The confessional post
I have a confession to make. It is not something I am proud of, but I feel like I have to admit it. My dirty little secret is……..I don’t know squat about perennials. I am by genetics a tree geek, but...
View ArticleWelcome to the new home of my blog
It is hard to believe that I have been writing this blog for over a year. I have written 60 articles and answered by email over a hundred of my reader’s landscaping and plant care questions. Up until...
View ArticleDeer resistant plants
I am still often amazed when people bring their children into the public garden where I work and not only the kids but the adults are totally freaking out over seeing four ducks in the pond near the...
View ArticleGuide to selecting shade trees
SELECTING SHADE TREES FOR YOUR GARDEN Selecting the trees that will shade your garden is a big decision. It will impact the enjoyment and value you receive from your garden for the immediate and...
View ArticleNature inspired garden, your first step to create one
The first step in creating a nature inspired garden space is to find your inspiration. Some sources of inspiration could be other gardens such as a public Japanese garden or arboretum. Perhaps a photo...
View ArticleJack frost Brunnera, yet another variegated perennial
Boy variegated plants must be in. My last perennial post, I wrote about the 2013 Perennial Plant of the Year™ winner, the Variegated Solomon’s Seal. This time it’s 2012′s winner Brunnera macrophylla...
View ArticleHidden garden spaces help make your yard less BORING
Most people start landscaping their house by installing a shade tree and some evergreens next to their foundation. After that, they add some flowers, so they create a spot to plant some annuals and...
View ArticleArkansas blue star, a native that shines in the fall
There is a chill in the air and my days of thinking about perennials are are running out quickly. I better get one this one in before all I start thinking about are evergreens and winter bark. Arkansas...
View ArticleLack of garden color contrast leads to a boring design
When it comes to creating my own landscape, I have learned as much from my mistakes as I have from my successes. I should be really smart! Over the following few posts, I will write about a few of...
View ArticleThree design mistakes
Last post, I talked about how I made a mistake by planting a redbud with PJM rhododendrons. The mistake was a lack of color contrast. Today, I am going to write about one spot in the garden where I...
View ArticleDo you have a plastic plant in your yard?
It is the time of year that Christmas trees are going up all over. Some of these are natural and some are artificial. No matter what kind you may have in your house, I would bet you would not consider...
View ArticleWould you want a 70 foot statue in your yard?
Last post, I talked about how exotic plants (plants from ecosystems not near you) have about as much value to wildlife as a plastic plant. Today, I would like to compare two trees. One a native and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New Year’s resolutions for my garden
It is the time of year between Christmas and New Year’s where our thoughts tend to switch from the Holidays to plans for the New Year. Now is the time for those optimistic resolutions that most of us...
View ArticleMy top 10 blog posts of 2013
Today, I thought I would take a step back and look at 2013. With the help of Google Analytics, I was able to figure out which of my blog posts were read the most often this year. In case you missed...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Integrating your house and landscape
When designing a new landscape or renovation, integrating your house and landscape should be a priority. When most people come to the public garden where I work they are focused on the details such as...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Formal Design Theme from lines of force
When you are designing your landscape, you need to have an overall pattern to help organize it and tie it together. Otherwise, you can end up with a mess. Last week, I wrote about how your house’s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Espresso Kentucky Coffeetree, an under used shade tree
Since I released my Guide to Selecting Shade trees, I have meant to write a post about the most frequently recommended tree from it. Here it is, the Espresso Kentucky Coffeetree. So what makes the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Curvilinear landscape design from line of force
A while ago, I showed how to create lines of force from your house to help integrate your house into your landscape. In the following post, we created a formal rectangular style design from those lines...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What is native in my yard?
By JimIn my post, Do you have a plastic plant in your yard? I wrote about how our native wildlife needs native plants to survive. I also wrote how our landscapes can be excellent sources of these...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Bare root trees to stretch your landscaping budget
By JimHow can we get a diverse collection of plants that won’t cost a fortune or break your back? When we buy trees or shrubs we usually get them in one of two forms, Balled and Burlaped (B&B) or...
View Article
