About The Author

Copyright 2005 Kelly Paal Photography

Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. She owns her own business Kelly Paal Photography (www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

kellypaa@kellypaalphotography.com

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Hedge Plants For Quakertown PA Landscapes

By | August 18, 2008

In Quakertown, Bucks County, most residents considers their yard and garden an extension of their home. We look for sanctuary and privacy there. Plants help by making natural barriers to establish seclusion and privacy. Trees and plants can create living walls, which are especially important in neighborhoods where homes are often packed close together in clustes. Whether you can wait 10 years for the screen to grow in place, or if you need a screen today, you have many choices. For best results, consider these suggestions: Buy fast growing..deer resistant..pest free plants. Integrating plant material with fence sections along a property line is a pleasing solution to a dull, repetitive property line. A backyards, when surrounded by a solid fence, easily becomes claustrophobic. Fences are also expensive and go down in value with age. Integrating plants with fences and property lines can reduce the overall cost of the landscape project and will develop a more open feeling in your landscape. Use a solid wood fence only for areas where absolute year-round screening is a must. Trees and shrubs provide screening for less critical areas and reduce the dullness of long fences.

If you must put up a boarder you will probably want something that grows fast, is durable, deer resistant, and ….CHEAP. This calls out out for the Western Red Cedars. These are fast growing hardy, deer proof plants sure to be loved.

If you want to plant along your properety line a plant other than an evergreen, how could you not consider the Viburnums? These are among the easiest to grow plants that are found in the landscape yet they are seldom over used such as the arborvitae.

Viburnums will provide all season interest with color, texture, and with some fragrance. Birds will love them too. These plants range from 2′ shrubs to 20+ foot trees. Each spring I look forward to their fresh growth and flowers and in late summer berries that form.

Don’t forget that…Natural Fences Can Save You on Your Fuel Bills A well placed natural fence can both cool your house in the summer by giving shade and warm it in the winter. Sort of like a big woman.

Yep, there is plenty of evidence out west with what are called shelter belts. Trees can disrupt cold winter winds and protect you home from direct blasts of cold air. The best tree to grow on a property line for fast growth and easy upkeep is the Green Giant or the Spring Grove arborvitae.

About the Author

Bill has been growing hedge and buffer plants for 25 years. Sign up for his nursery newsletter-email and help line at http://www.seedlingsrus.com/123456signup.html This newsletter gets you free information and coupons for nursery stock and surplus stock that is available from 6 Bucks County PA nurseries. -

Just when you’re done with shoveling snow, you can set your sights toward spring (and summer) and mowing the lawn. But, for many the grass would be a lot greener if they could just get someone else to do it (the mowing that is). But, weeding out a reputable landscaper, one who not only knows what he is doing, but also one you can trust and can afford can be quite challenging and tricky, especially if your not sure of what to ask about or look for. With that said, professionals offer the following advice for homeowners who are a bit “green” in the gardening arena.

1. Put Your Money Where Your Word Of Mouth Is: If you’re going to invest in any professional, your best bet is to chose among those that come highly referred by those you know and trust. After all there’s no better advertising, than a content client. And, by all means don’t be afraid to ask strangers and neighbors (with lovely lawns) for their recommendation.

2. Dig A Little Deeper: Go beneath the surface and unearth some solid references. Not only should you ask for client approval but ask to take a look at their yards. You’ll also want to ask your potential service provider to see a sample of his work, including photo albums and any work featured in magazines.

3. Refrain From Planting A Financial Seed: Sometimes service professionals will charge you based on what they think you can afford, or a “comfortable” number you’ve revealed to them. Instead experts suggest giving the prospective landscaper a detailed wish list and allowing him to generate an estimate.

4. Sign On The Dotted Line: Although many (service) professionals may insist that their word and their handshake is as good as a written contract, experts suggest “getting it in writing” It’s likely your chosen landscaper will request a 50 percent down payment (up front) with the balance due upon completion of the job/services. However professionals point out that a landscaper worth his weight in soil will honor the contract even if you hold back 10 percent of the payment until 30 days after completion (or sooner if you’re happy with the work). And, they suggest asking for a specific guarantee for the services agreed upon.

5. Get An Education: Get informed by brushing up via the latest gardening books and magazines, you that you learn the lingo and can properly ask for what you want, and maybe even have some pictures to show making your expectations more concrete and clear.

6. Insta-Garden Alternatives: If you’ve got the time, energy, and ambition about doing much of the the work yourself, experts suggest hiring a landscaper or landscape architect to draw up the plans and a planning schedule (preferably starting in the spring). And they note that some nurseries offer this service either for free or for a nominal fee.

About the Author:

Long Island community resource

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Phoenix Palm Trees For Landscapes And Offices

By | August 17, 2008

Commercially, the Phoenix genus of palm trees is broad and very desirable for use in landscape situations of the south, and to decorate offices. Huge specimens of the Canary Island Date Palm, Phoenix canariensis, show considerable cold hardy qualities in northern parts of southern states such as zone 7. Phoenix sylvestris can also be used as landscape specimen for landscapers who look for slender trunks. The Medjool date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, can be planted as a fruit tree to produce delicious dates, or it can be planted as a tropical landscape specimen. The size of the dwarf pygmy date palm tree is in great contrast to the giant Canary Island date palm tree. The pygmy date palm tree, Phoenix roebellenii, is a very popular container choice for outdoor display that can be moved indoors during cold weather.

Canary Island Date Palm ? Phoenix canariensis

Leaves 20 feet long growing on 50 foot massive trunks make the Canary Island Date Palm, Phoenix canariensis, a highly desirable palm tree for a tropical look around entrances to patios or pools. The Canary Island date palm has been considered fairly cold hardy in lower southern states and specimens of large trees have survived in winters as far north as Columbia, South Carolina. The trunk of the Canary Island date palm is huge in diameter and the triangular cuts on the palm leaves are considered to be highly decorative. The resort of Sea Island, Georgia is loaded with large palm tree specimens of the Canary Island date palm, and none of these trees have ever been damaged from snow or cold since 1927. The Phoenix palm, Phoenix canariensis, is not fast growing, thus this particular palm tree is very expensive; however, the Phoenix canary palm is easily transplanted and easy to grow. In Florida, long lines of the Canary Island palm trees are planted on the boundries of boulevards. The Canary Island palm tree was the best survivor of hurricanes that hit Florida in the year 2004 because of its massive size and extensive root spread.

Medjool Date Palm ? Phoenix dactylifera

In ancient history, this famous Medjool date palm fed the many areas of the Mideast. A food, the dried date, was easily preserved to sustain travelers who promoted caravan trade throughout the East and Western civilizations. Like grain, olives, raisins, and wine, these commodities, along with dates, flourished in stable empires of the past with properity that overflowed abundantly. The Hebrew Scriptures repeatedly mentioned the Medjool date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, as God’s gift to the chosen people, the Jews. Groves of the Medjool date palm trees still grow in the ancient lands of the Israelites, and newer groves have been established and grow productively in the Western United States, where dates are harvested yearly for gourmets to buy at markets. The Medjool date palm trees grow into enormous specimen trees with time and are choice landscape trees at vacation resorts for that tropical look. The Medjool date palm tree is cold hardy in most southern areas of the United States in zones 7-11.

