that’s not only stunning but also resilient. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, these plants will make your garden the envy of the neighborhood. So, grab your gardening gloves, save water by learning best watering practices and start planting! Your heat-proof, beautiful garden awaits.
Stop by Mahoney’s Garden Center to pick up these hardy plants and more and take a look at our planting guides to get you started. We’re here to help you every step of the way!
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Roses, with their stunning array of colors, shapes, and fragrances, can elevate any garden. While spring is often seen as the ideal planting season, summer and fall offer fantastic opportunities for planting roses, with the added benefit of extended blooming seasons. Here’s how you can achieve a vibrant rose garden during these times, ensuring your plants thrive with just a bit of extra care.
Selecting the right type of rose is key to successful summer and fall planting. Consider these hardy varieties:
From left to right: Pink Double Knockout, Earth Angel Parfuma, and Princess Charlene De Monaco
Summer planting is a fantastic way to add color to your garden quickly. Follow these steps to ensure your roses flourish:
Fall is an excellent season for planting roses, offering cooler temperatures and natural rainfall that support robust root development:
Ongoing care ensures your roses thrive and bloom beautifully:
Rose Care Guide + More
Planting roses in summer and fall is an excellent way to enjoy extended blooming seasons and add immediate beauty to your garden. With the right care, your roses will thrive, providing a stunning display of color and fragrance. Visit us today or shop online to choose from our wide selection of roses and start enhancing your garden now!
SunPatiens are a fantastic choice for any garden, offering vibrant blooms and incredible versatility. These hardy plants, a hybrid of traditional impatiens and a wild species, are known for their ability to thrive in various conditions. Whether you have a garden bed basking in full sun or a shady corner that needs brightening, SunPatiens can adapt and flourish, making them a perfect addition to any outdoor space.
SunPatiens were developed as a response to the need for impatiens varieties that could tolerate both full sun and warmer temperatures. Traditional impatiens, popular for their shade tolerance, struggled in sunny, hot conditions. In the early 2000s, breeders successfully crossed traditional impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) with a wild species native to New Guinea (Impatiens hawkeri), resulting in the creation of SunPatiens. These hybrids retained the vibrant flowers and foliage of impatiens while gaining enhanced heat and sun tolerance, making them suitable for a broader range of garden conditions.
We are proud to grow SunPatiens locally in our Woburn greenhouse, ensuring they are well-adapted to the local climate and ready to thrive in your garden. By cultivating them locally, we can offer healthy, vibrant plants that are already acclimated to our region’s weather patterns, further enhancing their resilience. Pairing SunPatiens with ornamental grasses or ferns can add texture and contrast to your garden, while combining them with other flowering plants like petunias or marigolds can create a stunning tapestry of color.
SunPatiens are one of Uncle Mike Mahoney’s favorite plants to grow in our greenhouses in Woburn, MA!
When caring for SunPatiens, it’s important to consider their watering needs based on their placement. In sunny locations, SunPatiens will require more frequent watering to prevent the soil from drying out, ideally keeping the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. In shaded areas, they need less frequent watering, as the soil retains moisture longer in lower light conditions. Regardless of placement, ensure good drainage to avoid root rot, and consider using mulch to help retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.
Beyond their beauty and resilience, SunPatiens are also beneficial for the garden ecosystem. They attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which helps support local biodiversity. Their lush foliage can also provide shelter for small garden creatures. With their low maintenance needs and stunning visual appeal, SunPatiens are a great choice for gardeners of all levels, from beginners to seasoned experts. Whether you’re looking to brighten up a sunny spot, add some color to a shady area, or simply enjoy a low-maintenance yet stunning plant, SunPatiens are a wonderful option.
If you’re an avid gardener or just someone who loves to immerse themselves in the beauty of plants, you might have heard of Integrated Pest Management or IPM. IPM is a smart and sustainable way to handle pests. Instead of relying solely on chemicals, IPM uses a combination of techniques like biological control (using beneficial insects as natural predators), crop rotation, diligent and frequent scouting of plants for pests, and traps. By understanding pest behaviors and the ecosystem, IPM aims to keep pests at manageable levels without harming the environment. It’s all about smart strategies that protect crops and gardens effectively while being mindful of nature’s balance.
An amazing tool in the IPM tool kit is the incredible duo of banker plants and beneficial insects. But what exactly are they, and how do they work their magic in greenhouse spaces? Let’s dive in!
Imagine a bustling metropolis where every citizen has a role to play in maintaining peace and harmony. In the world of greenhouses, banker plants are the unsung heroes playing a similar role. But what exactly are banker plants?
Banker plants are sacrificial plants strategically placed within a greenhouse to attract and sustain populations of beneficial insects. These plants act as a food source, habitat, or breeding ground for these tiny warriors, allowing them to thrive and multiply.
Now, let’s meet the stars of the show – beneficial insects. While the term “insect” might conjure up images of creepy crawlies, these tiny creatures are the knights in shining armor of the plant kingdom. Beneficial insects are nature’s own pest control squad, preying on harmful pests that threaten the health of greenhouse plants.
Lacewings, predatory mites, and parasitic wasps are just a few examples of beneficial insects that can be deployed in greenhouse spaces. These tiny warriors patrol the leaves, stems, and soil, seeking out and devouring pests like aphids, mites, thrips and whiteflies, keeping the greenhouse ecosystem in balance.
