Open Gardens WNY

09/04/2026

When it comes to gardening, Sally Cunningham (💚) is a household name here in the 716. Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com (BNG) is thrilled to report that Sally is returning to local gardening journalism right here at BNG.

🌺 Most BNG articles on local garden know-how💡 and inspiration ✨ are free; a few are subscription-only each month.

🌳 Be sure to subscribe to get Sally's unique perspective on growing and learning in the garden—only $3/month. Subscribe at https://buffalo-niagaragardening.com/membership-levels/

➔ Subscribe and visit Sally's article, 🍁 "September, the transition month," here: https://buffalo-niagaragardening.com/2026/09/01/september-the-transition-month/

🌿 From the article: "While many mourn the passing of the summer season, with its parties, guests, and garden splendor, it is far from over. September can be the most productive month for improving what we have, and making 2027 gardens even better..."

https://buffalo-niagaragardening.com/2026/09/01/september-the-transition-month/

Sally Cunningham is back! "Summer may be winding down, but gardening season is far from over."...

09/03/2026

Meet Meg Kelly, Grassroots Gardens' new leader.
"Community gardens alone can’t solve citywide challenges like food insecurity, vacancy, environmental inequity, or neighborhood disinvestment, but they can play a meaningful role in addressing them. They can create access to fresh food, bring vacant land back into productive use, reduce heat and improve biodiversity, and create spaces where neighbors build relationships and organize around shared priorities. One of their greatest strengths is that they address several issues at once while still being deeply local and shaped by the people who live nearby..."

Meg Kelly is the new executive director of Grassroots Gardens WNY....

09/02/2026

Master Gardeners will be hosting Fall Gardening Classes. All are welcome to join:

• Drying and Preserving Herbs
Wed, Sep 16, 6:30-8 pm, Harlem Community Center

• Living with Critters ‘Rabbits, Deer and Moles, Oh My!
Tues, Sept 22, 6:30-8 pm, Seneca Babcock Community Center

• Transitioning Your Garden
Sat, Sept 26, 10-11:30 am, East Aurora Senior Center

Cost: $20/class, $50/all 3 classes for Master Gardeners and $55 for all three classes for the public. Find out more and register at the link...

Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County (CCE Erie) Master Gardener Program volunteers as they host three in-person Fall Gardening Classes in September 2026. Dates, Locations, and Topics:Wednesday 9/16/26 6:30 pm – 8pm at Harlem Community Center“Drying and Preserving Herbs” Sara Sorci...

09/02/2026

🌿 September is here—and there’s more happening in your garden than you might think.

What should you be doing in the garden right now? What can you still plant? And what shouldn’t you be cutting back yet?

We're thrilled to announce that "garden lady" Sally Cunningham is returning to local gardening journalism, right here at Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com! We’ve missed Sally’s voice, credibility, and expertise from decades of TV appearances, a radio show, and Buffalo News and Buffalo Spree columns, and this is the only place currently to find her writing and wisdom.

The September issue of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com is packed with ideas, inspiration and timely advice for WNY gardeners—including a few things that might surprise you. 👀

🌱 Gardening expert Sally Cunningham joins BNG with advice for early fall. (Article with paid subscription)

🍂 What gardens did you experience this season? Maybe you'll find your own, or your neighbor's, in these photos of Buffalo-area tours and events. (Free article)

🌸 Megan Kelly, the new executive director of Grassroots Gardens, talks about her plans for sustainable growth. (Free article)

🐝 A rule about mums, splitting "doughnuts," aster ailments, and infusing fall colors from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County Master Gardener Peggy Koppmann. (Free article)

📅 Looking for something garden-related to do? As always, you’ll find a comprehensive list of current gardening classes, workshops, talks, seed exchanges, plant sales, and more at https://buffalo-niagaragardening.com/events/

👉 Have a gardening event you’d like to see listed? Email [email protected] with the details.

https://buffalo-niagaragardening.com/

The online magazine for gardeners in Western New York.

08/26/2026

Loree Bohl, of Portland, Oregon, on Hamburg's Leyonmark Garden (on Open Gardens most years!), on her blog thedangergarden.com: "The garden was described as a 'fully operational suburban farm, ' but these crops were all so picture perfect that it felt like I'd stumbled into a magazine photo shoot..."

http://www.thedangergarden.com/2026/08/wendy-jeff-leyonmarks-garden-on-buffalo.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawT7_uRwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMXQ3ZWJSSFM1d0lhblpLZ2VzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe-ngPivIL4VMa8TdhDAYXerU3rQPdbQwJdiT1n8WbueHenbxU0OTT6JPgDPY_aem__mJKo8Ho83Ulwh0HCTXz9g

This was one of our early stops on the first morning of the Buffalo Fling, and what a great garden it was! That's Comptonia peregrina, I bel...

08/17/2026

An Allentown neighborhood garden that was quite often on Open Gardens in the past...

Back to Buffalo NY and one of the gardens we visited on the first afternoon of the Fling (link to post in comments)

08/05/2026

🌿 The August issue of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com has arrived—and it's packed with inspiration!

Looking for a garden that feeds pollinators, wildlife, and the soul? Wondering how to keep your plants alive while you're on vacation? Curious what you should be doing in your garden this month?

You'll find all that—and more—in our newest issue!

🌻 Meet Eve Wackett, whose remarkable garden tells the story of her life while providing a haven for pollinators and wildlife.

✈️ Learn simple ways to *vacation-proof your garden* before you head out of town. (Paid Subscriber Content)

💚 Visit Lindsay Dzielski's joyful family garden, where gardening is as much about making memories as growing plants.

🧤 Plus, Peggy Koppmann, Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, shares what you should be doing in your garden this August.

Whether you're looking for fresh ideas, practical tips, or beautiful local gardens to explore, something is waiting for you.

🌼 Click below to read the August issue!

The online magazine for gardeners in Western New York.

08/03/2026

"Perhaps the Buffalo Garden Walk's greatest achievement is the way it has reshaped perceptions of the city itself. Visitors discover tree-lined streets, beautifully restored historic homes, and remarkably friendly residents who enthusiastically share gardening tips from their front porches. The event has become an engine for neighborhood revitalization, inspiring homeowners to invest in their landscapes while strengthening community connections. Volunteer organizers also fund beautification grants that support community gardens, streetscape improvements, and neighborhood planting projects throughout Buffalo..."

Every gardener has a bucket list of gardens and garden events that they would like to visit. The Buffalo Garden Walk had been on mine for over 10 years. This July, I joined over 70 other garden lovers from 28 states and Canada in the pilgrimage to Buffalo. We were a group of garden authors, magazine

08/02/2026