Pygmy Date Palm Tree - Phoenix roebellenii
Although the Pygmy Date palm tree, Phoenix roebellenii does not show the same cold hardy characteristics as the other Phoenix palm trees, it is a very popular landscape plant. It can be used for outside use but is best when planted in containers to be moved inside during winter or to be grown inside in offices year round. The dwarf nature of the Pygmy Date palm, Phoenix roebellenii, makes it easy to grow and manage with minimum care. The Dwarf Pygmy Date palm tree is armed with sharp spines that are often clipped off in office situations. The tropical look of the Pygmy Date palm leaves is a valuable characteristic for the nursery tree buyer, who shops for tropical office trees that require a minimum of care.

Sylvester Palm Tree - Phoenix sylvestris
The feather-like leaves of Phoenix palm trees are all similar, however, the thin, slender trunk of the Sylvester palm tree, Phoenix sylvestris, sets it apart from the massive thick trunk of the Canary Island palm tree, Phoenix canariensis. The Sylvester palm tree, Phoenix sylvestris, is a choice specimen tree with it?s towering trunk topped and a spreading canopy of ten foot leaves. Phoenix sylvestris transplants well in small or large tree plantings, and the seeds easily sprout to form new palm trees. The Phoenix sylvestris palm tree exhibits the same cold hardy survival characteristics as the Canary Island palm tree, Phoenix canariensis, growing undamaged in Zones 7-11.

About the Author:

Visit TyTy Nursery to purchase the trees mentioned in this article, or many others that you may be looking for!

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If you want to bring out the very best in your garden this summer consider your outdoor lighting. While it’s important that exterior areas such as those areas directly outside the home in both front and backyard have fixtures to provide lighting for visibility and security (homeowners can choose from a wide range of exterior fixtures such as wall mounts, post lights); it is also a great idea to incorporate lighting into the garden. If you are thinking about doing so, remember that there are a number of options to consider.

Choices in Landscape Lighting:

Basically, there are three ways to add lighting to your garden: line voltage, low voltage and solar. And, for most homeowners, especially the do-it-yourself kind, the final 2, low voltage and solar, are, in most cases the best choices. Why? Both can be installed quickly and safely, without risk of electric shock. These lighting types are also low or no energy consumers. As far as lighting options go, with a low voltage system you can accent or create visibility lights to decks, pathways, stairs, and garden beds. You can do the same with solar fixtures; however, there may be less choice. see: http://www.chandeliers-and-home-lighting.com/outdoor-lighting.htm

Garden Lighting Tip: Keep in mind that you’re not lighting up a ball park at night and that excessive lighting can disturb your neighbor. Design your garden with lighting in a careful manner. Use fixtures to provide safety and visibility along paths and in areas of circulation and add other lights to gently highlight a small area, focal point, beautiful tree or shrub.

Results:

Imagine enjoying views of the garden at night during any season. When warmer weather arrives, a carefully lit garden can be as inviting for evening pleasures as any spot within your home. Fixtures such as pathway lights and lanterns can mark a strolling path and along the way, a beautiful tree is lit from below, casting interesting shadowing. There is so much that can be done to enhance and highlight the garden at night. Take a look at the selection of fixtures available and determine which form of lighting (solar, low voltage) you prefer.

About the Author

Nicole Martins is a contributing writer and researcher to Chandeliers and Home Lighting, providing you information and reviews of popular selling lighting fixtures. You can visit this site at http://www.chandeliers-and-home-lighting.com

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Landscape Architecture Education

By | August 16, 2008

If you are seeking a landscape architecture education then you should know about some of the diverse courses that you will encounter while enrolled in a landscape architecture school.

For starters, candidates who are interested in the field of landscape architecture will need to attain extensive education and training to acquire gainful employment. In most cases, a quality landscape architecture education will lead to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.

In addition to general education, the typical curriculum in a landscape architecture course would include: construction and design of landscape, geology, management, landscape ecology, urban/regional development, agriculture, historical aspects regarding landscape architecture, plant and soil sciences, environmental engineering and other relevant studies.

Since 2004, nearly all states in America require licensure or registration of architects and landscape architects. Upon successful completion of landscape architecture school and applicable work experience, students may obtain their registration when they sit for the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.).

A thorough landscape architecture education enables future architects to design buildings, roadways and sidewalks, prominent parks and playgrounds, industrial parks, shopping centers, school campuses, and more. Career prospects are promising, as job growth is anticipated to be faster than average through the coming years.

If you would like to learn more about Landscape Architecture Education or even Online Landscape Architecture Schools , you can find more in-depth information and resources on our website.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2007 - All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.

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One of the most popular forms of art is that of a landscape painting. A landscape painting captures the feel and the beauty of a certain special place. A good landscape painting will make the viewer feel that they are right there in the painting. They feel as though they can breathe the very air of the painting and reach out and touch the landscape as if it were real. But to make an audience feel this way when they view your landscape painting, you are going to need a bit of practice.

A landscape painting should make you feel like you are in a deep space. When viewing it you should feel as though you were right inside the painting. It should be both spellbinding and beautiful. To attain this, there are some tricks to it. The first trick is to use clarity. An example of this is to show a thick fog over some hills in the distance, and have the fog fade as you get to the hills towards the front. A second trick is to use a winding path, such as a trail, a creek, or a river. This makes people feel as though they are deep within the painting. A third trick is to use size to your advantage. A tree up close should be large, while a tree far away should be small. This enhances the viewer’s feel of the distance and expanse of the landscape.

One thing you have to remember about a landscape painting is that it doesn’t have to show exactly everything you see. If you don’t want to paint every tree you see, then don’t. If you want to put a bird in the sky, then put a bird in the sky. If you don’t like the color of some flowers, then feel free to change the color to one you approve of. If you don’t like to include the people you see in the landscape, then take them out. If you want to change the color of the sky from a grey evening to a dark evening, then change away. Use your imagination and do as you will. It is all up to you. Your goal with the landscape painting is to dramatically capture the feel of the landscape, not to show everything in it. If a landscape painting was supposed to be an exact duplicate it would be called a photograph, not a painting.

A great landscape painting will enhance your artist capabilities. It can also help you make some extra pocket change being how popular these paintings are. Anyone would want a beautiful landscape painting to compliment there home or office. With all of these tips and tricks in mind, you should be on your way to creating a masterful landscape painting. Perhaps one day you can be a world renowned landscape artist!

About the author:
Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.landscape-painting.infoa blog focusing on the Painting, resources and articles. This site provides detailed information on Painting. For more info on Painting visit: http://www.landscape-painting.info

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Tips For Bucks County Landscapes Durring The Winter

By | August 15, 2008

Don’t let winter get you down. Spring is just around the corner. Some day soon you too will see Robins in the trees and on the lawn. Now is a great time to look over your landscape. Weeds will be gone a clear picture of your landscape should be visible. I look forward during the winter. To some, lamenting the past days of fall with its bright foliage in the landscape, and feeling down that the dull days of winter are here. For me I have grown to appreciate each day and look forward to interests in landscapes that are there knowing that many dazzling displays can be found by careful observation.

