Blog – Janet Mavec

The Year of the Lime

According to the Chinese Calendar, 2024 marks the Year of the Dragon (starting February 10). At my garden, however, it's the Year of Citrus. So much so that I'd like to propose a romantic Valentine's Day dinner, not to be lau...

Oysters on the Farm

Bird Haven Farm isn’t exactly on the ocean. So how can I have oysters in my collection if I'm only making things that grow, fly, or swim on the farm? Well, I cheated a tiny bit. We just love Oysters!!.. and we get them from o...

Bonkers for Blackberries

There's something magical about wandering through the untamed outer edges of our farm, where we let everything get into a big tangle. Among the weeds, there are treasures. The blackberries! I go bonkers for blackberries....

This Photographer Captures the Most Moving Portraits of the World's Gardens

Now is exactly the right time to pay close attention to the work of photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo.The Brooklyn-based artist focuses on flowers and other earth wildscapes, many of which, we know, are disappearing. What she surfac...

Q&A: New York Dog Walker Distracted by Nature

Every now and again, Janet Mavec knocks on the door of a fellow New York nature lover for a good old-fashioned sit down. Our latest crush is on Margot Guralnick, the woman behind @margotgur. Name: Margot Guralnick Provenance...

The Best Garden Tools

Now that you're fully immersed in your garden, you might want to know the tools of the trade. Here’s what garden experts say they can’t live without. Continue reading

Pisces Alert: Your Astrological Guide to Jewelry

Pisces alert. Their birthday season is upon us, and you probably know one. They're social. They are also allegedly the most developed sign of the Zodiac. I say this not as a Pisces but as a friend of one. She insists this is ...

Floral Expectations: 350 Flowers

Flower farmer, I am not. Flower hobbyist, I am. I recycle dog-food cans, pull dribs, drabs and drama from my garden, and arrange sweet bouquets for the farmers market. That is, until this past summer when the trajectory of my relationship with flowers changed. Ready for a little flora fairytale?
How I grew 350 flowers for my niece's wedding. Continue reading

The Power Couple of Plants: Ken Druse and Louis Bauer

View of garden in the fall from the house The Power Couple of Plants Why hello garden role models! When Ken Druse and Louis Bauer said “yes” to our request for their gardening secrets, we wet our plants. The two are...

The Peace Dove is Back

The Peace dove was my very first piece of jewelry I designed. The inspiration came to me as I was looking at our bird feeder with the doves every morning that week. It was right after 9/11 had happened and we were a...

Free Flier: Bunny Williams

Bunny Williams is an Interior Design heavy weight who is so much more than that! Continue reading

Leslie Harris: The Garden 'Splainer

It’s funny how the most inconsequential events can send life in a different direction. For example, because Leslie Harris’ first baby was such a good sleeper 35 years ago, Leslie is now a garden design consultant and host of her own podcast “Into the Garden with Leslie.” That baby’s love of a nap gave Leslie, who was on maternity leave, free time to putter in the garden, and develop a deep love of it. Continue reading