Landscape – Planning Your Own

A few weeks ago I received a question common to many at this time of year. “We are very interested in landscaping our yard and have consulted with a few companies to do the preparation and planting. The cost is a

Landscape – Resources for Planning Your Own

Recently I listed several great landscape planning tips contributed by Master Gardeners who are also garden designers. We learned the importance of making a sketch of the existing yard, planning different areas a

Landscape Design Software – Choosing

I recently appealed to gardeners for their experiences using landscape design software. Landscape Software – List As could be expected, some liked it and some did not. Here are their comments: Marjorie: “I

Landscape Design Software – List

Here are a few of the software packages I'm aware of: 3D Home Architect Landscape Design DesignWare 3.3 DynaScape 3.0 Professional EarthScapes Landscape Design Software Instant Landscape Design LandCADD Lan

Landscapes – Evaluating Scientific Claims

One of the most ill-informed decisions of my life was to major in chemistry in college. Sure, I had excelled in the subject in high school. I could make my own gunpowder from ingredients bought at the pharmacy in

Landscaping – Late Summer Jobs

One of the advantages of doing a vocation and avocation for a long time is that you get a feel for what needs to be done and when to do it. Gardening is no different. I gardened (under duress) as a child and I ha

Landscaping – Textbooks

If you are considering a career in Landscaping or Landscape Architecture, it might be well to read one of the introductory college textbooks. Dr. Richard Ludwig, Program Director of Environmental Horticulture at

Landscaping Maintenance – Summer

FEED FLOWERS Summer annual flowers are go-for-broke types of plants. They have only a few months in which to grow, flower, form seed and die. Gardeners are usually more interested in the flowering part of their l

Locating Buried Utility Lines

Whenever you dig in your yard you should be aware of the attendant hazards of buried utility lines. There is a free service for homeowners available. The Utilities Protection Center, funded by all the utilities s

Native Plants – Good or Bad?

Precious few opportunities for controversy arise in the gardening world but I seem to have struck a nerve with my answer to a question regarding a requirement for native plants in a community. The respondents rai

Non-Blooming Plants

Figuring out why a plant doesn't bloom, or why one thrives and another doesn't, is often a hopeless task. Sure, SOMETHING isn't making the plant happy…. but you'll have a dickens of

Plant Societies – Locating

Lois M., who describes herself as "a seventy year old gardener who has been enjoying tomatoes, squash, beans and peppers from my garden since early June" directed a string of questions to me recently.

Plants – Failure to Bloom

Few things are as frustrating as having a plant that is known for its beautiful flowers fail to bloom. Worse yet is when your neighbors’ plants are in full flower while identical ones in your landscape sullenly p

Pollination – Further Explorations

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the “Pollinator-Friendly” Plant Sale at the Dunwoody Nature Center (770-394 3322). A recent radio caller wanted even more information on pollination. He queried, “I understand

Rain Gardens

It seems impossible to "garden" rain but the practice is not so far-fetched. Rain gardening actually means planning your landscape so rain stays on your property to benefit your plants. If excess wate

Taming Landscape Erosion

For the first two weeks in June I felt like Sisyphus, the Greek legend who was condemned to push a boulder up a hill whereupon it fell back down the hill and he started rolling once again. I believe I transported

Trees – Transplanting

A couple of weeks ago I detailed Dr. Tim Smalley’s techniques for moving shrubbery. His horticulture students also get plenty of practice transplanting trees when they tire of moving shrubs. With the soil as mois

UGA Flower, Tree and Shrub Publications

The following publications about ornamentals are available online from the University of Georgia. Landscape Plants for Georgia Flowering Annuals For Georgia Gardens Flowering Bulbs for Georgia Gardens Flowering P

Weather – Effect on Plants

Shannon Pable had a look of concern on her face when she described what happened to her Carolina jessamine vine. “It looked like the base of the vine exploded!” she confided. “Now all the leaves above that point

UGA Weed Control Publications

Dr. Mark Czarnota is the Weed Wizard for weeds in ornamentals. These publications may help in situations you are faced with: Weed Control in Greenhouses Weed Control: Control Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) in Ornamen