The days are short and the nights are long here in Bucks County Pa.. Yet growing plants and enjoying plants are year round activities that bring many quality hours of enjoyment.

Watering plants can be be on your list of things to do. Make it a point to get out and check on your plants. The ground may not be frozen and plants still use water. If the ground is not frozen you can still water if the ground will accept the water. Most plants are dormant so the amount of watering is not as high as in the hotter seasons. Evergreens lose water through their needles in the winter. So if one keeps watering as long as possible into the winter, seedlings and plants will suffer less stress. Winter drying of evergreens is a major stress factor in overwintering.

Snow and ice on your plants can be problematic. Tall thin plants are not as sturdy a plant. They tend to bend under snow loads and may require staking later to train them strait. If your small plants have a light amount of snow covering them you may ease the snow burden by lightly sweeping the snow with a broom. Don’t shake them, they are like babies … they get shaken baby syndrome. If snow or ice is frozen to the branches, allow it to melt rather than attempting to correct. If any branches are broken, you probably don’t need to do anything unless there is a split in the trunk. If the breakage of the plant is sever, the seedling or liner should be discarded. The labor to correct is not worth the value of the plant. Also a poor quality seedling will probably be a poor quality mature plant. There is a market for such plants however, we have had many customers who want, ” Charley Brown Trees” or stunted trees for unusual customer needs.

Warm spells in the winter occur. Suddenly, there can be days of warmer temperatures. This should not be a problem. When a warm spell occurs, get out and use some shoe leather and wear out those leather gloves. Its a great to have a break in mid winter and you can prepare for spring. If you have covering on or over the plants, you may need to ventilate. We normally open the doors to our greenhouses and this is usually all that is necessary. Cold frame temps may rise so ventilation will be helpful. Close up as nightfall arrives as the temperature will fall. Note that when sunlight intensity is high, plant tissues become active. Water loss at this time can’t be replaced if the root are frozen. This is called plant desiccation. Also if there many freeze-thaw cycles, the crown of the plant will be heaved up exposing the roots. Root systems have a lower tolerance to temperature extremes and can killed by freezing low temperatures.A common way to prevent desiccation is to screen plants in exposed areas with Burlap .

Varmint control is important in the winter. Mice and rabbits feed constantly . Their teeth grow constantly and they love to chew on tender plants. We spread rat and mice bait about every two to threes weeks as long as we see it being consumed. Try and place the baits in a place where its easy to monitor, dry, and accessible only to the varmints. When the snow gets deep mice will feed up higher on the plants. They don’t like to dig in the snow for food. They take the easy to reach food first. Thus tracks in the snow are an important sign to watch for. Mouse damage is usually not correctable. You may not see root feeding damage to stock till spring, so over baiting is the best solution. Care should be taken that the baits are only available to the target varmint. Viburnums are the most attractive, versatile, adaptable shrubs for any landscape. They can be used as hedges or screens and in mixed perennial/shrub borders. They can also stand alone as specimen plants. They usually take the form of shrubs, but some species can become small ornamental trees. They range in size from the Dwarf American Cranberry bush at 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide, to the Siebold at over 15 feet tall. We feel that Viburnums are plants that have great winter interest. All Viburnums have white to pink flowers in the spring. The foliage is large, attractive and often textured leaves. Some viburnums have fragrant flowers that are produced in snowball shaped clusters in April. Their flower clusters can consist of pink buds, which develop into white flowers. Some fruits are red and turn black with age usually bitter tasting. Leaves can be glossy, dark green and turn a burgundy color in the fall. Midsummer berries are an important food source for birds. Viburnums have colorful red to purple leaves. Some viburnums can become medium-size trees, especially if they are pruned. Viburnums excel as specimen plants or as anchors in mixed borders. You won’t find a more versatile group of shrubs for hedges or for massing in groups, since viburnums hold their own in every season. Some viburnums, such as Prague viburnum ‘Pragense’, are evergreen. Others, such as leather leaf viburnum, are semi-evergreen in colder climates, losing their leaves when temperatures dip below 10 degrees.

The great feature of Viburnums is that they are adaptable. While they would like full sun and moderately watered, well-drained rich soils, they will grow very well in part shade, and in clay soils. Diseases and pests rarely attack them and they don’t tend to have to be spayed. My kids have run over them with brush hogs and they survived. Their fibrous root system makes them transplant easily.

In your search for a good, hardy shrub with winter interest consider the Viburnum family.

Viburnums have long been popular garden plants, known for their white, sometimes fragrant spring flowers, and their fall color. But it’s the Asian viburnums that have so far been most noteworthy. Perhaps the most liked viburnums are the Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii), and the Korean spice viburnum (V. carlesii), both of which fill your landscape with pleasant odors in the spring. Also popular is the doublefile viburnum (V. plicatum f. tomentosum), valued for its layered habit, fall foliage, and clusters of red fruits. Viburnum acerifolium (Maple-leafed viburnum) Although I wouldn’t plant a landscape without viburnums, I have a special fondness for several of our native viburnums. They may not provide the great flower fragrance of their Asian counterparts, but I love them not only for their rich fall colors ,but for that fact they help attract and feed so many of our wild birds that liven up our landscape during the long winter. In addition, several are great for urban conditions. They require only corrective pruning, and seldom commonly suffer from pests or diseases. I would be hard pressed to say which viburnum I would choose if I could only have one.

Viburnums are moist woodland plants. In nature they are found along steam banks from Long Island to Florida. When you come to our 5275 West Swamp Rd. location ask us to show some in their native habitat that we found along our stream bank. These plants perform well under normal landscape conditions. I especially like the floral display in the spring and these viburnums that bear fruit in the fall. Winterthur has great red leaves and abundant fruit in the fall. This cultivar needs a cross pollinator such as viburnum nudum.

If you want things to do in the winter this is when I cut back our viburnums. Pressing issues of the other seasons always leaves my viburnums to stand alone untouched. It is mid winter and I always enjoy trimming back these plants then. I see all the nests that the birds have built and can work without disturbing their families. It seems to me that it is easier to cut back and trim now for I always feel bad in the summer when I trim out green foliage. When trimming foliage I always feel guilty cutting greens off of the plants. Wintertime frees me from those demons.

You can see more out plants at the following web site HTTP://www.seedlingsrus.com

About the Author

Bill has been raising and selling trees for 25 years near Doylestown Pa. and has two web sites http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.zone5trees.com -

The section of coastline between Benllech and Amlwch is probably the most contrasting section of the Anglesey Coastal Path and provides numerous possibilities for the landscape photographer. The coastal path climbs dramatically as it leaves Benllech and the view becomes expansive, with lots of interest. Again the Great Orme is in view, although a powerful telephoto lens is essential to successfully capture a photograph. The first main focus for the photographer on leaving Benllech however, is on the approach to Moelfre. It is a quaint place, with the appearance of a small Cornish fishing village, although as a consequence it can get very busy, so early hours photography provides the most tranquil shot. The only problem with Moelfre however, is finding the best location from which to take the shot as it?s located in a small corner of the coastline and doesn?t have many natural vantage points for the landscape photographer. The best option is to walk past the village on the coastal path and take a photograph looking backwards into the small harbour.

