Q:
Can
I do my own garden design or should I hire a professional ?
A:
If you want a great looking
garden, but are not ready to invest a significant amount of time, I
strongly recommend you hire a professional to design your garden. What you
will spend in getting a professional design will be more than saved in
plants that won't die or be eaten.
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Q:
Is
a professional garden design expensive ?
A:
A professional garden design need
not be expensive. In fact, a good design can save you much money down the
road by avoiding expensive mistakes, as well as insulating your home from
cold winter winds and the hot summer sun.
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Q:
Tell
me more about landscape architects.
A:
Most people are surprised to
learn that landscape architects typically know very little about plants.
Landscape architects are trained in how to move soil to ensure good
drainage and a pleasing appearance. However, most landscape architects
would be hard pressed to tell you what plants are deer resistant and the
plant's growing requirements. Just because a designer or contractor may be
a landscape architect doesn't mean they are the person best qualified to
meet your needs.
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Q:
All
of the landscaping contractors that I call won't just give me a garden
design. Why not ?
A:
If you hire a typical landscape
contractor listed in your local phone book, chances are they will not
charge you for the costs involved in developing a design. However, they
also will not give or sell you a design alone. Most landscapers will only
provide you with a design if you agree to have their company install it
for you. That is because landscapers typically cover their overhead
charges (such as insurance, equipment costs, and advertising) by charging
their customers two or three times what it costs them to buy the plants
they use in their designs.
Another reason many landscape contractors will not sell or charge for a
design is that they do not formally prepare a specific design for each
customer. Very often a landscaper will have a general idea of what he or
she wants to do for their client, but they don't worry about the details
until they visit the nursery they buy their plants from.
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Q:
Are
there other potential problems with using a local landscape contractor ?
A:
Most landscapers buy virtually
all of their plants from one or two nurseries. As such, they base their
designs around the plants that their favorite nurseries have in stock.
Since landscape contractors typically do not directly charge their
customers for the time it takes them to buy the plants they are planting,
they don't “waste” a lot of time searching for the “perfect”
plant. The result is often a design that looks like it was made with a
cookie-cutter, very undistinguishable from the neighbors.
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Q:
What
are the most important attributes of a great garden design?
A:
There isn't a magic formula for a
great garden design. However, there are quite a few considerations that
need to be carefully thought through when developing a garden design.
Inappropriately addressing any one of these considerations can make the
difference between a poor, average or great design. These considerations
are:
- Design for your location
- Scale
- Balance diversity and repetition
- Appeal to the five senses
- Year round interest
- Design for your lifestyle
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Q:
Any
suggestions on how to slow down the damage to plants from a growing deer
population?
A:
While
it's probably impossible to eliminate all deer damage, you can limit it
with a combination of safeguards. Begin with a selection of deer resistant
plants such as: Abies, Amelanchier, Berberis, Buxus, Cornus vars., Ilex
glabra, Magnolias, Picea abies, glauca & Pungens, Pieris japonica,
Pinus mugo & nigra, Spirea & Syringa to name a few. Plant these
plants in front of favored plants and use in combination with a deer
repellent spray such as Tree Guard with its 120 day residue. Since deer
are attracted to plants with high nutrients, it is wise to pay attention
to the nitrogen content of fertilizers and plant feeding needs. Deer
fencing or two low barriers set within a 3' width of each other will also
keep out or deter the deer from entering a property or garden. Good luck!
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Q:
Do
you have any favorites to replace vinca and pachysandra as a groundcover
in a small shade area?
A:
Yes!
There are a number of good perennial and semi-evergreen groundcovers that
will fit the bill. Epimediums provide wonderful foliage year round and
have unique sprays of short starry blossoms. Early spring flowers range
from apricot in E. cantabrigense 'Orange Queen' to the white of E.
youngianum 'Niveum' to yellows and reds. Waldensteinia is also a handsome
evergreen groundcover with yellow flowers in spring. Galium with its soft
foliage and masses of small white flowers in May is a nice contrast to
large leaved plants. The Tiarellas are an underused plant that has been
greatly improved upon by the hybridizers. Great maple leaf like foliage
with black splotches combines with a very long bloom time of short white
or pink bottlebrush blossoms. Or try Pulmonarias for gorgeous spotted or
white colored foliage and dainty pink & blue belled flowers. They
quickly establish clumps to cover a wide area. Fragarias, Lamiums, &
Phlox stolonifera are other worthwhile choices to liven up a shady nook or
woodland garden.
