Michele Christiano
Michele fell in love with gardening while working in the annuals department at a nursery in southeastern Pennsylvania while pursuing an undergraduate degree in biology. She continued her career by completing a Certificate of Merit in Ornamental Plants at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. She has worked in public gardens for most of her career, including Winterthur Museum, Gardens, and Library in Winterthur, Delaware, and Longwood Gardens and is currently an estate gardener maintaining a Piet Oudolf garden. She loves to spend as much time outdoors as possible with her husband and two children.
1. What do you like most about gardening in your region?
I love gardening in all four seasons of the Mid-Atlantic region. The garden looks so different throughout the year. Using the four seasons to design and garden in the Mid-Atlantic allows so much diversity in choosing a plant palette.
2. What’s the biggest challenge to gardening in your region?
By far the biggest problem is our beautiful white-tailed friend, the deer. Unfortunately, overpopulation and decreased habitat make for a very challenging time for gardeners in the Mid-Atlantic region.
3. What plant are you jazzed about in your garden right now?
I am so excited to grow ‘Amazing Grey’ poppy (Papaver rhoeas ‘Amazing Grey’, annual) this year! I plan on trying this annual in my garden in the upcoming season.
4. What was the last plant you killed?
I just killed my poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima, Zones 9–11). It’s a post-Christmas tradition for me to neglect them.
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsTips for Growing Tomatoes in the Mid-Atlantic
As many gardeners know, growing tomatoes in the Mid-Atlantic can be difficult. Diseases and pests can afflict any vegetable, but it seems to be most frustrating when that happens to…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsNative Spring Ephemerals for the Mid-Atlantic
As the ground thaws in the Mid-Atlantic, a group of native flowering plants has a short but sweet time to shine. Spring ephemerals welcome the warmer weather and longer days…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsSuccess With Boxwoods in the Mid-Atlantic
Many gardeners here in the Mid-Atlantic are straying farther and farther away from boxwoods (Buxus spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9). Quite frankly, boxwoods have gotten a bad rap. The biggest…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsWhat Do Chanticleer Gardeners Do in Winter?
For most gardeners in the Mid-Atlantic region, winter is a time to reset, unwind, and reflect on the past season. Most of us stick to winter pruning, poring over plant…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsStructural Plants for Enduring Winter Interest in the Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic gardeners don’t need to have empty gardens in winter. With some thoughtful designing and the right plants, you can obtain a garden full of structure and winter interest that…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsDesigning Like Piet Oudolf in the Mid-Atlantic
In recent years, many gardeners have been striving to create a naturalistic style by mimicking designers such as Claudia West, Cassian Schmidt, and, of course, Piet Oudolf. Fortunately, we Mid-Atlantic…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsOut of the Ordinary Picks for Mid-Atlantic Winter Containers
There are some terrific options for container gardening all year long, especially during winter. The following plants are not your typical evergreens. These selections have interesting colors and textures during…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsGrow Your Own Holiday Décor in the Mid-Atlantic
The holiday season is approaching, and now is the time to start decorating. Red and green are the typical colors we gravitate toward, but nontraditional colors mixed in with some…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsMid-Atlantic December Garden To-Do List
As we Mid-Atlantic gardeners continue to clean up leaves, plant the rest of our spring bulbs before the ground freezes, and employ strategies to deter deer, we can tackle a…
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Mid-Atlantic Regional ReportsPutting the Garden to Bed—or Not—in the Mid-Atlantic
Autumn has arrived in the Mid-Atlantic and with it, beautiful garden colors. As leaves fall and plants start to go to sleep, what do we do? Traditional gardening dictates getting…
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