The coastline onwards from Moelfre becomes flatter and features include nicely located sandy coves with interesting detail and texture. The most notable amongst these is the beach at Lligwy, it can be reached by car too. The landscape photographer also finds added interest here in the form of Ynys Dulas, a small, rocky island on which is built a distinctive and particularly photogenic structure. It?s situated some distance from the beach so a powerful telephoto lens would be a good idea. If the coastal path is followed further however, the island does becomes closer in perspective, and as an added bonus the photographer will find the landscape provides increasingly strong foreground features, enhancing composition further.

Another special photography location, Dulas, soon becomes evident as the path continues. It is similar in nature to Red Wharf Bay, resembling an estuary. If crossed at low tide (without socks & shoes) another photographic opportunity is found in the form of a large wooden boat, long since abandoned and decaying but nonetheless an excellent subject, interestingly located.

On leaving Dulas the Anglesey Coastal Path again climbs above the coastline, the view again becoming more substantial, with the small island of Ynys Dulas constantly in view. Further interest soon appears in the form of the lighthouse at Point Lynas, an imposing structure sat high on the cliff top, seen from a good distance away. It provides the landscape photography with a variety of options, whilst the surrounding bracken and heather form excellent foreground features. Immediately below the lighthouse is Porth Eillan, a small bay enclosed by high cliffs, it provides the landscape photographer with further excellent opportunities. The beach itself, although small, has interesting features and sand detail and its location in particular provides scope for a good wide-angle seascape.

Continuing along the Anglesey Coastal Path from Porth Eillan, the landscape becomes rugged as it climbs further above the coastline, fewer photography opportunities exist however. The path soon reaches Amwlch, unfortunately now in decline. The old port however is still an excellent place for photography, particularly for those interested in maritime history or industrial landscapes and architecture. The old port has a small, very atmospheric harbour and interesting structures from its ancient industrial past remain.

http://www.landscapephotographyuk.com/section84551_18949.html

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Landscape Tips By JRH Of Doylestown Pa

By | August 14, 2008

You can take part in saving our environment. You can collect acorns and plant them, not very efficient or plant shrubs and trees which can do more than just recycle carbon in the air from fuel burning. Your landscape plants can cut heating and cooling costs. If each person planted just a small number of plants or trees that help reduce carbon emissions, the worldwide total would be massive. The best goal is to control the sun and wind. The first line of defense for saving energy is protection from the winter winds by the use of landscaping. Research has shown that a properly designed screen or buffer can reduce the heating cost of a typical residence by as much as 30 percent. Selecting the proper plants is important. An example of a plant that is known for its screening capabilities is the Arborvitae.

Arborvitae Plantings For Winter Fuel Saving: Reduce Wind Speeds

There have been studies that show that wind speeds around homes can be reduced by as much as 90%. The best design for windbreaks depends on the use and exact location of the site. However, in most of Eastern Pa. the prevailing winds are from the northeast, thus, the maximum protection should be concentrated in the north east. A single row of conifers with staggered spacings is the best for protection from both wind and blowing snow. The wind is deflected up and over the screen, creating a well protected zone. The area of maximum protection can extend outward several times the height of the trees. If space is at a premium, fewer plants will be helpful, but the use of conifers and other densely branched species is essential for maximum winter protection.arborvitae make an excellent choice for providing winter protection. Arborvitae are commonly used evergreens useful in urban areas where low maintenance and durability is needed. Many cultivars with forms such as being globed in shape, columnar, or narrow pyramidal, tend to be near buildings, doors, and walkways. Other forms which are larger are used for screens and buffers that are planted in rows. The form of arborvitae is small, medium, or large depending on the cultivar. Some reach 50′, others only 3′. Even small Arborvitae can help breakup the wind and drifting snows of winter. Most prefer full sun to partial sun. Planting in dense shade conditions should be avoided. A moist, well drained, loamy soil in full sunlight are ideal conditions for growing healthy arborvitae. These plants will tolerate rocky, clay, urban conditions of heat drought and pollution.

The most important pest we have for arborvitae is bagworms which must be controlled to prevent complete defoliation. Some cultivars have multiple leaders which also prove to be a detraction for the plant. Pruning out multiple leaders in some cultivars is a simple remedy. The ease in planting and maintaining this plant make it an ideal choice for planting around the house. Plant shrubs with wind direction in mind. Since south winds are generally warmer than northeast winds, it is considered sufficient to have moderate protection on the east and desirable to leave the south open or restricted to rows of shrubs and deciduous trees. More openness to the south allows solar gain in the winter and for summer ventilation house. The economic incentive of reduced heating costs is additional to known benefits of reduced snow clearing. While most homes have at least some naturally treed areas or planted screens protecting their yard, the full potential benefit from tree planting is far from being realized. Energy conservation is a growing concern. Current studies confirm what fuel oil dealers have known all along, homes with screens and buffers use considerably less fuel. The time to begin planning for an energy conscious future is now. <h2>

The hardiness zone for the green giant arborvitae is from zones 5 to 8. It is an evergreen with rapid growth rates that in ideal conditions can be up to 3 feet per year. Site requirements for the green giant is sun to partial shade, moist well drained soil but does well in clay, and needs protection from wind . Its texture is fine with its form conical being narrow to broadly pyramidal, reaching from 50 to 80′ in height to 15 to 20 feet in width. The leaf is rich, green, with graceful foliage. It keeps its foliage color in the winter. The green giants flowers/fruit are .5″ erect female cones. The green giant has strong wood, casts dense shade, and has cinnamon red bark when young. This arborvitae does not tolerate salt spray. This arborvitae should outlive even your children and provide years of shelter for you buildings.

Another plant that can help buffer winter winds is the Viburnum. Viburnums are plants with year round interest. Some Viburnums have white to pink flowers in the spring. Some are fragrant. They have large, attractive and often textured leaves. Some viburnums have fragrant flowers that are produced in snowball like clusters in the spring. The flower clusters can be of pink buds, which develop into white flowers. Some fruits are red and turn black with age while others are orange and some blue. Leaves are glossy, dark green and turn a burgundy color in the fall. Midsummer berries are an important food source for birds. Viburnums are a must for the avid birder. Viburnums can have colorful red to purple leaves. Some viburnums can become medium-size trees, especially if they are pruned. Viburnums are specimen plants or can be anchors in mixed borders and hedges and screens. You won’t find a better group of shrubs for hedges or for massing in groups, since viburnums are delightful in every season and landscape. Some viburnums, such as Prague viburnum, are evergreen and have fragrant flowers. Others, such as leatherleaf viburnum, are semi-evergreen in colder climates, losing their leaves when temperatures dip below 10 degrees. We like Viburnums because of their adaptability and durability. While they would prefer full sun and moderately watered, well-drained rich soils, they grow very well in part shade in alkaline, clay soils. Diseases and pests are not common for viburnums. We have more trouble from my kids running over them with brush hogs. They claim they were testing their durability. Yet all the viburnums they chopped to the ground survived. In fact, we sold these plants for a premium as they produced better numbers of desirable stems. Their fibrous root system makes them transplant and propagate easily. (We do have more difficulty with the Korean Spice rooted cuttings.)

