Sassafras Garden Design

05/01/2026

Come see me at the Swampscott Conservancy and Tree Committee tables tomorrow! I’ll be giving away FREE American Plum trees and yapping about the benefits of native plants 🌱 🌳 ☀️

02/12/2026

Creating pollinator habitat is my passion and it doesn't have to be complicated! This excellent tutorial from The Xerces Society breaks it down to 4 simple steps:
🌻 Growing pollinator-friendly flowers
🪵 Providing nesting sites
🚫 Avoiding pesticides
📢 Spreading the word!

02/10/2026

Want more birds? You need more plants!
I can say it until I’m blue in the face but this illustration says it so much better. Plants = habitat
Create habitat in your yard and wildlife will come. Do you have a favorite bird you’d like to attract to your yard? Let’s make it happen!

02/07/2026

I love to cook and another foot of snow calls for a steamy bowl of love featuring garlic and carrots from last year’s garden with a sprinkle of childhood comfort 🇭🇷

CROATIAN COMFORT SOUP
🥕❄️🧅🥣🥕❄️🧅🥣🥕❄️🧅🥣
3 carrots
3 stalks of celery
3 garlic cloves
1 small onion
1 bay leaf
1 piece of Parmigiano Reggiano rind
8 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup pastina

1) Cut veggies into large chunks
2) Heat oil in large pot over medium heat and add veggies including garlic. Cook for 3 mins.
3) Add cheese rind, bay leaf and chicken broth to pot and bring to boil. Lower to brisk simmer for 30 minutes.
4) Remove cheese rind and bay leaf and discard.
5) With a slotted spoon, remove all solids from broth into blender. Add a small amount of liquid and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
6) Add puree back to soup, bring to boil and add pastina to soup. Cook per the directions of pastina.
7) Serve with grated parm and a drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!

01/08/2026

As we settle into the new year, I wanted to say hello and explain my absence.
My father died this fall and my world shifted. It has been challenging to regain my footing and I have pulled back from work to focus on getting my family through this.
My dad was an incredibly accomplished chemist and pioneer of computational chemistry and molecular modeling. At home he was a gentle soul who loved the natural world and spent hours exploring with me. He often remarked that I should “become a naturalist one day” and was my biggest supporter when I started Sassafras.
It’s time to start thinking about the coming season and all the possibilities that come with it. I’m back.

08/01/2025

I could not think of a better collab! Get your butts to Garden in the Woods for this experience. The Caterpillar Lab does NOT disappoint 🐛🦋

The Caterpillar Lab is coming to Garden in the Woods! Get up close and personal with a variety of local caterpillar species and explore the incredible world of New England caterpillars. Educators from The Caterpillar Lab will teach you all about metamorphosis and tell incredible but true stories about the creatures' strange and surprising adaptations.

Who is The Caterpillar Lab for? Everyone! From young children to seasoned naturalists and professional biologists - you’re sure to learn something new. Come for a few minutes or stay for an hour. The Caterpillar Lab will also be hosting three guided walks through the garden in search of caterpillars in their natural habitat. Register for these special walks through the link: https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/the-caterpillar-lab-at-garden-in-the-woods/

Exhibit Hours:
Daily from 10:30AM - 4:30PM
August 30 - September 1
Free with garden admission
Garden in the Woods - Framingham, MA

Caterpillar Walks:
Saturday, Sunday & Monday at 2:30
$5 per person, registration required

Photos: Cecropia, Dasylophia anguina, Sphecodina abbottii, participants enjoying the caterpillar lab © Samuel Jaffe, The Caterpillar Lab

07/23/2025

Louder for the people who have a hard time stepping away from mulch:
PLANTS ARE THE MULCH!
Native groundcover is better for your plants, your soil, cheaper and requires less maintenance.
Why does your landscaper INSIST on mulch? Because they can bill for it. That's it. Mulch isn't rooted in plant health or science, it's purely a business transaction.

07/11/2025

This is a truly excellent list full of actions I try to live every day.
As we move along this summer, let's talk about some of them.
What's your favorite on this list?

From turning out the lights to letting leaves rot, these small steps can create big changes at home or in the wild

06/23/2025

Brand new garden signs!!!
Show your love for the ecosystem with these gorgeous signs. $25 each
Made in America.

06/22/2025

Love how easy the Swampscott Conservancy makes it to buy plants!