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Q:
What
is the best way to protect a screening of Hemlocks from disease?
A:
Wooly
Adelgids and Fiorinia Scale on Hemlocks (Tsuga) can be controlled if
caught at the early stages of infestation. During March, after it warms up
but before the new growth starts, spray the entire plant with dormant oil.
It needs to dry 2-3 hours before the temperature drops below 32 degrees. A
second application may be needed and can be applied in June to early July
at a 1 oz. Dormant oil to 1 gal. of water ratio (follow the directions on
the bottle regarding temperature range for applications). The spreading
rate is approximately 3.5 oz. per gal. of water on your applicator. It is
important to get as close to 100% coverage as possible. This means you'll
need to spray up, under the needles. Dormant oil is organic and safe to
use.
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Q: My
Hydrangeas failed to flower very well last year. Any suggestions?
A:
Hydrangeas
are long lived plants and respond well to early spring pruning by removing
darker older cans (about 1/3rd on a 4 year old plant). Remove dried
flowers heads as the buds begin to swell in spring and mulch to provide
nutrients and to cool surface roots. Hydrangeas and Lilacs tend to bloom
heavily every other year. Extended periods of non-performance could be due
to over fertilizing-with too much nitrogen pushing new foliage growth at
the expense of flower production-winter damage to buds, improper pruning
or drastic site misplacement.
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Q:
How
do I get those vibrant red stems on my Cornus sanquinea?
A:
The
Cornus alba, sanquinea, sericea (Redtwig dogwoods among others) should be
trimmed back early in the spring to rejuvenate the plant. For the
brightest twig color, remove the oldest stems by cutting them back to the
ground. It will equal about 1/3rd of the entire plant. This way you'll
enjoy the show the following fall, winter and spring.
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Q:
My
border planting is looking very mundane. What can I do to "liven
up" this planting of broadleaf evergreens?
A:
A
change in texture is one of the easiest ways to add interest to a
planting. If you have a grouping of broadleaf shrubs, look at placing a
needled evergreen next to them for visual interest. Going one step
further, consider accenting the planting with a yellow or blue needled
evergreen. The same can be done with deciduous shrubs, berry producing
plants and the addition of small ornamental trees. You may also want to
break away from the "cookie cutter" approach to suburban
landscaping. Add unique plants, natives, ornamental vegetables accents,
containers of annuals, cascading vines and hardscape that are personal and
to your liking. You'll create a much more interesting garden to explore
and relax in.
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Q:
Fragrance
seems to be missing from my home landscape. What plants can I add for
spring before I "stop to smell the roses"?
A:
Luckily,
the publics' demand is forcing growers to reconsider this attribute. A
throw back to the days of our grandmother's garden has gardeners looking
for plants that have a pleasing scent. While there are many selections,
here are a few of our favorites: When the Daphnes are in bloom, the entire
nursery sales yard takes on the scent of these incredibly fragrant shrubs.
D. 'Carol Mackie' is one of the best. Fothergilla gardenii 'Mt. Airy' is a
superb selection that is underused. Striking foliage, bottlebrush flowers
and a scent of honey highlight this plant. Azalea vaseyi and A. viscosum
are wonderful native, deciduous shrubs that do well in wet areas with a
bit of shade. They are very fragrant, make a spectacular show in flower
and again in the fall with striking foliage color. Philadelphus x 'Janet
Reidy' is a cultivar with Connecticut roots. It has very fragrant,
semi-double flowers and grows to 6'-perfect for todays borders. Viburnums
offer many plants to choose from. V. burkwoodi 'Mohawk', V. caresii and V.
x 'Juddii' are a few selections with heady, spicy scents.
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Q:
Any
ideas for rose selections for a shady spot?