If you are shopping for a sharp hardy shrub that will help buffer winter winds consider one of the many cultivars of the Viburnum family. In fact select a couple of them. You will be rewarded with shrubs with all season interest. Viburnums are popular garden plants, known for their white, often fragrant spring flowers and their fall color. The Asian viburnums such as the Carlesi are the most loved. Perhaps the most known viburnums are the Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii), and the Korean spice viburnum (V. carlesii), both of which fill the air with a wonderful fragrance in mid-spring. (The Mohican is a cross of the two.) Also popular is the doublefile viburnum (V. plicatum f. tomentosum), valued for its layered habit, fall foliage, and clusters of red fruits, and its close relative the Shasta, a gold medal winner. We have most of these viburnums at our 5275 W. Swamp Rd. nursery in Fountainville Pa. ready for customer pickup. Viburnum acerifolium (Maple-leafed viburnum) Although I wouldn’t garden without any of these, I like the native viburnums. They may not provide the flower fragrance of their Asian counterparts, but I love them for their fall foliage color and for their fruit displays, which attract birds to my garden in the fall and winter months. In addition, several are useful to waterwise gardeners or in urban conditions. They require only corrective pruning, and none commonly suffer from pests or diseases. These native viburnums are hardy and durable. Once you establish them they will not require a lot of attention and give years of enjoyment.

One last point in helping the environment. Try not to harm snakes. Snakes play a large role in controlling the population of mice and rats within an ecosystem. Mice are one of the largest killers of small nursery stock. Without the control of snakes these creatures would have an enormous impact your gardens.

The reproduction rate of most mice and rats is far greater then most people realize. Rats for reproduce at a rate of almost 200 babies from just a single specimen. Now imagine if you missed that one mouse or rat…2 years in a row. The numbers begin to climb very fast to a huge number.

Besides protecting your nursery stock snakes will help reduce the threat levels from rat droppings and urine which is left behind to contaminate any place they have been. Rodents are known to carry diseases. Anything from salmonella, rickets , rat bite fever, tapeworms, and organisms that may cause ringworm .

So, now you know why I capture and collect snakes for our nurseries and farms. If you dont want your snakes, bring them to us we will barter…. your snake for nursery stock. see http://www.seedlingsrus.com/TradesWanted.html

See our many web sites at:
http://www.zone5trees.com , http://www.highlandhillfarm and http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.greengiantarbs.com http://www..HuntingRelics.com

About the Author

James Ryan has a large nursery in Bucks County Pa near Doylestown. He has thousands of Green Giants and writes about there uses. His web sites include http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.digatree.com/Living Fences -

Ubud is located in the centre Bali island. Renowned for famous Art Painting and Artist Painting. Ubud Painting is the trademark of Bali Painting. Ubud is a place to go if you want to buy an Oil Original Painting and Famous Painting. Bali Landscape Paintings introduce Ubud painters family lives in Katik Lantang village only minutes from Ubud Village. They are I Dewa Made Thagel with his sons I Dewa Putu Haddi Putra and I Dewa Made Mandyasa offers Ubud Traditional Painting, Modern Painting, Realism Painting, Impression Painting, Abstract Painting, Portrait Painting, and Landscape Painting. Dewa Made Thagel was born on 1950, He started to paint in 1968 and have learned Oil Painting Techniques from a famous Dutch painter Rudolf Bonnet who lived in Ubud. From begining he paints in Traditional Painting style which has four steps and of painting. It makes one painting could be finished in three days or even untill a week. His Acrylic Painting mostly featuring Balinese people lifestyle likes Farmer, Rice Harvesting, Traditional Market, Village Life, Balinese Dance, Barong Dance and also beautifull Bali Landscape.

Borned and growth in an artist family his sons Dewa Putu Haddi Putra and Dewa Made Mandyasa becomes young talented autodidactly painters with their own paintings.

Was born in 1974 his eldest son Dewa Putu Haddi Putra has never went to a formal paintings school. He has learned traditional style painting technique from his father but he also able to paint in Realism Painting, Impression Painting and Modern Abstract painting which he have learned autodidactly. His oil paintings featuring a beautiful Bali Landscape and single object likes Flower Painting, Painting, Horse Painting, Nude Body Painting ,Female Body Painting and Budha Face Painting. The people call him a multy skill painter. His younger son Dewa Made Mandyasa was born in 1977, he is following his father style but choosing a different object. His oil Paintings mostly featuring the beautiful Landscape with colourfull Flower and Birds. like his brother he also paints in Modern style Painting featuring Sunset Beach Painting, Ricefield Painting, Mountain Painting, and so on. Like mostly good painters, they are consistantly paints with a deep art feeling makes the paintings has a”Taksu” or soul. Their thousands finest Bali Landscape Paintings are now displayed in all over the worlds. discover Bali -Ubud traditional oils pantings featuring flower, landscape, lotus, birds, Budha, nude dancer, horse

About the Author

I Was born on November 24 1977, in a small village in Bali called Banjar Sekarmukti, My father is a farmer makes me could not continued my education to high school. I went to diploma of tourism training center in Denpasar only for one year then I met Mr. Made Mandyasa. Now I work at the tourism field as Assistant Resort Manager at Waka di Ume resort & spa Ubud Mr. Mandyasa the second son of dewa Made Thagel, I have learned to paint with him and

Topics: yard-maintenance | No Comments »

Novel Ways to Kill Landscape Pests - Article 111

By | August 13, 2008

Think “Out(side) of the Box” to Control Insects
Article 111 Kill Nursery Pests.. Novel Ways - Save money. Save the environment.

Bugs sure can bug us. There are over a million, yes 1,000,000, species of insects with populations estimated way beyond the trillions living on the Earth with us. Sooner or later, most likely sooner, species like mosquitoes and moths, Japanese Beetles, black flies, carpenter ants and carpenter bees are going to be eating us. Really. They’ll be biting on our bodies, our greenery, our food, our clothes and our homes. Controlling insects is a must, but maybe continuously spreading poisonous chemicals should not the only answer.

Thinking “out of the box” is the current way to refer to utilizing uncommon, creative, often never before tried methods to find solutions to problems. It’s as if all the known solutions and the methods to get to those solutions can be considered in the “already box,” and we are challenged to think in the non-standard way about what’s possibly available “outside.”

Always think “out of the box” when you search to design or decorate, to solve any problem or issue, and to fix what’s broken. Don’t only use what you can buy “off the shelf” which works right away as it comes out of the box from which it came…

We wouldn’t be here “on the ‘net” if it wasn’t for thinkers who went “out of the box” to create such things as the vacuum tube in 1907 and the first computer in 1938, then the transistor in 1947, and in the best example of all, two men working separately in 1959 came up with the integrated circuit. IC’s use semiconductor crystals which were totally dismissed as electronically useless at the time of first vacuum tube. How about that?

