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Creative plant names add fun to your landscape

What’s in a name? Some plants have acquired names that boast fascinating back-stories, while others have monikers that are so descriptive, they’re irresistible! Here are two of my favorite examples. Degroots Spire arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) It’s fascinating to discover how plants came to be given certain names. Take arborvitae as an example. Translated from the Latin, it means “tree of life.” One might assume there is a spiritual or religious reason for a plant to be blessed with that name. However, the origin is far more down to earth. According to legend or history (take your pick) the...

Cucumber time in the Garden

Cucumbers, although available year round in the stores nowadays, are most plentiful during the summer months when many folks are raising them in their gardens. A very versatile vegetable, cucumbers can be used in so many ways other than as pickles or salad enhancements. This creeping plant is native to northwest India, and apparently was first grown in the Himalayas of Sikkam and Nepal. From there the British introduced it to England and northern Europe. Although the cuke at first drooped and almost refused to grown in these cooler countries, the British nurtured it in heated green houses...

Dogwoods, cedars or shrubs: spouses have different ideas!

Sometimes, the questions I receive are more concerned with “domestic relationships” than with the specific landscape problems they describe. Two people who agree on most everything can have very differing opinions concerning what to plant around the home they share... QUESTION: “We have a 1/4 acre lot our house sets on, two neighbors to the side, a busy road directly behind us with only a berm to separate us, and a brand new below ground pool we just had put in right in the middle of our backyard. “At first, I wanted to put dogwoods along the berm, but have since then noticed they don't stay...

Dry your own herbs to enjoy all year.

Have you ever sat in a traffic jam and seen a billboard beside a new development that reads "If you lived here you'd be home by now"? Earlier in the spring, I wrote three columns about planting and enjoying container herb gardens. So now I can say... "If you had planted your herb garden you'd be enjoying fresh herbs by now!" If you DID plant your herb garden - container or traditional bed - you should now be savoring the fruits of your labor. Perhaps, like my wife Cheryl and me, you like to get up early and take your first cup of coffee outside and enjoy the wonderful aroma of fresh herbs...

Evergreen planting brings year-round life to your garden

This time of the year is perfect for planning some of the exciting projects you can get started on in the spring. This week I have a suggestion for a project that is a lot of fun to plan and will be very satisfying to create. And if the land outside your window is looking a little bare right now, this project will have the added benefit of remaining pleasant to look at year-round. We'll call this project an Evergreen Garden, but you could also refer to it as a Conifer Garden. This will work well in almost every plant hardiness zone as these evergreens do well in full or partial sun and have...

Finding natural solutions to garden and landscape

From time to time I hear from people who are interested in finding alternatives to chemical-based products to use as fertilizers or for weed control. One such enquiry came from a reader who signed the e-mail "Green Duck," and said: "I have a well system for drinking water and do not want to use chemicals on my driveway or in my yard. Do you know where I can find (or how I can mix my own) natural ways to kill grass where it's not wanted (flower beds, driveway, etc), natural poison ivy killers and weed killers for my lawn, and natural plant foods for fertilizing pine trees, flowers, vegetables...

Flowering trees add vivid bursts of color

For me, at this time of year, nothing lifts my spirits quite like the sight of the beautiful flowering trees that Cheryl and I have planted over the years as part of our landscape. And it’s not just our trees. Driving around the neighborhood I can see splashes of crimson, pink and snow white where, only a few weeks ago there were only greys and muted browns. Maybe you’ve seen some colorful trees that really delighted you, but you weren’t sure what they were exactly and so you couldn’t your own specimens or even investigate them online. Here is a quick glance at some of...

Grow lush grass - not weeds - on your lawn!

It's that time of the year when we suddenly start thinking about lawn care again. The grass is beginning to grow again, and so are the weeds. And the brown patches are even more noticeable against the new, fresh green growth. There are some fairly simple ways to encourage grass to grow lush and green, and to discourage the weeds from doing the same thing. You might think that the spring is a good time to spread fertilizer on your lawn. However, according to an online fact sheet issued by the extension service of Virginia Tech, this is actually the opposite...

Noisy or nosy? Either way, screening can help!

One of the most depressing aspects of many new housing developments is the strange feeling you get that someone has planted an enormous meadow full of houses. Wherever you look, they're there: houses to the left of you, houses to the right of you, houses all around you. Sometimes you can see the houses on the street beyond the street... beyond the street... where your house stands. Compare that with an "established" neighborhood. Even where houses have been built with the same density, there isn't that feeling of exposure, that lack of privacy that is so common in newly constructed...

Ornamental Grasses Add Year-long Garden Interest

Ornamental Grasses Add Year-long Garden Interest
There's grass... and then there are GRASSES! You mow the grass, but ornamental grasses get a whole different treatment. You scowl and say, "Darn it! Look how long the grass is getting!" Then smile and say, "Look at those beautiful grasses!" There's something very special about ornamental grasses than can make a fan out of the most avid lawn-care grumbler . For one thing, they are relatively easy to grow (and hard to kill) and they can be quite spectacular without requiring a lot of expertise on the part of the homeowner. Ornamental grasses add year-long garden interest. Ornamental grasses can...

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