If you have lots of oak trees, chances are you have lots of acorns. Does a heavy crop predict a hard winter? Don’t jump to conclusions, scientists say.

As we move into mid-autumn, it’s time to pick up, pack up and prepare the garden for winter. Here’s a handy check list to keep your essential chores on track.

The berries of fall can offer spectacular displays as colorful as any flower. As an added bonus, many will attract birds who rely on nutritious berries during migration or in the dead of winter. The palette is broader than you might imagine.

Late-blooming anemones are among my favorite flowers. Just when you think the garden is pretty much spent, they bloom with abundant, open-faced flowers, mainly in white and powder puff pink. Their tangled history adds a bit of spice to their sweetness.

On this day 18 years ago, we woke up to a new and shattering reality. It was hard to see past the horror of 9-11, the smoldering ruins, the lives lost, the sense of dislocation. It was a painful awakening. These were my thoughts.

Plan ahead for a more colorful spring with a binge of fall bulb planting. Few plants deliver more reliably on an investment of your time. Spend time on your knees now and prayers for early flowers will be answered.

If you’re going to enjoy the fruits of your gardening labors, you really need someplace to sit down and look around in reasonable comfort. I’ve given this whole idea short shrift in the past. But, older and wiser (one hopes), I have some fresh thoughts on the subject.

Is it summer — or simmer? This heat wave is taking a toll on gardens and gardeners alike. It’s hard to work up enthusiasm for working outdoors just now, but fall is coming and with it our second wind.

When you look up and see a daddy longlegs clinging to the wall, your first reaction may be to yelp. They may startle you but these are basically harmless creatures. Outdoors, they’re eating mites, flies, aphids and other undesirables.

What life lessons can you learn in a garden? Quite a few. Working to create and maintain a garden inevitably pits you against a certain amount of adversity — and offers unbeatable pleasure. Aphorisms very nicely apply.

Gold is yellow taken to its ultimate intensity. It’s rich, it’s elegant and it’s perfect for summer borders where the delicate yellows of spring just don’t hold up. Pair gold with the right partners and you’ve hit pay dirt.

The tree we call a mimosa really isn’t — at least according to the horticultural taxonomists of the world. Some people are fond of this small ornamental tree, but its downsides probably outweigh its good points. Think before you plant.

If your irises have gotten congested and aren’t blooming as well lately, it’s time to divide and conquer. The best time to do this is now through mid September since roots need warm soil to establish themselves. Here’s how to do it.

If your hanging baskets and garden annuals are looking a little tired just now, it’s probably time to get out the shears. Removing spent flowers, known as “deadheading,” can bring on a fresh flush of blossoms.

Feeling a surge of patriotism today? With a little planning you could have an all-American flower display in your very own garden. For suggestions appropriate to every season, read on. And happy Fourth!

A signature plant of high summer, daylilies are obliging plants, easy to grow and prolific in bloom. If only the deer would leave them alone, we’d probably rank them higher on the popularity charts.

Annual vines are fascinating garden subjects that can create a spectacular effects. I prefer them to perennial vines, which can be bent on world domination and hard to dislodge. For notes on my tangled vine adventures, read on.

I’m partial to old-fashioned flowers and foxgloves are no exception. They have a fanciful association with spritely characters, but you’ll value them for their emphatic spires of colorful blossoms. Easily grown and deer-resistant!

Bright red is a color that some gardeners avoid. Still, nothing is punchier and used judiciously it can give the summer landscape a strong focus. Learn to discriminate between the hot reds and the cool and you’ll do fine.

The lush and laid back spirit of the tropics can be yours with flamboyant hibiscus. The tropical kinds make gorgeous pot plants and can be over-wintered indoors. The hardy types are as tough as any other perennial