David's Landscaping Blog March 2007 Archive

Flowering Trees
What would our yards be without flowering trees? Much the poorer, that's for sure. Think of the contributions made to our yards by flowering trees. Some are prized for the ... Read More

Saturday March 31, 2007 | permalink | comments (2)

How to Build Retaining Walls
When do-it-yourselfers have slight slopes to tame, they can build retaining walls themselves to meet the challenge. Stone retaining walls are also visually appealing and complement rock gardens beautifully. You ... Read More

Friday March 30, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Time to Stake Tall Perennials Soon
Soon it will be time to stake tall perennials, Marie Iannotti reminds us. About's Gardening Guide notes, "Staking in spring means you will have a few weeks of visible, sometimes ... Read More

Friday March 30, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Types of Flowers: What to Grow Where
Beginners need to learn how to match the types of flowers they'll be growing with the space where those plants will be growing. Light and soil requirements should always be ... Read More

Thursday March 29, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Common Evergreen Tree Diseases
Did your landscape look barren this past winter? C'mon, now that spring is here, you can admit it. But if your landscape truly did have some color in it to ... Read More

Thursday March 29, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Building Paths With Stepping Stones
Stepping stones have a variety of uses in the landscape. In unmulched planting beds, garden stepping stones reduce the amount of dirt tracked into the house. In mulched beds, garden ... Read More

Wednesday March 28, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Landscaping Pictures: Landscape Color Schemes
The pictures in this gallery show examples of how to use color effectively in your landscaping. Experience flower colors that excite the senses, and flower colors that help you relax. ... Read More

Tuesday March 27, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Pictures of Flowering Shrubs
Excited about the return of spring? These pictures of flowering shrubs will give you a foretaste of those colorful blooms that will soon be lighting up the landscapes of the ... Read More

Monday March 26, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

How To Lay Sod to Start New Lawns
Does your landscaping cry out for a new lawn? If so, you may be grappling with a common question: Is it better to start new lawns from seed, or by ... Read More

Sunday March 25, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Creeping Phlox Plants
One of the delights of spring is admiring a banking covered with the flowers of creeping phlox plants. Many ground covers boast, first and foremost, a usefulness in fighting against ... Read More

Saturday March 24, 2007 | permalink | comments (3)

Building Brick Patios
Simple design plan to make building brick patios easy for do-it-yourselfers. Building brick patios using this design is easy yet elegant, laying the bricks in a striking basket weave pattern ... Read More

Friday March 23, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

When Do You Prune Perennials?
When do you prune perennials? Well, some perennials are evergreen and can be left standing as is during the winter for visual interest. Other perennials are left standing for a ... Read More

Friday March 23, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Mimosa Trees, or "Silk Trees"
Of Mimosa tree (they are also called, "silk trees"), Steve Nix writes, "This fast-growing, deciduous tree has a low branching, open, spreading habit and delicate, lacy, almost fern-like foliage. Fragrant, ... Read More

Thursday March 22, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Getting Your Yard Ready for Spring
In a recent "Plant Man" column, Steve Jones was chomping at the bit for spring to arrive. Well, arrive it has, which means that, even if there's still snow on ... Read More

Wednesday March 21, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Essentials of Organic Gardening
Organic gardening shouldn't be a mystery. "You grow appropriate varieties, keep them healthy and cared for and when problems occur, choose the least toxic option," observes Marie Iannotti. Note that ... Read More

Tuesday March 20, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Royal Empress Trees
Of royal empress trees (or "paulownia"), Steve Nix writes that they give "a most dramatic, coarse-textured appearance," but also that they are "now considered an invasive exotic tree species" in ... Read More

Monday March 19, 2007 | permalink | comments (1)

Rototillers vs Backhoes for Leveling the Ground
This week's featured poster in the Landscaping Discussion Forum took on an enormous task, cutting down some trees on a slope and doing some rough leveling. But the question is, ... Read More

