Distinct Landscape Design Blog

A new addition to my life

melissa — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:27:09 +0000

My first child, my baby boy Fate Lucias Swanson was born April 3rd 2008. My husband and I are overjoyed with our new addition to our family. He is the light of our life.

In addition to Fate arriving my husband and I will be relocating from Louisville, KY to Fredericksburg, Virginia for his work in the middle of June. As a result, I will be taking the next couple of months off from landscape designing to take part in being a new mom and to help with the transition of our family to Virginia.

It has been a pleasure serving the Louisville Area. To my current customers, as you continue your landscape installation projects, please feel free to keep in touch by email or cell phone with any questions, and please do not hesitate to email me post installation pictures.

Pruning Young Trees

melissa — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:20:47 +0000

Being in the landscape profession, I am constantly noticing my natural surroundings and the marks we have or have not made on it. There is nothing more impressive than looking at a healthy, well structured established mature shade tree. Unfortunately experiencing this fine natural architecture is very rare. Instead more often than not I come across a large tree looking like it is ready to topple over because one entire half is missing as a result of the need to clear a path for the over head utilities; or a mature tree so thick with narrow, weak branching that any time the wind blows there seems to be large limbs scattering the ground around the tree or dangling from the canopy just ready for the opportune time to fall and fit some unsuspecting bi standard.

These types of hazards and many more are avoidable if the proper care is taken when the tree is young. First off, consider the specific tree you are wanting to plant and its mature size in relation to its placement. Do not plant a shade tree under a 15′ utility easement or 3′ away from the foundation of your home. Proper placement of a tree will save you lots of money and headaches in the future. Proper pruning of the tree when young is key to a successful majestic shade tree that everyone wish to spend hours day dreaming under. The tips given below are gained from my experience as well as several great resources I encourage you to check out and find out more about the specific species of tree you want to care for.

Resources:

Brickell, Christoper and David Joyce. The American Horticultural Society Pruning and Training. New York, NY 1996.

Lilly, Sharon J. The international Society of Arboriculture Arborists’ Certification Study Guide. Champaign, IL 2001.

Also check out the ISA official website.

REASONS TO PRUNE:

Hazards

Heath

Aesthetics

Structural Pruning:

Picture provided by ISA

Ideally a healthy, attractive and safe tree (unless grown as a multi stem tree, i.e. river birch) should have one central leader. More often competing leaders are the case and turn into problems later as the tree matures. Establishing this dominant leader is much easier and safer for the tree if done while the tree is young, usually starting in the nursery. If this was overlooked in the nursery please take it upon yourself to take care of this problem while the tree is still young.

1. Pick the strongest vertical stem and subordinated (cut back) or remove completely the competing leader.

2. Select and establish the lowest permanent branch. First determine the function and location of tree in order to determine the height of the lowest branch. The diameter of this branch should be less than half of the diameter of the trunk where it attaches to the trunk.

3. Select the scaffold branches. These are the branches of the tree that provide the shape/form of the tree. These are selected based on size, attachment and spacing in relation to one another. Vertical spacing, recommended 12-18 inches, radial spacing recommend that the tree is balanced.

4. Select the temporary branches. These branches serve many purposes including contributing to the tapering of the trunk, energy reserves, and shading for the immature trunk tissue. Smaller temporary branches can stay in tact; the larger ones should be subordinated, by cutting them in half, slowing their growth with time.

5. Remove any dead, diseased, rubbing or crossing branches.

Tips to remember:

Training of a tree usually takes between 5-7 years. No more than 20-25% of the trees canopy should be removed in one year.

Prune from the outside-in so you do not get carried away with removing all the internal foliage

Inspect the tree regularly, especially as site conditions changes (i.e.) patio built close by (anything that could change the growth, or structure of the tree.

Pruning of larger limbs or pruning that requires you getting up on a ladder should be contracted out by a certified arborist.

When to prune:

Depends on the species of tree, time of year, health, as well as site conditions.

