Scape Idea outdoor

Helictotrichon sempervirens

A handsome, non invasive clumping, evergreen grass with stiff, light blue-gray foliage and golden oat like blooms in summer. It reaches up to 2 x 4 feet ( with flowers up to 4 feet in height ). The foliage is fast to emerge in spring.
Prefers full sun in cool climates, partial sun in hot climates and is best in deep, alkaline to slightly acidic well drained soil. Hardy zones 3 to 8 and tolerant of drought, hail, heat, salt as well as wind & is not eaten by deer. Unfortunately excessive winter moisture can cause rot. Great for harsh climates, the Blue Oat Grass even grows in Winnipeg. Cut back before new growth begins during spring. New plants should be installed during early spring and kept moist until established.

Robust
Resistant to rust disease which sometimes occurs in hot humid climates.

Sapphire
Similar to species but faster, stronger growing and with wider leaf blades that are evem more intense blue. Reaches up to 5 x 3.5 ( rarely over 3 ) feet while in bloom ( foliage up to 17 inches in height ). It is resistant to leaf rust.
Looks great with burgundy colored foliage plants, esp. Heuchera.


* photo taken on August 2 2010 in Bayfield, Ontario


* photo taken on August 5 2010 in Windsor, Ontario

Was on the prowl for a few record size trees on the Montgomery County Big Tree Register. Seen lots of wildlife too...






















Other Travels

DELAWARE

Brandwine Cemetary, 701 Delaware Ave., Wilmington
Numerous state champion trees of extreme age.

Buena Vista, New Castle
Numerous state champion trees of extreme age.

Hagley Mansion, Wilmington
Numerous state champion trees of extreme age.

Holy Cross Church, Dover
Numerous state champion trees of extreme age.

Ross Mansion, Seaford
Numerous state champion trees of extreme age.

Winterthur

Hey all, just wanted to see if you had checked out our Warming Trends YouTube channel yet? If, not you should. We have several instructional videos on how to install fire pits, hook up remote controlled ignitors and more. We manufacture the CSA approved Crossfire Burner which due to a precise air to gas ratio mix, can achieve twice the flame of a conventional fire ring, while burning only half the fuel. The below video shows you just that.



We hope you enjoyed our little introduction to what we do, and we hope that you will visit us online for all of your custom fire pit, burning system and fire pit accessory needs.

Xeriscape translates to dry Landscape. That is somewhat deceiving as it is not about dry landscaping, but efficient gardening. When we use proper techniques to Landscape and garden, we actually save money, time, energy and water over the life of the garden.

The basic principles of Xeriscaping are:

Planning Soil preparation Reducing turf areas Plant selection Proper irrigation Mulching

In planning, group Plants according to their water and lighting needs. Place taller Plants in back areas with the shorter growers in the front. It is better to water Plants infrequently, yet deeper than to water lightly and often.
Plant varieties that are low maintenance and will work within a Xeric Landscape are herbs such as lavender, sage, rosemary, thyme, chives and oregano as well as other perennials like yarrow, Russian sage, salvia, daylilies, ameria, gaillardia, veronica, sedum, aster, phlox, and echinacea. Shrubs such as junipers, spiraea, lilacs, honeysuckle, hibiscus, caragana, cypress, barberry, nandina Firepower, boxwood, viburnum, and mock orange. Trees to look for are green ash, Grace smoketree, Japanese red maples, magnolias, river birch, oaks, flowering cherries and tulip poplar. Ornamental grasses do work well in this environment, although they will require regular watering during their first year after planting so that the root system does not dry out. After establishing their root system, they become almost drought tolerant.

Mulch should be applied in late spring to early summer to help keep the ground cool and moist. Good choices for mulch are shredded bark mulch, pine needles, straw, aged compost, and aged manure mix. Use pine needles with caution as mold can build up underneath when used in shaded areas. Using rocks as mulch, including lava stones, should be reserved for less sunny, shadier areas as the rocks absorb heat during the day and release it during the evening/cooler periods, which in summer often kill the Plants.

For a great selection of Xeriscape Plants, visit Greenwood Nursery

Cheryl D. Jones, co-owner of Greenwood Nursery, McMinnville, TN, shares tips and information on gardening and landscaping through her blog, newsletters and nursery website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_D._Jones

Ive been reading a great book by Richard Mabey called Weeds.

Its a subject that I spend a lot of time thinking about, and if youve been reading my blog for any length of time, youll know that I have strong thoughts about the proliferation of alien invasive plants.
We have a serious problem here in South Africa, with exotic, alien plants that have adapted to our conditions and are thriving and often out-competing our indigenous plants.

The feelings of peace and joy that most people derive from looking out over a seemingly natural forest valley, for me, can be a truly depressing feeling. At first glance, it may look like a serene, beautiful forest, but under the surface, there is a serious battle going on for space, food, and water...with lives being lost on a daily basis.

Montanoa - A pretty alien that frequents forest edges

That all sounds overly dramatic, and maybe it is...just a touch, but the reality is that even with our internationally renowned programmes like Working For Water, the reality is that these aliens are taking over.

