David's Landscaping Blog March 2008 Archive

DIY Landscaping Tips
If you're looking for aid on specific projects you have planned for the spring, you'll want to browse through my new DIY Landscaping Projects section. Topics include: Patios and Walkways ... Read More

Monday March 31, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Climbing Hydrangeas -- Problem Solvers
Some people pride themselves on being problem solvers, but I want to speak here about plants that are problem solvers, specifically, climbing hydrangeas. Let's face it: we can solve landscaping problems ... Read More

Sunday March 30, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Cotoneaster Plants
I marvel at the fanciful pronunciations of plant names I sometimes indulged in before becoming a more diligent student of botany. I used to pronounce "cotoneaster," for instance, as if ... Read More

Saturday March 29, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

How to Trim Ornamental Grass
"How do you trim ornamental grass?" is a question I get frequently. Most people understand that ornamental grass needs a good "haircut," at some point, after it has turned brown. ... Read More

Friday March 28, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Cherry Blossom Festivals
From donkey festivals to snake handlers' festivals, the world is full of celebrations. As a landscaping enthusiast, I'm naturally partial to the celebrations that focus on plants. Steve Nix discusses ... Read More

Thursday March 27, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Tulip Trees
Although "tulip trees" are so called from the appearance of their flowers, it is their leaves that I find to be of greatest interest. Tulip trees (also nicknamed, "yellow poplars") ... Read More

Wednesday March 26, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

How to Find a Landscape Architect
Two ways to find a landscape architect are through the Web and through the grapevine. I explore both methods in this article. Finding a landscape architect through the grapevine is ... Read More

Tuesday March 25, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Weed Pictures
"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered," scribed Ralph Waldo Emerson. I rather doubt, though, that Mr. Emerson would have had any inclination for ... Read More

Monday March 24, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Enjoying a Silent Spring
No, not that kind of "Silent Spring," as in Rachel Carson's 1962 environmentalist classic. There would be little to enjoy about a spring deprived of chirping birds and spring peepers. ... Read More

Sunday March 23, 2008 | permalink | comments (1)

Pictures of Flowering Trees
My anticipation of the imminent color explosion courtesy of the flowering trees leads me to an exclamation that may seem out of place, at first glance: "It's the most wonderful ... Read More

Saturday March 22, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Landscaping Pictures
Longtime readers of my blog have probably noticed a change over the last few months in the look of my homepage. Separate tabs have been added to improve navigation, and ... Read More

Friday March 21, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

From Chainsaws to Eggs on the Spring Equinox
It's the spring equinox; what kind of shape is your yard in? If trees or large tree limbs have fallen onto your landscape over the course of the winter, then part ... Read More

Thursday March 20, 2008 | permalink | comments (1)

Ancient Plant Uses
Several times on my winter walks, I've seen wild birds (e.g., robins and bluebirds) feeding on sumac seeds. Indeed, sumac plants are known to be one of the "emergency" food ... Read More

Monday March 17, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

How to Make a Garden Look Bigger
It's funny how our expectations can change as the seasons progress. My tastes are very simple in spring: After a New England winter dominated by white, gray and brown, I ... Read More

Saturday March 15, 2008 | permalink | comments (1)

Growing Bulbs in the Lawn
When can you safely mow the foliage of bulbs growing in the lawn? "A spring lawn glowing with scilla or dotted with crocus is stunning, but the lingering foliage can ... Read More

Friday March 14, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Tree Sculptures
Perhaps, like me, you've admired the wooden sculptures sometimes seen for sale along roadsides. Chainsaw artists fashion these sculptures out of logs, in the same way that ice sculptures are ... Read More

Thursday March 13, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Pictures From the 2008 Philadelphia Flower Show
"The Philadelphia Flower Show is the oldest flower show in the United States and the largest indoor flower show in the world," observes John Fischer, About's Guide to Philadelphia. View ... Read More

Wednesday March 12, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Recycling Tip: How to Compost Old Coffee Grounds
What I love about this article from Green-Talk.com on how to compost old coffee grounds is the way it captures a process that is played out again and again, wherever ... Read More

Tuesday March 11, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Pictures of Outdoor Easter Decorations
OK, so outdoor Easter decorations aren't nearly as popular as their Halloween and Christmas counterparts. But I'll tell you what: In my neck of the woods, the landscape could use ... Read More

Saturday March 8, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Regional Gardening Calendar for March
"A regional gardening calender for the month of March can give you general tips on what to plant and what to wait for, but spring in the garden is unpredictable ... Read More

Friday March 7, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Weeding Strategies for Avoiding Back Pain
At this time of year, landscaping enthusiasts in cold climates are desperate to see plants growing outside -- any plants at all. Why, I'd be glad to see even a ... Read More

Thursday March 6, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Searching for Signs of Spring
Thumbing through pictures in seed catalogs gets many a plant lover through the wintry months of January and February, and Marie Iannotti tips us off on some great new plants ... Read More

Wednesday March 5, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)

Four-Leaf Clovers and St. Patrick's Day 2008
As St. Patrick's Day 2008 approaches, you'll soon be hearing lots of talk about four-leaf clovers and shamrocks. So perhaps it's a good time to reflect not only on the ... Read More

Saturday March 1, 2008 | permalink | comments (0)