Typically deciduous trees should be pruned when the tree is dormant. The structure of the tree is easier to see during this time, and there is less stress put on the tree.

Spring Flowering Trees can be pruned early summer after the sap flow has slowed or stopped

Do not prune specific species during the time of year they are prone to disease/pest infestation (i.e. oaks, elms)

**Learn more about the specific tree you are pruning for more specific details on when to prune**

How to Prune:

(Check out USDA Forest Service Website for detailed info)

1. Pick the strongest vertical stem and subordinated (cut back) or remove completely the competing leader.

5. Remove any dead, diseased, rubbing or crossing branches.

Tips to remember:

Training of a tree usually takes between 5-7 years. No more than 20-25% of the trees canopy should be removed in one year.

Prune from the outside-in so you do not get carried away with removing all the internal foliage

Inspect the tree regularly, especially as site conditions changes (i.e.) patio built close by (anything that could change the growth, or structure of the tree.

Pruning of larger limbs or pruning that requires you getting up on a ladder should be contracted out by a certified arborist.

When to prune:

Depends on the species of tree, time of year, health, as well as site conditions.

Typically deciduous trees should be pruned when the tree is dormant. The structure of the tree is easier to see during this time, and there is less stress put on the tree.

Spring Flowering Trees can be pruned early summer after the sap flow has slowed or stopped

Do not prune specific species during the time of year they are prone to disease/pest infestation (i.e. oaks, elms)

**Learn more about the specific tree you are pruning for more specific details on when to prune**

How to Prune:

(Check out USDA Forest Service Website for detailed info)

Picture provided by: ISA Arborists’ Certification Study Guide

Picture Provided by: The American Horticultural Society Pruning and Training

PLANT OF THE MONTH:JULY

melissa — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 22:02:11 +0000

ROSE OF SHARON

ALTHEA SYRIACUS

Many will agree July is the month the garden reaches its fullest potential, providing such a variety of color, flower forms and sizes, as well an assortment of fragrance. Althea syriacus, also known as Hardy Hibiscus or Rose of Sharon is a must have and favorite for the mid-summer garden providing many of these qualities.

This easy to care for plant can be used in a variety of ways, including as a large multi stemmed shrub functioning as a showy privacy screen, or more as small tree pruned on a standard as more of a specimen/focal point. Althea also works well on the patio garden as a container planting or included in a raised planter. Althea’s various forms lends itself well in either a formal or less formal setting.

This plant is adaptable to variety of climates from Zone 5-9 and tolerant of a variety of well drained soils. Althea will produce flowers in both sun/part shade conditions. The showy and fragrant flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds and those wanting to add a tropical look to their garden. Bloom colors vary from purple, white, red, pink, and blue.

Pests to look out for are Aphids and Japanese Beetles. Bacterial leaf spot and fungus can also be a problem under wet conditions.

Although the flower is showy, the fruit is not, which allows for less of a mess in the garden and is a good choice for areas around patios and drives.

GROWN IN STANDARD TREE FORM TROPICAL LOOK OF THE BLOOM

Take a look at some of the links below for additional information:

www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/factsheets/shrubs/rsoshar.html

BEATING THE HEAT OF MID SUMMER

melissa — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 21:58:33 +0000

July and August are typically the driest and hottest months of the year. This is also the time when most of us have a little more leisure time to relax and spend time outdoors.

In order to truly enjoy this time, key hard scape elements are essential to making this all possible. Adding some "sparkle", in the form of water whether it be something simple like a small fountain or bubbling rock, or something more complex such as a formal pond and meandering stream will all provide a more serene visual and audio effect, while cooling the surrounding air temperature.

Shade is also essential and can be created in a variety of ways, whether it be a wooden structure such as pergola, ornate screening, or gazebos, as well as attractive awnings, and umbrellas. Proper placement of shade trees are also imperative.

