Evergreen Trees & Shrubs

Dwarf Conifer Beds

Dwarf conifer beds are becoming more popular. As the landscapes get smaller, everyone has an abandoned area they need to bring to life. They take less time to maintain overall compared with flowerbeds. Conifers (evergreens) provide beauty year-round with some changing their foliage color. Also, the varieties are huge with different growing habits, heights, colors, textures, and provides shelter for the birds.

In designing the area, consider it is like planting a large container. You will need taller plants, mid-level plants, and ground cover varieties. Add a statue, fountain, or gazing globe for additional interest. Try mixing these evergreens with spring bulbs or perennials like Russian sage. They can be grouped to soften the corners of a house or create an area in your front yard.

Since dwarf evergreens are easy going there is not much work associated with them once planted. Keep moist in well-drained soil with some organic matter added. They are not heavy feeders; however, a spring dose of fertilizer helps them along in the early years.

Gardening & Landscape, Landscaping, Landscaping decor

Walkway Lights

Why would someone want to install walkway lights? When you tripped when young, everyone would point and laugh. Now everyone comes running to ask if you want an ambulance.

I wanted something to light the way to my front door on those dark winter nights. Especially since my pathway is bark mulch and stepping stones I do not want to trip when it is icy. Also lighting an area makes it less appealing to any intruders, people, or cats.

But what I like the most is it gives a finished look to any landscaping or path. In the winter if there is a light next to a dogwood (with its bright red twigs), it promises spring will come even if it is months away.

The easiest light to use is solar lights. They do not use any wires and can be placed anywhere as long as they will get at least 6 hours of sunlight.

After years of using solar lights and was not that impressed because of their lack of brightness, I installed wired LED lights. They are bright lights that are stuck in the ground with ingoing and outgoing wires so you can install more lights in a series. They have water-tight connectors. Bury the wires a couple inches in the ground (the wires can go in plastic conduits if you choose). I have mine buried along the path edging. I started with a few lights and added more with different styles over time.

The last item you need is an outdoor transformer that breaks the current down to 12 volts to run the lights. It can be set to come on at dusk and go off at dawn or set to run certain hours. I bought the cheap ones and after the 5th one burnt out, I purchased a more expensive one ($100) and have had no problem since.

Flowers (annual and perennial), Garden almanac

Success and Failures in the flowerbeds.

Success and Failures in the flowerbeds.

Success: the tulips out bloomed the daffodils. The daffodils seem to be more prone to early heat and late freezes than tulips. The crocus and allium (flowering onion) did great.

The mainstays like four o’clock (I grow the variety with striped and splashed flower blossoms), zinnias (the taller varieties up to 3 foot), and cleome (which got up to 6 feet tall) all did well.

The marigolds have been getting botrytis wilt in them (where the flower and gradually the plant dries up). I will substitute zinnias because nothing kills them.I grew the datura plant with trumpet blooms that open at night. The newer varieties grew tall but skinny. Will go back to the old white, bushy, standby.

Calendulas were the first to bloom (May) and the last to bloom (October) but require constant deadheading to keep them blooming.

Bachelor buttons are early blooming flowers with a fast bloom time which I pull out when they get done blooming.

For a fast-growing plant that will grow over 6-foot-tall and 5-foot-wide, it is the Castor bean.

I tried Ostersporuim (daisy-like flower grown mainly in containers) in the flowerbed. Never again, they got stunted growing in competition with other flowers.

Cosmos make nice filler plants in the bed, however, our winds last year just broke them down. They never recovered.

Mexican sunflower with its bright orange flowers was the outstanding flower this year. They do tend to bend down with the wind. Next year I will stake the main stem.