Sunday March 18, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Spring Lawn Care
There are a number of things you should consider doing to get ready for the mowing season, as I discuss in this article. But just when you should perform any ... Read More

Saturday March 17, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Osage Orange Trees
Interested in an "orange tree" hardy to zone 5? Then you may enjoy reading this article on osage orange trees written by About's Forestry Guide, Steve Nix. Okay, so osage ... Read More

Thursday March 15, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Spring Yard Clean-Up and Planting
Ready for the annual spring yard clean-up and planting? Use my answers to frequently asked questions as a springboard for rounding your lawn and garden into shape for another growing ... Read More

Tuesday March 13, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Chinese Foxglove Plants
"Perennials that bloom repeatedly throughout the growing season are rare," observes Marie Iannotti. But Chinese foxglove plants do just that, and they grow in partial shade, to boot! With their ... Read More

Tuesday March 13, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Dandelion Greens
Many of you in snowy climes are no doubt as eager as I am to see an abundance of greenery return to the yard. For some of you, that eagerness ... Read More

Sunday March 11, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Foliage Plants
Next Saturday, we celebrate Saint Patrick's Day and the "wearing of the green." So perhaps this is a good time of year to reflect on the growing of the green ... Read More

Saturday March 10, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

How To Start New Lawns by Seeding
Many of us are still waiting for the ground to thaw sufficiently to allow us to begin landscaping again in earnest. But that's all the more reason for you to ... Read More

Friday March 9, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Cool-Season Annual Flowers
"Often gardeners think only of perennials for a sequence of bloom," notes Marie Iannotti. But, says About's Gardening Guide, "Many cool season annuals look wonderful in containers and growing these ... Read More

Friday March 9, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Chain Saw Safety -- Buying Equipment, Chain Saw Safety Tips
If Old Man Winter's fury has damaged any of your trees beyond all hope of recovery, you may be contemplating do-it-yourself tree removal this year. But before you even consider ... Read More

Thursday March 8, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Tree Stump Removal
Trees provide so much enjoyment in the yard -- until it comes time to pull old tree stumps out of the ground! Tree stump removal is the epitome of "grunt ... Read More

Wednesday March 7, 2007 | permalink | comments (2)

Plants for Texas: A Little Bit of Australia in Texas
Need some ideas for plants to grow in Texas? Why not turn for some inspiration to the "land down under?" That's what this plant researcher did, as described in an ... Read More

Wednesday March 7, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

NEW Landscaping Course -- Sign Up for Free!
Many of you are graduates of my original email landscaping course, and you've been asking when the follow-up course will be ready. I'm pleased to announce that the NEW course ... Read More

Monday March 5, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Starting Flowers From Seed
This week's featured poster in the Landscaping Forum needed advice on starting flowers from seed. Our experts came through with some recommendations, including a video offering tips on starting flowers ... Read More

Sunday March 4, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Landscaping Pictures, Ideas
The landscaping pictures and ideas furnished in this resource will give novices direction and should provide food for thought even for more seasoned landscaping enthusiasts. Gain quick access to landscaping ... Read More

Saturday March 3, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Flowering Shrubs
If you're as impatient as I for the return of spring, then you're probably already dreaming about flowering shrubs and the beauty they bring. Some flowering shrubs serve double duty, ... Read More

Friday March 2, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Dwarf Conifers
"As gardens start to fade in the fall, you become all the more aware of the importance of having structure in the garden," observes Marie Iannotti. As I look out ... Read More

Friday March 2, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Pros and Cons of PVC or Vinyl Fences
Vinyl fences are a popular alternative to their traditional, wooden counterparts. Perhaps you've considered having a vinyl fence installed, but you wonder how "PVC" stacks up against wood as ... Read More

Thursday March 1, 2007 | permalink | comments (1)

Tree Diseases That Aren't "Tree Diseases"
In this article on tree diseases, Steve Nix discusses non-living agents that can act as if they were tree diseases, even though they aren't, technically. They can often look like ... Read More

Thursday March 1, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)