Here are the best of the extremely uncommon insect control ideas available that are “out of the box.” The list below tells of these FREE or low cost and environmentally friendly ways to control insects that make a pest of themselves:

PUT UP BIRDHOUSES

Place several of them in different sizes in different locations around your property. Get different species in different sizes this way.

Baby birds need to be fed insects. They can’t digest grain, seed, or worms yet. So, even bird species that aren’t insect eaters consume many of the bugs that bug us. An increase in birds will mean a decrease in the insect population. It’s as simple as that. Besides, watching the lunatic antics of our “fine feathered friends” can be downright entertaining.

In the 1930’s, it was a man who made Purple Martin birdhouses in his woodshop that began the now deeply entrenched lie how these birds eat up to 2,000 mosquitoes per day. It was creative advertising. He was thinking “out of the box,” you see. During the great depression the man himself was ravenously hungry and going broke. Other birds that come along with the Purple Martin like eating mosquitoes far more, but none will ever eat anywhere near 2,000 in a day. Bats are the best mosquito munchers.

PUT UP BIRDFEEDERS

By attracting lots of birds to your property, adding to their number, you’ll help subtract from the number of insects you don’t want. By keeping the moms and dads healthy, you’ll help more insect eating baby birds get born. Birdseed in the 50-pound bag really costs very little.

BATS ARE BEST, SO PUT UP A BATBOX

A single bat can eat 1000 or more mosquitoes in a single night. This has been scientifically documented. Here you’re getting a “fun factoid.” Well, here’s another potentially fun factoid -batboxes are very small, like bats are themselves. So their houses are also small. Read that as cheap and quick to build.

Bats avoid all chemical odors because most will get them sick. It’s true. Even a clean piece of wood from the lumber yard which is kiln-dried won’t do for batboxes because of the chemicals like Wollmanizing Salts and zinc chromate which are added in the kiln. Forget about plastics, or plywood, composition wood, masonite and the like because you can’t use glue. The wood pieces you’ll need are all 6 inches and less in size. Just slap together the small boxes with untreated, unfinished raw wood only. It’s a quick, simple pennies-to-build kind of project.connected with screws or nails. Be sure not to hang the box on walls near doorways. There are several websites with plans you’ll find just by typing “batbox” in your favorite search engine.

CREATE A LIZARD HABITAT

If it is alright to do it, bring ‘em home. When you see one, catch it in a can or box with some airholes and release it near a rock wall at your home. No rock wall? Just pile some rocks from your property where you think the lizard will be happy. Do another websearch and find what will make the best spot for a lizard family where you live.

Be sure you take the lizard from a place where you won’t accidentally be breaking a law, like “theft of wildlife from within a park.” Private property is the best. Nockamixon State Park, for example, over 5,000 acres just 13 miles from our Highland Hill Farm home, has a simple rule, “Don’t Take Anything!” But there’s a special time of year, similar to the season for hunting deer, where “lizard hunts, etc.” are encouraged. You could always go to a pet store too.

DON’T FORGET SALAMANDERS & NEWTS

Like lizards, these little reptiles eat bugs too. Newts mostly eat worms and fish eggs, but one little 23-gram, less than an ounce, baby Spotted Salamander eats its weight every three or four days, growing to a 125-gram, 4-ounce adult that is as much as 9-inches long. How does it get there? By eating insects and insect larvae along with worms and other salamanders.

BRING HOME FROGS AND TOADS

If your landscape has a suitable place for these critters, they’ll each eat countless bugs in a day. Best of all, most frogs and toads are cheap to buy if you have to go to a pet store.

BRING HOME A PRAYING MANTIS NEST

If you see a praying mantis nest, bring it home and place in on one of your most valued shrubs. It is a superbly beneficial “beetle removing device.” Again, be aware of the laws governing your source location removing the nest. Would you believe there are about 2,000 species of Praying Mantis, or “Mantids” as biologists call them?

BRING HOME A SKUNK

Catch a skunk. Perhaps there’s one that’s an issue at a friend’s home. Get a “Have-a-Heart” trap, you know, the wire basket boxlike traps that the ASPCA and all the animal shelters use. Place a blanket over the trap. When you get “lucky” and there’s a skunk inside, don’t make any sudden moves, don’t bang the trap, or your luck will end in amidst a cloud of bad odor. Slowly cover the trap with a blanket in a manner that the skunk never sees you, just the blanket. Ever so slowly, bring home the skunk in the back of an open truck, then ever so gently, release it at your property. These smelly old-timers love to eat grubs and cutworms. Having them live near vegetable gardens or expensive trees and shrubs that you just transplanted will truly help the odds for them to thrive. Remember to observe where the skunk settles and place a warning sign there. As Teddy Roosevelt said, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.” The big stick here is to use for mounting your sign, that is.

DO NOT KILL YOUR SNAKES

These slithering reptiles eat mice, bugs, and beetles. Yes, the gardener’s worst pest around here in Bucks County, PA, the Japanese Beetle, is “comfort food” for snakes. Of the 102 different snakes in all of North America only 20 are poisonous and they’re the biggest ones. Pencil-thin little snakes for your yard and garden are certainly not a problem. The venomous, read that as poisonous, Copperhead and Massasauga Snakes may be as small as two feet long, but they’re also over an inch in diameter. Just don’t get close to these guys, okay? No reaching into hollow logs or under large rocks unless you check first.

NEVER PLACE BEETLE TRAPS NEAR YOUR HOUSE

Do you hate Japanese Beetles? Give them away. Seriously. Never place a beetle trap close to your house on your own property, unless all residents of your area are attempting to control beetles. The reason is, beetle traps work by attracting the beetles. You will get rid of the relative few beetles that are around your house or garden, yet you’ll most likely attract even more beetles to the very spot where you are vulnerable. If you are “trap-minded,” the best idea is to give the traps away. Yes, “It is better to give than to receive.” This old Bible-derived quote is even good for Japanese Beetles which are successfully controlled using the environmentally safe low-impact traps that use food and sex to bring ‘em in. Japanese Beetle traps are usually made as a bag that you hang about 4 to 5 feet off the ground. It is never a good idea to place them near your plants that the Japanese Beetles will eat. So I simply suggest you give the traps to your neighbors at Christmas! Actually, if you want, hang the traps on open-space trees near your property boundary. Thus, the beetles will be directed away from your house and the critical portion of your property.

What we do on our farms is to hang traps on the branches of the trees that overhang our ponds. Then we open up the bottoms of the beetle traps. The trapped little buggers fall into the ponds and our fish eat them up, growing ever bigger. What a way to recycle and not have to empty the traps!

You do know we invite customers to come fish our ponds, right? Just give us a call first.

Some of the affected popular plants and trees favored by Japanese Beetles are:

Annual Aster flower
Astilbe, False Spirea flower
Canna Lilly flower
Cosmos flower
Daylilly flower
Delphinium flower
Hollyhock flower
Iris flower
Marigold flower
v Peony flower
Rose flower
Zinnia flower
Linden tree
Purple plum tree

After you sign up for our mailing list on our website, you will receive more of our unusual gardening and landscape tips along with the many FREE tree and plant offerings from surpluses we have.