Some of my favorite trees:

Golden Rain Tree

Linden

Trident Maple

Hedge Maple

Other cool Shade Ideas:

"A Canvas Canopy"

"Portable Pavilion"

Plant of the Month:March

Melissa Swanson — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:15:33 +0000

HELLEBORUS ORIENTALIS

LENTON ROSE

Zones 3-10

Lenton Rose is a modest shade loving perennial that can be found carpeting the shady woodland floors in late winter, early spring when the choices of blooming plants are minimal. Only growing 12-18 inches tall and spreading 15-18 inches in width, this plant creates the biggest impact in the early spring when planted in larger groupings and allowed to reseed.

The clusters of 1-4 nodding blooms range in color from pink, purple, white, and near white with some variation with speckled coloring. In colder climates the fan shaped, or palmatum leaf tends to be deciduous to semi-evergreen through the winter months, however in slightly warmer climates this herbaceous perennial, becomes more woody as it matures and will keep its foliage through the winter.

Those plant lovers who are looking for a durable, easy to care for naturalizing plant, Lenton Rose is for you. Lenton Rose is not a food favorite of deer, so it is also a great plant for deer prone areas. A couple things to keep in mind before deciding if this is a plant for you:

This plant is poisonous if ingested, therefore this plant is best used in areas where small children who tend to grab things or dogs who like to chew can not get too.

This plant will also do best in organic, well drained soil in a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil. You may experience winter damage if planted in cold windy areas as well.

Helleborus orientalis wide foliage looks great with other low maintenance woodland perennials such as ferns, hostas, sarcocca, bleeding heart, lungwort, bergenia etc.

Plant of the Month:JANUARY

Melissa Swanson — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 23:54:58 +0000

Picture provided by gardenseeker.com

WINTER HEATHER, HEATH (ERICA SPECIES)

The soft carpet of color this plant provides during a typical dreary winter day is breathtaking. Winter Heath is a fantastic evergreen groundcover providing color and textural interest from January through April. Unlike the summer Heather varieties (Culluna vulgaris) the winter varieties (Erica carnea, Erica darleyensis) are less temperamental, not requiring the acid soil to thrive, instead they will also grow well in alkaline soil. Like all Heather and Heath, they flower and thrive best in full sun, part shade, with moist, well drained soil. It is essential not to over fertilize with nitrogen. Instead fertilize with a rhododendron fertilizer during early spring. Usually, little pruning is required for the Winter Heaths, however to keep a well shaped bushy appearance, as well as, promote flowering sheering this shrub after flowering can be beneficial. Pest and disease are rare; however Heath and Heather are susceptible to various funguses, primarily Phytophthora root rot which can result during prolonged periods of warm, wet weather.

Colors range from white, light pink, dark pink, red, to purple

Foliage color varies from, green, silver, gold tinged with red, light yellow, bronze green.

Common cultivars:

White

Erica carnea ‘Springwood’

Erica darleyensis

Red

Erica carnea

Pink

Erica carnea ‘December Red’

A Winter Wonderland of Beautiful Trees and Shrubs

melissa — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 02:35:20 +0000

Do not let the cold weather and snowy days ruin your passion and enjoyment for your garden or landscape. By making a few careful design and plant choices, your winter garden can turn into your favorite passtime.

First consider how you will be viewing your garden and from which favorite window you want to cozy up with a cup of cocoa. Or instead, wil you venture out into your winter wonderland?

For those who want to enjoy their garden from a distance during the winter months, consider creating a picturesque view from your window, filled with a combination of nature’s finest treasures, from colorful twig and tree barks, as well as, shrubs filled with bright, plentiful fruit for both you and the birds to enjoy, and don’t forget the bronze casts of left behind perennial plumes and graceful ornamental grasses.

For those who would prefer a closer look and would enjoy a stroll through the garden, a stone path with seating along the way will guide you though your landscape and make this walk more enjoyable. You must not forget a few suprises of stone sculpture or garden art to remind you of warm days gone by. All of these features create the foundation of your garden and spark visual interest and depth in their textures and various heights and sizes.

