Posts by Sean McNamara

Fairfield County Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine

As you may know, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was detected in Connecticut in July 2012. It has now been found in four counties, New Haven, Litchfield, Hartford and Fairfield. Awareness and concerted action on the part of homeowners, forest associations, nurseries and arbor businesses, is needed to slow or halt the extinction of this tree. As of…
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A Rare Return of the Titan

Timing, they say, is everything. I was in Washington DC recently for business and sightseeing was the last thing on my mind. But shortly after arriving at my hotel I received an urgent text from my wife, “A titan arum is blooming at the US Botanical Garden.” As a certified plant geek, I knew I had to…
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The Trouble with Ticks

Ticks have been the nemesis of  gardeners and outdoor adventurers as long as there have been woods to walk in, so it’s important to understand this life form, get past the creepiness factor and not let it keep you and your children from enjoying the beauty of the natural world.   This article offers information…
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Don’t Fear The Deer

Click the link to hear Sean McNamara discuss deer damage prevention with Lawn & Landscape Magazine. Sean McNamara Lawn & Landscape Interview

Managing Boxwood Monocultures

The boxwood leaf miner is at epidemic levels in Fairfield County. Why? In recent years, everyone has added boxwoods to their landscaping — some almost exclusively. If you live in Fairfield County, Conn. you know the boxwood is one of the few plants the deer will not eat. Unfortunately this desirable feature has made it one…
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Invasion of the Emerald Ash Borer

  Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Stately New Haven boulevards lined with Elms. These images were familiar in the early 1900s, but for us they are merely lines in a song and an obsolete name: “Elm City.” Both the Chestnut and Elm trees were ravaged by invasive pests, leaving a hole in our landscape and popular culture….
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Impatiens Blight

It was a somber day at the nursery. We sat around the table with our longtime seedling salesman and digested the news. It was like a wake — we had lost something precious. The realization stung as it settled over us. Impatiens were dead. In towns like Redding, with spreading canopies shading the garden, impatiens are a garden lovers best…
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