We invite to go to our website at http://www.seedlingsrus.com Hope to see you soon, Bill

About the Author

Bill raises trees and plants on his 250 acre farm in Fountainville Pa. This farm is in the heart of Bucks County near Doylestown. He usually has samples on display at his nursery that you are welcome to visit. His web site is http://www.seedlingsrus.com -

There has been many people from the Bucks County Pa area planting the Dawn Redwoods. So I thought I would write this article to help you learn about this great tree.

Okay campers: This tree proves that scientists don’t know when a tree is extinct. Fossil records showed that this tree was extinct for 35 million years, yet this deciduous conifer fooled them all until 1945 when it was rediscovered in a remote valley of Central China in 1945. Dawn Redwood or The Dinosaur Tree, is offically called, “Metasequoia glyptostroboides”. The Dawn Redwood first came to America in 1945 in seeds and has shown to be viable in zones 6 to 8. This tree grows fast and can reach 75 to 100 feet by 25 feet in diameter. It likes full sun to partial shade and is tolerant of moist to dry soils with ph ranges of 3.7 to 7.0. Go ahead and plant it in clay soils, loam or sand. Its bright green, feathery, needle-like foliage will turn brown and will drop quickly in the fall. Thus this plant will be suitable for a great summer screen or a specimen plant. This plant is great for a Hort 101 beginner. It is easy to grow, pest free, adaptable, grows fast, and has soft bright green needles, and of course we have hundreds of 3-4′ plants ready for your landscape.

Dawn Redwood Trees are fairly easy to plant because they are fairly rugged and durable. Yet to plant or transplant them you do need to follow some basic guidelines. We have been growing River Birch Trees for a number of years and offer these suggestions for planting.

All people handling Dawn Redwood Trees need to help with the life support of your plants. Seedlings are like fish out of water and need care which is often overlooked between the time the seedlings are lifted and transplanted. Improper care means higher mortality. Do not try and reinvent the wheel. You must protect seedling from moisture and temperature extremes, as well as physical damage.

Dawn Redwood Trees seedlings are living and should be handled carefully. For a higher survival rate, treat trees carefully and plant them immediately. I like to have a backup plan for planting if the weather turns bad. I will sometimes switch from lining out the seedlings to potting them up if I realize that the soil conditions will not be right for an extended Length of time. If planting must be delayed a few days, keep the plants in a cold, protected place with air circulation between the trees. Keep the Dawn Redwood Trees out of the rain and wind. To check if the trees need water, feel the media at the roots. If it isn’t damp, water the trees and allow the excess water to drain. In cool, damp weather, the biggest threat to these trees is from mold. Try to keep bareroot Dawn Redwood Trees seedlings moist by either restricting water loss with a water vapor barrier or by wetting the roots at regular intervals. While handling or planting try to reduce temperature and air movement around the seedlings. Windy days can dry out seedlings so consider waiting for calmer weather. Once your soil conditions are correct OUR FREE USE PLANTERS will make planting a snap so its will be worth waiting for good planting conditions.

HOW TO PLANT

Ideal planting days are cool and cloudy with little or no wind. If possible, avoid planting on warm, windy days. The soil should be moist not wet. Care in planting is more important than speed. Make sure the roots are never allowed to become dry. Dawn Redwood Trees seedlings should be carried in a waterproof bag or bucket with plenty of moist material packed around the roots to keep them damp. Ideally, bare root boxes should be kept refrigerated or packed in ice or snow. Don’t freeze the trees.

Competition from weeds, grass, brush or other trees is very detrimental to survival and growth of seedlings. Choose areas free from this competition or clear at least a three-foot square bare spot before planting. Dawn Redwood Trees seedlings should not be planted under the crown of existing trees, or closer than 6 feet to existing brush. Avoid areas near walnut trees.

Brush aside loose organic material such as leaves, grass, etc., from the planting spot to expose mineral soil. If organic matter gets into the planting hole, it can decompose and leave air spaces. Roots will dry out when they grow into these spaces. Open up the hole, making sure the hole is deep enough for the roots to be fully extended. If roots are curled or bunched up, the tree will not be able to take up water correctly, will often weaken and die, or may blow down later due to poor root structure.

Take a tree out of your planting bag or bucket only after a hole is ready. When exposed, the fine roots can dry out in as little as 30 seconds. Dawn Redwood Tree shoots and roots lose water to air, roots require more protecting.Unlike leaves ,they do not have stomata (close-able openings on the surface of the leaves) or any waxy coatings to help reduce water loss. If the Dawn Redwood Tree roots feel dry they are probably dead. Now I know you are thinking,”I will place them in a bucket of water and store them there until planting”. This will not work. Submerge plants for no longer that a couple of minutes. Placing them in water cuts them off from oxygen. Remember to remove the container before planting a containerized tree. A helpful hint to all those new gardeners just starting is to remember to always plant green side up. Hold the seedling in place in the hole, making sure the roots are straight, fully extended and that the tree is neither too shallow or too deep in the hole. Fill hole, allowing soil to fall in around the roots. Tamp with hands or with your heel. Don’t crush the roots by jumping up and down around the seedling like there is a snake curled up around the seedling. It is delicate. Fill with more soil, if necessary, and tamp. Tamping is important. If soil is not firmly packed around the roots, there will be air pockets that can dry out the roots, and the seedlings may be weakly anchored. It is far easier to plant the tree strait up then have the tree leaning and have to adjust the tree later. (Addition of fertilizer and plant vitamins at the time of planting is not generally necessary.)

Take your time in planting. Proper spacing will help you grow a more valuable crop. I have tried to get more production from a limited area by over planting and then thinning, but I always have had trouble in harvesting …. digging is slower and poor quality usually results for a portion of the crop. Avoid these tree planting errors:

Tangled roots
Planting too shallow
Planting too deep
Air pockets
Turned up roots (this is called J rooting)
Planting trees that are not tolerant of wet soils in poorly drained areas
Planting over rocks, septic tanks and leach fields, on sand mounds

CARE OF TREES FOLLOWING PLANTING

Check periodically to be sure that brush, grass and other vegetation is kept under control by mowing, mulching, spraying or a combination of these treatments. Always obtain advice from a licensed pest control adviser before using chemicals. You ag extension agency may offer courses in application of chemicals. Monitoring the appearance of your trees will help you to detect signs of insects, diseases or other problems. Appearances also help sell your product. Look for foliage turning yellow, new foliage drooping or other signs of poor health. It is easier to take successful corrective action if the problem is detected early.

Over watering is a common problem in irrigated plantations. You probably won’t need to water more frequently than every 7-10 days. Give your trees a thorough, deep soak and then let the soil dry out before the next watering. This encourages the roots to grow down in search of water. Frequent, shallow watering encourages root growth near the surface and the trees are more dependent on irrigation and are less windfirm.

