Ideas for a hedge

The 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 dry

Mow 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.

tips for using bright colors

Bright 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.

Big League Striping

Striping 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.

"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

Cedars - clipping method for new cedars

Clippings 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.

A Fragrant Entryway

Hyacinths planted near doors and walkways add a lovely perfume to the spring air.

Entrance plantings

Large 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.

Soil preparation under trees

If 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 posts

Turn 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.

Drives - Maintenance products for interlocked brick drives

There 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 driveway

An 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.

Planting on a hill

When 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 perspective

Colors 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.

Heavy thatch

If 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.

use a hedge instead of a fence

Instead 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.

Evergreen Trees as Windbreak

Plant 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.

DO

DO 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.