Here at Mahoney’s our tiny warriors are a type of insect known as Orius Insidiosus, also known as Minute Pirate Bug, who feed on smaller insects, spider mites, thrips and other common plant pests. Interested in learning more about these greenhouse pirates? Check out Cornell University’s informational page here!
Now that we’ve met our heroes, let’s see how they team up to keep the greenhouse clean and green without the need for harmful chemicals.
Embracing banker plants and beneficial insects offers a plethora of benefits:
The banker plants and their insects have been hard at work at our growing greenhouses in Woburn as our Mahoney’s Grown plants mature. But now that these plants have been sent to any one of our 7 locations, the banker plants have gone with them to keep the plants happy and healthy until you can take them home.
Next time you visit one of our greenhouses you may see a plant with a sign proclaiming ‘Banker Plant’, be sure to stop by and say hello to our tiny warriors!
Hydrangea macrophylla
Hydrangeas are a beloved and iconic flower that has graced the gardens and landscapes of Massachusetts for centuries. These beautiful and versatile plants have a rich history in the state, and their presence has become deeply intertwined with the cultural and natural landscape. Let’s take a journey through time to explore the fascinating history of hydrangeas in Massachusetts, from their introduction to their role in local horticulture.
Most hydrangeas (with the exceptions of some smooth and oakleaf hydrangea varieties) are native to East Asia and were not originally found in the Massachusetts landscape. They made their first appearance in North America in the early 18th century. As trade and colonial expansion brought exotic plants to the New World, hydrangeas found their way into American gardens. The first introductions are believed to have taken place through the port of Boston, where these captivating plants found fertile ground for growth.
Hydrangeas come in a wide variety of species and cultivars, but a few have found particular favor in the gardens of Massachusetts. The most iconic among them is the Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). This hydrangea is known for its striking mophead and lacecap blooms, which can be found in shades of blue, pink, or even white, depending on the soil’s pH level. Their vibrant colors have made them a cherished addition to many gardens, especially along the Cape Cod coast.
The hydrangea has not only left its mark on the horticultural landscape of Massachusetts but has also become a symbol of the state’s charm. This beloved flower is often associated with Massachusetts, known for its picturesque coastal towns and historic homes. You’ll frequently find hydrangeas adorning the exteriors of traditional Cape Cod-style houses, adding to the region’s allure. The robust, yet delicate appearance of hydrangeas is an embodiment of the enduring beauty of Massachusetts.
Hydrangeas also hold symbolic meanings, often associated with grace, beauty, and abundance. They are frequently used in floral arrangements and landscaping for their lush, showy blooms.
One of the most remarkable chapters in the history of hydrangeas in Massachusetts is their connection to Cape Cod. The Cape’s temperate climate, sandy soils, and coastal influences create an ideal environment for these flowers to thrive. Cape Cod has become a haven for hydrangea enthusiasts, with numerous gardens and nurseries dedicated to these beautiful blooms.
The Cape Cod Hydrangea Fest is a delightful celebration of one of the region’s most beloved flowers. The festival began in 2014 as a collaborative effort among local gardeners, nonprofit organizations, and businesses on Cape Cod.
This year, visitors can look forward to a colorful array of garden tours across Cape Cod, showcasing stunning hydrangea displays in private gardens not usually open to the public. It’s a perfect opportunity for both enthusiasts and casual admirers to explore different hydrangea varieties and gather gardening tips from experts. Or, you could swing by the Heritage Museum & Gardens and look at one of their many exhibits, take part in some of their festival activities or explore their gardens filled with rhododendrons, daylilies, hydrangeas and more!
Additionally, the festival includes workshops, art exhibits, and talks by horticulturalists, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re a local resident or visiting Cape Cod for the first time, the Hydrangea Fest promises a memorable experience immersed in natural beauty and community spirit.
Come swing by Mahoney’s in Falmouth July 5th to participate in our Bloomin’ Easy Day for some hydrangea-centric activities and for the chance to win a gift card!
As times change, so do gardening practices. While hydrangeas have long been cultivated in traditional gardens, they are also finding their way into more modern landscapes. Gardeners in Massachusetts are experimenting with these plants in various settings, from cottage-style gardens to contemporary designs. With an ever-expanding array of hydrangea cultivars, gardeners have more choices than ever, allowing them to create unique and striking landscapes.
Hydrangeas have thrived in Massachusetts for centuries, but they are not without their challenges. As the climate changes, gardeners must adapt to different growing conditions. Hydrangeas are susceptible to extreme weather events, pests, and diseases, which require vigilant care to preserve their beauty and vitality. Learn about caring for these beauties with on our Hydrangea resource page!
The history of hydrangeas in Massachusetts is a colorful and enduring one. From their initial introduction to their prominent place in gardens and landscapes, these flowers have become a symbol of the state’s natural beauty and charm. Whether adorning historic homes along the Cape or adding a touch of elegance to modern gardens, hydrangeas continue to captivate the hearts of Massachusetts residents. Their rich history and ongoing popularity ensure that these beloved blooms will remain a vibrant part of the state’s horticultural heritage for years to come.
Roses add timeless beauty and elegance to any garden with their vibrant colors and enchanting fragrance. Now through August 14th or while supplies last. Excludes Knock Out roses, carpet roses, drift roses, and rugosa.