Known for their brilliant autumn foliage, in shades of red, yellow and orange, Japanese maples have long been revered by tree lovers and gardeners alike throughout the world. Truly a […]
Articles on Trees & Shrubs
How to Plant A Tree the Right Way – 7 Steps for Getting it Right Every Time
With a little luck and good timing, sometimes simply sticking a tree in the ground and walking away can be enough for it to survive. But knowing how to plant […]
Conserving Water in the Lawn & Garden
5 Tips for Water Conservation: What a difference a year makes. This time last summer, I recall cursing the incessant rain. It seemed like every day was another downpour. […]
Why to Love Bare Root Trees and Shrubs; and How to Plant Them
There’s something about walking through a nursery and seeing all those beautiful trees and shrubs. Do you hear them calling your name? I do. It’s irresistible and easy to envision […]
Trees are Good: In Defense of Trees – Again
Perhaps the best way to set up the behind the scenes background information for this episode is to first set the stage. For years now, I’ve proudly driven around sporting […]
Make the Proper Pruning Cut
By JOE LAMP’L One of the primary reasons to prune tree limbs is to open the canopy of your landscape, allowing more sunlight to reach the grass and low growing […]
Basics of Growing Camellias
If you were to ask me what is my favorite flower, I would have to say, “what ever is in bloom”! Right now, in my neck of the woods, that […]
Tree Topping – What You Don’t Know is Killing Your Trees
They’re everywhere; trees disfigured and dieing from years of abuse. Specifically, I’m referring to the misguided practice of tree topping. Also known as pollarding, stubbing, dehorning, heading and several other […]
Fall Fertilization for Established Trees and Shrubs
I love gardening for a lot of reasons. I enjoy the fresh air, physical activity, mental stimulation, constant change and more. The fall season is a great time to become […]
Versatile Viburnums are Sure to Please
It is no secret that viburnums are one of my all-time favorite plants. “Versatile Viburnums” as I like to call them offer at least three seasons of interest. There is […]
Cold Weather Dieback: Will your Plants and Trees Survive?
Just when you think spring was here to stay, Jack Frost pays a late season visit and leaves an ugly mess behind. All too often, unseasonably warm temperatures in late […]
Growing French Hydrangeas
Walk into a garden with a hydrangea in bloom and your attention will be captured immediately. The big, bold, colorful blooms of Hydrangea macrophylla (literally, Bigleaf hydrangea) make a statement that […]
Controlling Bamboo When it gets out of Hand
After writing about bamboo recently, I am amazed at the number of requests I received for information regarding how to control it. It appears ‘containment’ is a big deal to […]
Why Leaves Change Color in the Fall
Even if you live in the most tropical of climates, where summer is your only season, you still can’t help but marvel at the splendor of a brightly colored autumn […]
Pruning Butterfly Bushes
I have a question about my butterfly bush. I have read not to prune it back until early spring, and then again I hear to prune it to the ground […]
Fall Transplanting Success
In many parts of the country, trees and shrubs can be transplanted all year, but no matter where you live, fall is the very best time. The cool air and […]
Green Fences Make Good Neighbors Unless its Bamboo
I am in awe of bamboo. It is likely the most versatile and resourceful plant on earth. It’s reported that the list of things bamboo is not used for is […]
Limbing up Trees
One of the most important outdoor activities I save for the dormant months is to limb up my trees. I have a lot of them, and left unchecked, they could […]
Camellia Blooms That Fail to Open
If you have Camellia japonica planted in your landscape, winter can be a frustrating time. Camellias are famous for two things, glossy dark evergreen foliage and the potential for abundant […]
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Asking me to choose my favorite plant is like asking which is my favorite child! A difficult question to answer, but since I’m not at risk to damaging fragile little […]
Carefree Compost Using Fallen Leaves
Yesterday, I started the annual ritual of breaking down my fall leaves and raking them into my beds. It’s a process I’ve been at now for years and the results […]