If you consider that nearly 10% of the surface of our country is covered by alien plants, and every season, each one of these plants are producing hundreds of thousands of seeds, you begin to realise the magnitude of the problem facing our country and our natural vegetation. And all this is aside from their obvious threat to our own existence with the potential looming water shortages brought on in large part by these decidedly thirsty denizens.

Having said all of that, its been a refreshing read going through his book and looking at these evil plants through different eyes. Even his attempts to provide a definition of what a weed is, sheds a different light on these tormentors and the symbiotic roles we have in each others stories.

I found the irony to some of his stories both tragicomic and terrifying. The story of the way in which Cogon grass has infiltrated the Southern States of the USA after its indiscriminate use of Agent Orange in the jungles of Vietnam is particularly stinging.

If you have a moment, you should definitely get hold of a copy - its well worth the read.

Ive also begun a series on instagram - #invasiveplantsa - in which Ive begun highlighting some of the more dangerous yet beautiful aliens. My hope is that by making them more visible, we would all be able to recognise them and do something serious about them.

You can also check out a previous post about the top 6 aliens and what to do about them.

Follow me on instagram...

Aucuba japonica

A bushy, large, evergreen shrub, reaching around 10 feet, that is native to forests in Japan. Under ideal conditions, it can sometimes become a small tree, reaching a maximum size of 30 x 20 feet with great age. Some records include: fastest growth rate - 3 feet.
The toothed, oval leaves, up to 12 x 4 inches, are glossy deep green.
The tiny, greenish-purple flowers are borne in clusters up to 3 inches acorss. They are followed by oval, scarlet-red berries in fall and winter.
Hardy from zones 6 through 10 ( becomes deciduous at around -5 F ) in sun or shade on any moderately fertile, well drained soil. While they tolerate pollution, dry shade, alkaline and acidic soil but are not salt tolerant. Aucubas look especially spectacular planted under large Purple Beech and even thrive with the deep shade and intense root competition. They are very easy to grow and are virtually immune to insect pests and disease. In areas where deer are abundant, the Aucuba may need to be grown in a fenced in area or protected with netting during winter. Though pruning is not needed they can be cut back hard during early spring shortly before growth begins.
Propagation is from semi-ripe cuttings taken during summer.

* photo taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on Feb 2009


* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ McCrillis Garden, Bethesda, MD




* photo taken on annual Horticultural Society of Maryland Garden Tour


* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC


* photo taken on May 4 2013 in Monkton, MD


Borealis
A slow growing, dwarf Aucuba reaching a maximum size of 4 x 4 ( rarely exceeding 2 ) feet, that is native to cool, moist coniferous forests in the snow belt region of the mountains of w. Honshu & Hokkaido, Japan.
The nearly smooth-edged, lance-shape leaves, up to 2.5 ( rarely 5 x 3 ) inches in size, are very glossy polished blue-green.
Very profuse scarlet-red berries contrasts well with the foliage.
Hardy north to 5b on protected sites.

* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, DC


Crotonifolia
Bushy and rounded in habit; the large, oval leaves on this Aucuba are glossy deep green and boldly splashed with golden yellow.

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.










* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.





Gold Dust ( Gold Dust Aucuba )
With few or no berries; this Aucuba has glossy dark green leaves heavily speckled with intense gold.
Best in part shade or shade; in full sun it can easily scorch.

* photos taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on Feb 2009












* photo taken in Bethesda, Maryland

* photo taken from 2005 installed landscape I designed in Clarksville, MD



* photo taken in Columbia, MD on Feb 2010


























* photo taken on Feb 2012 in Columbia, MD


* photo taken on April 18 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photos taken on April 16 2012 in Columbia, MD





Limbeta

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ McCrillis Garden, Bethesda, MD




Macrophylla
Broad leaves are glossy deep green.

Meigetsu

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ McCrillis Garden, Bethesda, MD








Mr Goldstrike
A male form that is similar to Gold Dust but with foliage even more spectacularly splashed in yellow. It is slower growing, reaching no more than 6 x 6 feet.

* photos taken on Cot 31 2013 in Columbia, MD

Picturata
Foliage boldly splashed yellow in the center, otherwise similar.


* photo taken on Apr 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photo taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on Feb 2009

* photos taken on July 10 2013 in Howard Co., MD

Salicifolia ( Narrowleaf Aucuba )
WIth red berries during fall and winter; this female cultivar has vivid lush deep green leaves that are narrow and pointed.

* photos taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on Feb 2009







Variegata

* photo taken on April 18 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum


Aucuba chinensis ( Chinese Aucuba )
Similar but larger growing ( reaching up to 27 feet or very rarely 40 feet ) and is native to China.
The foliage is matte-green rather than glossy above, bright green beneath.
It is less hardy, zones 8 to 10 only.

Aucuba omeiensis
It may only be a subspecies of Aucuba chinensis. A rare large shrub, reaching around 15 x 10 feet, that is native to central China.
The very large, thick, leatehry, deeply-cut, broadly-elliptical leaves, up to 12 inches in length, are bright green at first, turning to dull grayish-green.
The red fruit are up to 0.8 inches in length.
Hardy zones 8 to 10 ( tolerating 4 F ) in shade. Tolerates deep shade.