Our days are often filled with more overcast than sunny days with much less color to enjoy during the winter months, for this reason I have comprised a list of my favorite garden plants to help change your drab perspective of the winter garden. Often times, the attributes of these plants often go unappreciated during the Spring and Summer months when the colors of the season are competiting with one another.

Evergreen Favorites/Some with Berries:

Great for Structure/Form:

Juniper Varieties (Juniperus varieties)(blue berries)

Yews (Taxus varieties)(red berries)

Holly Varieties (Ilex varieties)(red berries)

Boxwoods (Buxus varieties)(traditional favorite)

Falsecypress (Chamaecyparis varieties) (golden foliage varieties)

Rainbow Leucothoe (Leucothoe axillaris)(variegated spotted/white, purple and green foliage)

Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)(graceful form)

Deciduous Shrubs/Some with Berries:

Interesting bloom, berry, stems:

Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata) (red berries)

Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) (blue berries)

Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea) (bright red twigs)

Dwarf Euorpean Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus ‘Compactum’) (berries)

Cranberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus) (berries)

Hydrangea varieties (Hydrangea quercifolia, tardiva) (Perennial bloom)

Rose of Sharon (Althea syriacus)(seedpods)

Trees

Interesting Bark/Form:

Corkscrew filbert (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’)

Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) (exfoliating bark)

Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) (bark, form)

Snake Bark Maple (Acer pensylvanicum)

Lacebark Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) (exfoliating bark)

River Birch (Betula nigra) (exfoliating bark)

Elaborate Water Garden Idea - Old-Fashioned Water Wheel

melissa — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 16:25:24 +0000

I found this water garden landscape idea on Landscape Network.

Now, an old-fashioned water wheel may be too eleborate for some. But, if you are wanting that perfect backyard conversation piece, this may be for you.

Seasonal Tip

melissa — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:16:24 +0000

The landscaping company I work with, Bramer Brothers, has this seasonal tip:

Cold weather is approaching fast. Most of us think we are done with the yard work. For those newly installed plants, we can’t forget about watering. The first year of care on newly installed plants is critical. Check the ground around your plants. If it is dry 2 inches below the surface, they need water. Just remember to water thoroughly versus shallow and often. Also, stop watering when temperatures are below freezing.

Landscape Solutions for Problem Areas

melissa — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 16:25:24 +0000

David Beaulieu of About.com provides these landscape design ideas of “problem areas:”

“My Land is Too Rocky”: Rock Garden Designs
“My Land is Too Hilly and My Soil is Eroding”: Retaining Walls
“I have a problem area pounded by the sun, and it dries out”: Landscape Solutions for Drought
“I have a wet spot on my land”: Dealing With Drainage Problems
“I have a spot too shady to grow plants”: Coping With Shade
“My Neighbors Can See Everything I Do in the Yard”: Landscaping Solutions for Privacy
“Something Keeps Eating My Plants”: Pest Control Strategies
“Weeds are taking over my yard”: Mulch as a Landscaping Solution
“I don’t have much time for maintenance and prefer a long-lasting landscaping solution”: Hardscape

Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid in Home Landscape Design

melissa — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 16:25:53 +0000

David Beaulieu of About.com considers these the Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid:

Piecemeal Planting: Failure to Have a Plan
Having a Lawn Just Because “Everyone Else Does It”
Insufficient Fall Color in Your Home Landscape Design
Lack of Winter Interest in Your Home Landscape Design
Failure to Irrigate
Planting on a Hillside Prone to Erosion
Failure to Work With What You Have
Failure to Incorporate Deer-Resistant Plants in Your Home Landscape Design
You Never Get Anything Done in the Yard Because Tools Are Never Handy
Forgetting Functionality in Home Landscape Design

10 Yard Trees Gone Bad

melissa — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 16:49:31 +0000

Steve Nix of About.com lists 10 trees that you may think twice about planting: