Rake and Hoe Garden Club of Westfield, NJ

06/09/2026

Thursday, June 11, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m, Toadshade will be selling plants and seeds at the Union County Native Plant Swap and Shop, at the Scout Camping Area in the Watchung Reservation, located near the Trailside Nature & Science Center at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside, NJ. This event is free and open to the public! To participate in the "Swap" portion of the event, where up to three invasive plants pulled from your garden may be exchanged for up to three native plants free of charge, you must be a resident of Union County and register in advance at the following link: https://ucnj.org/plant-swap/

On Saturday, June 13th, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, Toadshade will be selling plants and seeds at the Lambertville Goes Wild Native Plant Sale, Mary Sheridan Park (corner of York & George Sts, Lambertville, NJ 08530). This event is free and open the public, and – as always – pre-orders are welcome!

And on Sunday June 14, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM: Toadshade will once again be back selling plants and seeds at the Hunterdon Community Farmer's Market at the Hunterdon Land Trust Headquarters property, the old Dvoor Farm on the Route 12 Circle in Flemington, NJ ( 111 Mine Street, Flemington NJ 08822). We’ll be there every Sunday through May and June (September, too!) and pre-orders are welcome!

06/09/2026

06/09/2026

The Rake and Hoe members celebrated ending the year with our Annual Secret Garden Tour.
We visited 4 members gardens and stopped for lunch at the last visit.
All unique and lovely .
Here are a few photos …

06/08/2026

Try it!!

‘Storm Cloud’ eastern bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Storm Cloud') is an award-winning cultivar of a native species. This shrubby perennial is a garden workhorse that will be admired from spring through fall. Its main attribute is its medium blue spring flowers, which occur on dramatic dark stems. Its leaves are an olive green that complements both the near-black stems and the rich blue flowers, and its size makes it a great backdrop for smaller summer bloomers.

Learn more about growing this amazing native plant cultivar here: https://www.hortmag.com/storm-cloud-eastern-bluestar

06/08/2026

📚 27th Annual Chanticleer Lecture: The Gravel Garden with Jeff Epping

Join horticulturist and author Jeff Epping for an inspiring conversation about the future of naturalistic planting design and the growing movement toward gravel gardening.

Drawing from his new book, The Gravel Garden: Visionary, Drought-Defying, Naturalistic Designs, Jeff will explore how gravel gardens can create resilient, ecologically rich landscapes that require less maintenance while supporting pollinators and biodiversity. Featuring stunning examples from the US and Europe, the lecture offers practical ideas for gardeners, designers, and anyone interested in more sustainable approaches to planting.

📅 June 14, 2026
🕑 2 pm
📍 Radnor Memorial Library

Books will be available for purchase at the event.

Learn more:
https://buff.ly/3P8JSb0

06/08/2026

The joys of puttering...

06/06/2026

The best way to attract swallowtails to your garden is to plant their host plants! https://tinyurl.com/HostPlants

06/06/2026

In the 1950s, the Great Swamp was targeted to become a massive international jetport. A grassroots movement of local citizens fought back, raising the funds to buy the land and donate it to the federal government. Today, the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is a 7,500-acre sanctuary for birds, turtles, and nature lovers. Are you glad this battle was won?