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Ideas for a hedgeThe stately blue columns of upright juniper, regularly spaced or used at the corners make great visual anchors for loose and billowy hedges of roses, weigela or viburnums. If you would like color in your hedge all summer long, try planting a low flowery hedge of yellow or white potentilla, deep pink spirea, and golden-leafed privet. Cool and dryMow when it’s cool and dry. After the morning dew dries off is the best time for the grass--it isn’t suffering afternoon heat stress but it isn’t so damp that grass clumps form. Late afternoon or early evening following a morning watering is just as good. "Black" plants?If you are looking for the color “black” for your garden there are plants available that are actually deep purple or deep burgundy, but can appear as black! Amongst these are sweet potato vine ( Pomona batatus Blackie ), chocolate cosmos ( Cosmos astrosanguineus ), fountain grass ( Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum ), Dark Opal basil ( Ocimum Dark Opal ), Iris Ruby Chimes , smoke bush ( Cotinus coggygria Royal Purple ), Penstemon digitalis Tulipa Black Parrot Viola tricolor Bowles Black , and black bachelor s buttons ( Centaruea cyanus Black Ball Big League StripingStriping is done using a roller pulled behind the mower deck. The mower must be a rider, and the roller must support the full weight of the mower so that the pressure forces the grass down and away, in the direction the mower is traveling. Light reflects off of the grass differently depending on how the blade lies, creating the different shades. A Fragrant EntrywayHyacinths planted near doors and walkways add a lovely perfume to the spring air. tips for using bright colorsBright colors such as yellow, orange, and red in a garden can jump out at you. While they can make a distant garden come forward, they can also make a small garden feel smaller, so use them with some caution. If you have a narrow bed or yard, yellow or red plants placed at the corners can square it up. Cedars - clipping method for new cedarsClippings on new cedars while being established should be light. Just remove the tips of the new shoots which will allow them to bush out and produce the thick growth required for a formal cedar hedge. Heavy thatchIf the thatch layer builds up to a certain level, it tends to compress and become ’hydrophobic,’ meaning it blocks water movement. It can also prevent the ability of fertilizers and pesticides from reaching the intended targets. Generally speaking, a thatch layer greater than 1/4 inch can cause enough problems to warrant removal. DODO scout for pests on a regular basis. Get down on your hands and knees. Part the turf, pull the thatch apart. Dig into the soil. Inspect the stems, leaves and sheaths. Look for discoloration, insect damage, insect pests and obvious signs of disease. Know what your lawn is supposed to look like, and know when a problem is about to cause damage before the damage is apparent. use a hedge instead of a fenceInstead of a fence, consider a hedge. It can be used to protect privacy, screen bad views, keep children and pets in or out, or just frame and accent certain areas. Hedges also make great backdrops for flowers and they will attract birds to their shelter. application of lime to lawns..necessary?Contrary to popular belief, not all lawns need lime every year. Lime is only necessary when the pH of your soil (a measure of soil acidity or alkalinity) drops to an undesirable level. A soil pH in the range of 7.0 favors most varieties of turf grasses. Drives - Maintenance products for interlocked brick drivesThere are different maintenance products on the market. These include degreasers, all purpose cleaners for stains; efflorescence removers (applied before sealing), which remove whitish calcium deposits that can rise to the surface during curing; and rust removers for marks that can be caused from old lawn furniture. Marking transition between path and drivewayAn idea for marking a transition between an entry path and the driveway is by the use of a flowering arch. Use a coated-steel or cedar structure and train a bright-blooming rose or clematis to climb it. Evergreen Trees as WindbreakPlant evergreen trees in staggered rows to screen prevailing winds. Note that a windbreak protects an area 10 times its height, so a stand of 5-foot tall trees will reduce wind up to 50 feet away. Simple overseeding techniqueIn the spring or fall, sprinkle grass seed over your lawn.This will help fill in bare spots and help choke out weeds. If filling in bare areas, first loosen soil and spread peat moss, compost or top soil, then walk over lawn to help push seeds into soil. Don't forget to water! Soil preparation under treesIf you are planting a groundcover under trees with a root system close to the surface, add about 15 centimeters of topsoil along with your 10 centimeters of organic matter. Then spread bone meal at a rate of two kilograms per 10 square meters to promote root development. Turn the bed to a depth of about 20 centimeters (the depth of a garden fork); mix thoroughly, then rake smooth. Brighten up mail boxes or lamp postsTurn simple structures like mail boxes or lamp posts, into visual centerpieces with an encircling parade of flowers from earliest to latest spring. Plant: purple and gold crocus; dainty white snowdrops; pink-and-white narcissi; blue hyacinths; bright white