These landscape plant guides based on questions submitted by readers reveal plant facts that will be helpful on a number of issues, ranging from plant selection to how to garden in problem areas.
Q. -- What Plants Are Best for Septic Tank Drain Fields?
If you must grow trees or shrubs, at all, in septic tank plantings, some choices are better than others, as discussed in this resource on plant facts geared to septic drainage fields.
Q. -- What Plants Do I Use for Gardening on a Hill in Full Sun?
Gardening on a hill begins with the creation of landscape terraces. One option for terracing is considered here; and in case you're gardening on a hill in full sun, I link to landscape plant guides offering plant facts about full-sun specimens to use.
Q. -- What Plants Can Be Used in Night Blooming Gardens?
Night blooming gardens can be composed of early-season, mid-season and late-season specimens, examples of which I supply in the landscape plant guide linked to in this FAQ. In the guide I also treat "night blooming gardens" in the narrower sense, i.e., plants whose flowers open up only at night.
Q. -- What Is the Best Way to Get Rid of Invasive Plants?
Fact is, "best" is often a relative term, and never more so than here. The answer will depend not only on the particular invasive plants you're trying to get rid of, but also your own preferences (i.e., organic or not). So I recommend a variety of approaches in this resource.
Q. -- Which Plants Are Deer-Resistant?
When deer pest are hungry, they will, in fact, eat just about any landscape plant. So my goal here is to guide you to the plants that deer find less appealing than others. My resources on deer-resistant plants include a landscape design plan for a border garden composed of such specimens, as well as articles on deer-resistant plants for rock gardens and ground covers.
Q. -- What Are Some of the Uses for Vines to Solve Landscaping Problems?
Vines have multiple uses in the landscape. Consult the facts in this landscape plant guide to discover what some of those uses are.
Q. -- How Do I Deal With a Muddy Mess Under a Tree Caused by Dogs?
Dogscaping can help you deal with muddy messes in the landscape caused by dogs. Dogscaping under trees is, however, especially challenging. I try to guide you to a low-maintenance alternative in this response.
Q. -- How Do You Plant on Sloping Land?
Sloping land is often problematic, and I guide readers to some solutions in this FAQ about landscaping on hillsides.
Q. -- What Are the Best Plants to Grow on a North-Facing Wall?
Links are provided in this FAQ to plant facts about an annual and a perennial that are popular choices for north-facing walls.
Q. -- What Makes for an Attractive Rock Garden Design?
The resource linked to in this FAQ serves as a landscape plant guide for rock gardens, helping you out with your plant selection and more....
Q. -- How Do You Make Small Waterfalls?
Small waterfalls can easily be taken apart for winterization. I link from this answer to a DIY guide explaining how to make small waterfalls, from setting up a pond to installing a pump.
Q. -- What Tips Can You Offer on Pruning Arborvitae After Snow Damage?
Pruning arborvitae is sometimes necessary after snow damage or winter burn. But before pruning arborvitae, you'll want to consult these arborvitae plant facts first....
Q. -- What Plants Will Grow Under Evergreen Trees?
Anyone who has landscaped a yard with a large pine tree knows this plant fact: It's difficult to find plants that will grow under evergreen trees. Planting under evergreen trees is challenging due to soil acidity and competition for water, but I guide you to some options in this FAQ.
Q. -- How Do You Find Suppliers of Native Plants?
One undeniable plant fact is that native plants are often easier to grow than their exotic counterparts, because they are adapted to local conditions. Do you aspire to native plant landscaping? Your biggest challenge may be in finding suppliers of native plants; the purpose of this guide is to steer you in the right direction.
Q. -- How Do You Keep a Well-Defined Edge?
To achieve a well-defined edge, I recommend using guide lines for the installation. But how do you maintain that definition over a period of time? Click the link above for some ideas.
Q. -- What Plants Will Grow in a Swampy Area?
The fact is, your landscape plant choices are limited for swampy areas. Waterlogged soil means poorly-drained soil, while most plants crave well-drained soil. What to do? Consult this FAQ.
Q. -- What Plants Tolerate Clayey Soil?
Some plants tolerate clayey soils better than others. I supply examples in this guide to planting in clay.
Q. -- What's the Herbicide That Functions as a Crabgrass Preventer?
Read my plant facts (in the resource linked to in this FAQ) about crabgrass to learn about the life cycle of this notorious weed. Knowledge about the weed's life cycle will guide you in your approach to controlling it.
Q. -- What Can I Plant That Will Offer Winter Color?
Several plant options provide winter color for northern climes. Here I link to resources that provide plant facts about some of the more popular choices.
I provide more links on Page 2 to landscape plant guides that may help you in your landscaping efforts, including lawn care advice....