Animals can be a major cause of damage to young trees. Porcupines, gophers, mice, rabbits, deer and cattle are the most frequent source of damage. In many states you may have to call your game commission and get their recommendations on legal methods to protect your crop. In our state, you can get help from the Pa. Game Commission to kill deer that are a threat to your seedlings or obtain a free fence to keep deer away from your seedlings. Over the years we have lost more trees to mice than any other animal. Put rat baits out on a regular basis. Over the years we have lost more Dawn Redwood Tree seedlings and plants to mice than any other culprit including deer and rabbit ts combined. You an see more articles about the care and planting of Dawn Redwood Trees and nursery stock at our web site:

http://www.seedlingsrus.com
and http://www.highlandhillfarm.com

About the Author

Bill has been raising and selling trees for 25 years near Doylestown Pa. and has two web sites http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.zone5trees.com

Topics: yard-maintenance | No Comments »

Rare Flowering Trees That Light Up Your Garden Landscape

By | August 12, 2008

Flowering apricot trees offer spectacular flowering blooms earlier than any other flowering tree, sometimes blooming as early as January. This early flowering can result in cold weather damage in some areas of the United States. New outstanding cultivars of flowering apricot trees can be purchased from mail order nursery retailers. Prunus mume flowers, in early spring with flower colors of red, pink, and white, all blooming on the same twigs of the tree. Double flowers of apricot, dark-red cover the limbs of the flowering apricot, Matsubara Red. Pure white flowers appear in early spring on the flowering apricot, Rosemary Clarke, and the pink flowering, weeping apricot, W.B. Clarke, blooms in January. Rose-red flowers appear on the flowering apricot tree, Peggy Clarke, in early spring.

Mimosa flowering trees, Albizia julibrissin ‘Rosea’, was introduced into the United States from the Orient, and was commonly known as the ‘Silk Tree’. The feather red or pink blooms cover the mimosa branches in summer, and the fragile graceful leaves are fern-like, and they flutter in air when wafted by the slightest breeze. The Mimosa tree can be grown in almost any type of soil and is cold hardy from zones 6 ? 10.

Flowering Peach trees, Prunus persica, were very commonly seen and grown in the early United States, but a gardener faces a difficult task to find a large flowering peach tree to buy at a nursery. Pink flowering peach trees, Prunus persica ‘Pink’, cultivars can be purchased to bloom either early or late; White flowering peach, Prunus persica ‘White’, can also be purchased in an early or late blooming cultivar; Prunus persica ‘White Icicle’, Peppermint flowering peach trees produce variegated flowers randomly colored petals of red, pink, and white. The Helen Borchers flowering cherry, Prunus persica ‘Helen Borchers’ is a recent outstanding blooming.

Redbud flowering trees, Cercis canadensis, are also known as the Eastern Redbud tree and were first collected to plant at the home of John Bartram, the famous early American botanist of the 1700’s. In early spring the leafless twigs are completely covered with red-pink flowers, qualifying this redbud tree as a favorite, native American flowering tree to plant and grow in the garden landscape.

The flowering honeylocust tree, Gledisia triacanthus inermis, is one of the most beautiful of all early spring blooming trees. Gardeners find it difficult to locate and buy honeylocust trees from a nursery. The fragrant white flowers appear along with the airy fern-like leaves that flutter as a bright green backdrop to the glowing, pure-white flowers that attract a host of bird species to nest in the dense honeylocust branches.

The Wisteria, Wisteria sinensis, is usually thought of as being a vine, but the vine habit can be overcome, if it is staked after grafting and trained to grow as a wisteria tree. Wisteria sinensis ‘Cooke’s Purple’, grows into a fragrant, purple stream of pea-like flowers, trailing long and followed by green, glistening leaves that are cold hardy from zone 5 ? 9. A grape-like cluster of purple flowers emit a fragrance of grapes with pure white blooms in the cultivar; Wisteria tree, Wisteria sinensis ‘Texas White’, is an excellent white-flowering Wisteria tree.

A number of less pursued flowering trees are: Japanese Snowball Tree, Viburnum plicatum, that flowers in summer and again in the fall if abundant water is applied. The grapefruit size, greenish-white flower clusters are stunning and dramatic, as they bloom before the leaves appear. The Jerusalem tree, Parkinsomia aculeata, is also called the ‘Jew Tree’; by tradition was rumored to be the tree that was used to prepare the ‘crown of thorns’ that was placed on the head of the crucified, Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. The fern-like leaves provide a background of green to view the golden yellow flowers that begin blooming in summer and then reappear several times until frost. Paulownia, Blue Princess or Empress Tree, produces spectacular clusters of purple-blue flowers, sometimes growing three feet in length. This fast growing tree is best known for being planted as a commercial timber tree investment by former President, Jimmy Carter. Red Tips, Photinia fraseri, is best known in the spring growing bright red tips and waxy leaves, however, red tip is very fast growing, and in late spring, following the tips of leaves reddening, giant clusters of fragrant white flowers cover the tree. Scarlet locust trees, Sesbania grandifloria, is a native tree to the United States, growing vigorously in wetlands and producing brilliant scarlet blooms in the spring. The flowers completely cover the twigs of the tree with a backdrop of bright-green, fern-like leaves, delicately fluttering in the slightest breeze. Very few trees offer recurring flowers of such brilliant colors like Scarlet locust trees, Sesbania grandiflora.

Sweetbay Magnolia, Magnolia virginiana, produces bold-white, lemon scented blooms, appearing much like a miniature Southern Magnolia flower, Magnolia grandiflora. The waxy, Sweetbay magnolia blooms appear, beginning in the fall. This evergreen magnolia tree has fragrant bark and leaves that can be substituted for the herb, bay leaves. Sweetbay magnolia trees turn dramatic colors of red, yellow, and orange during the fall, but fall intermittently followed by waxy-green new leaves. Even though the Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora, is classified as an evergreen shade tree, it is famous for the gorgeous fragrant flowers of huge proportions, one foot wide, that bloom in early summer. Renowned Artists of paints and cameras have admired the glorious Magnolia blossom and chose to pose them to compose masterpiece works that would be celebrated in Museums of the World. Many hybridizers have chosen to genetically create Japanese Magnolias of many sizes and colors; white, red, pink, purple and red. Some mail order nurseries offer sites to buy outstanding hybrids like: Alexander Magnolia, Brooklyn Girls magnolia trees, Butterfly magnolia, Little Gem magnolia tree, Leonard Messel magnolia shrub, Randy Magnolia Bush, Southern Select magnolia tree, Star White magnolia, Sunsation magnolia, Wada’s Memory magnolia tree, and Yellow Lantern Magnolia trees.

Gordonia flowering tree, Gordonia lasianthus, is also known as the loblolly bay tree, that is closely related to and similar to the ?Lost Gordonia?, that had almost become extinct, except for the fortunate rescue by famous botanist and explorer, William Bartram, who in 1773 wrote in his book, Travels, page 465, a memorable description. The flowering tree was named by him after his good friend, Benjamin Franklin, Franklinia altamaha, ?I had the opportunity of observing the new flowering shrub, resembling the Gordonia, in perfect bloom, as well as bearing ripe fruit. It is a flowering tree of the first order, for beauty and fragrance of blossoms…the flowers are very large, expand themselves perfectly,