A:
The
two best that come to mind are real winners. Rosa glauca (rubrifolia) has
beautiful soft glaucous purple-blue leaves in sun, gray-green with a mauve
tinge in shade. Its flowers are a single deep pink with a white eye,
followed by bright red hips held all winter. Its reddish violet stems are
an added bonus. We'll have all different sizes up to 6' in stock this
spring at the nursery. R. 'Zephirine Drouhin' is an older rose gaining
popularity with today's gardeners. It's a climber with loose semi-double
blossoms of vivid cerise-carmine giving an outstanding massing effect. It
grows vigorously to 15-20 feet. Its dark green foliage is coppery-purple
when young and mildew resistant. An added bonus is its thornless canes.
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Q:
What
plants would be suitable for a vertical accent in a small garden space?
A:
Shrinking
garden space is one of the key reasons for the increased popularity of
fastigate plants. These plants are a great way to add an explanation point
to a border. Whether to anchor a corner or add an unexpected punch to a
garden, the choices are wonderful. For the former area, Fagus sylvatica
'Red Obelisk' (purple leaf beech) has a compact habit and gorgeous branch
structure with interesting foliage. Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata'
(Hornbeam) is known for its dense form and fine texture. Formal and small
gardens could benefit from Ilex crenata 'Skypencil' with its tight foliage
or Juniperus communis 'Compressa' with its dwarf, narrow habit for
accenting a pygmy conifer or rock garden. Berberis, Buxus, Quercus and
Thuja are among others that will provide that vertical interest in the
landscape. Vines and trained standards are also good choices in this area.
Try one and see the difference it can make in the landscape.
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Q:
Can
you tell me the best way to care for my lawn in the spring?
A:
Early
April is an excellent time to rake out debris from a lawn, correct the ph
value of the soil, and top dress with seed. May is the time to fertilizer
with our organic line of GROWERS Fertilizer. It not only greens up a lawn
but also adds nutrients to the soil, helps with breaking down thatch, and
is environmentally safe. With the continued use of GROWERS over a one-year
period, you'll have a thick, lush green lawn without that quick fix
chemical application. Keep the grass cut at a height that removes no more
than 1/3rd of the new growth and you'll have a lawn worthy of your home
and garden beds.
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Q:
Will an automatic sprinkler system use more water than I'm currently
using?
A:
No. In fact, it will conserve water. The system's controller and rain
sensor will be set so you receive only the amount of water you need. You
will not over-water or under-water your lawn with an automatic sprinkler
system.
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Q:
Does having a sprinkler system really save time?
A:
Yes. You won't have to spend another minute of your valuable leisure time
watering the lawn. Whether you are home or away your system will do the
watering for you!
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Q:
Will an automatic sprinkler system water as well as I can water by hand?
A:
It will do a much better job because a professionally designed system will
deliver exactly the right amount of water to individual lawn and garden
areas.
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Q:
We generally get 40 or more inches of rainfall a year. Do we really need a
sprinkler system?
A:
If it rained at your house every three days the same exact amount each
time you probably would not need a sprinkler system. But nature does not
work that way, and the only way to ensure healthy, lush growth is to make
certain your lawn and plants receive a regularly timed, evenly measured
amount of water. In the dry season when there is little or no rain, your
yard can suffer damage after just a few days without water.
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Q:
Can I save money by installing my own Irrigation system?
A:
Not really. In fact, it could cost you more money in the long run. A professional
irrigation contractor will design and install the most cost-effective and
energy-efficient system possible. You can be certain that he will select
the appropriate equipment for the job, while streamlining the maintenance
required to keep your landscaping in top shape. He will pay special
attention to such important factors as sprinkler patterns (it is important
to overlap the patterns so that the outer edges receive sufficient water
for healthy growth) and backflow prevention (which is necessary to protect
your drinking water supply). And because your contractor is familiar with
local plumbing and electrical codes, you won't have to worry about costly
mistakes in wiring or pipe installation. He can do the job faster, with
less disruption to existing landscaping, and will guarantee his work.
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Q:
Will I have difficulty operating this Irrigation system?
A:
Your contractor will explain to you how your controller works and how the
watering times have been set. Then if necessary, the watering times can be
adjusted by following the instructions on the inside of the controller
cabinet. And that is it, the system does the rest for you.
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