anemone blanda (Greek wind flowers) and tulips of several colors. Position rocks or boulders around the posts, as well, to create added interest. Entrance plantingsLarge older homes and formal landscapes have upright shrubs near the entrance to symbolize a sentinel and strengthen the "gate" effect. Modern homes rarely benefit from upright or pyramidal shrubs near the entrance. Shrubs with special foliage or color interest in small or medium sizes with spreading or rounded forms are more appropriate. Planting on a hillWhen planting on a slope, dig holes at varying heights along the length of the planting area, and wedge a stone deeply into the hole. Then cover with a good rich soil and plant the ground cover. The stones will help anchor the young plants’ roots and keep them from washing away during a heavy rain. creating depth and perspectiveColors in a garden have an enormous impact on perspective, just as in art. Pale colors tend to recede. The use of blue especially, makes a garden feel serene. If you plant a drift of blue flowers at the back of a bed, you can make the bed appear deeper than it actually is. White and pale pink can brighten up shady areas, bringing the corners of beds forward. Ideal depth of water tableIdeally, the water table should be about 4 feet beneath the soil surface, where it can provide a reservoir for the deep roots of trees and shrubs. A water table can be only inches deep, as in a bog or marsh, or hundreds of feet deep. Organic fertilizers versus Chemical fertilizers"High organic-matter content is the primary reason compost and most other organic fertilizers are superior to chemical fertilizers. Chemicals don’t provide the carbohydrates that are essential for a healthy soil food web, and some of them are so caustic that they can kill soil organisms and inhibit plant growth." (Organic Gardening, July/August, pg. 48). Entry PathsMake an entry path more inviting with a mass of colorful annuals. Select kinds that will spill over the path and blur the hard line. Orient new house southIf you are building a new house, try to orient your house directly south so you can take advantage of the winter sun. Ideally, you should experience your property for a whole year to determine the sun's path over it. If this isn't possible, make a model duplicating the sun's travel and nearby obstructions. consideration with winter snowIf there is snow in your zone, remember that hedges block the wind and may also affect the way snow settles. A dense evergreen hedge, like cedar causes snow to pile up close to it, whereas a more open deciduous hedge will make the snow settle further out. This is worth keeping in mind if you are planting a hedge for wind protection on the side of a driveway. Soaker HosesIf you can’t use sprinklers (for whatever reason), use a soaker hose. A soaker hose is a section of specially constructed hose with small holes throughout the length. The end of the hose is closed off, forcing all of the water through the holes. The amount of water that these things can put out in a short period of time is amazing. They’re great for small lawns and lawns planted in sandy soils where the water percolates in rapidly. Lawn Watering NeedsA 1,000 square foot, intensively managed stand of hybrid Bermuda needs 60 inches of combined rainfall and irrigation per year. That is the equivalent of nearly 37,000 gallons of water. Arbors - attach to a houseArbors covered with a deciduous vine and attached to a house share their shade in the summer and, in winter, allow the sun's warmth to enter. Some choices include the hop vines (Humulus lupulus), various grapevines and ivies, flowering clematis, honeysuckle, and jasmines. idea for privacy fenceA fence provides privacy, but select a style, such as lattice, that lets air circulate while blocking the view. Dress it up with an apple tree or pyracantha trained in a decorative design on a wire grid. Planting In Heavy ShadeDon’t bother with grass under a heavy leaf canopy. Plant the space with a shade-tolerant ground cover, such as ivy or periwinkle. Keep climbing specimens clipped back 6 inches from the trunks. can serve as windbreaksFences, walls and screens alter microclimates in gardens, serving as windbreaks or creating shade in sunny locations. Microclimates are small areas in a landscape that have different climate conditions. Temperatures can be altered by carefully planning the type of fence or wall and location in the landscape. Arbors and PergolasArbors and pergolas always create a destination and can spark interest even in a small garden, They can be inviting and pretty and offer an attractive spot to read in the shade, but most important they provide support for an endlessly interesting variety of plants, from deciduous and evergreen vines to climbing roses. Little League StripingMark off your stripes with twine and stakes. Buy a high quality drop spreader (rotary broadcasters won’t do) and chelated iron. Apply the iron as directed on the package to alternating stripes. Mow the grass at a perpendicular or angular pattern to create stripes. "plantings" on a fenceFences and walls can support espaliers or vines or transform a steep slope into a terraced garden. Golden delicious apple trees espaliered on post and wire fence can resemble a hedge and at the same time provide a bountiful harvest of edible fruit…and probably requires no more space than many fences.
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