A Beautiful Lawn tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-101585450997290764 2015-04-18T00:54:00-07:00 Lawn Care and Landscape. Lawn and landscape tips information and 'How To' guides TypePad Summer Flowering Shrubs (1/2) tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0163017604c5970d0177431fa310970d 2015-04-18T00:54:00-07:00 2015-03-16T18:48:36-07:00 Summer Flowering Shrubs For your landscape to remain beautiful throughout the seasons, you need to have something of interest in each season. Therefore, the first step in a do-it-yourself landscaping project is for you to conduct a research. The intention is to have some flowering trees during summer and spring,... lawntips

Summer Flowering Shrubs For your landscape to remain beautiful throughout the seasons, you need to have something of interest in each season. Therefore, the first step in a do-it-yourself landscaping project is for you to conduct a research. The intention is to have some flowering trees during summer and spring, fall foliage over the autumn season and those that are favorable for winter. You have to choose shrubs that are drought tolerant so that as you plant them in spring, they will not succumb to the summer heat. As for flowers, consider the light and soil necessities before buying any prospective flowers for your lawn. It is very important to match the flower types to their space for beauty and consistency. There are quite a number of summer flowering shrubs that are easy to grow and maintain thus producing a very brilliant bloom even in the face of the glaring summer heat. These include the following;

Butterflybush
Butterfly Bush – This shrub can be equated to the lilac given their similarity in colors that is purple, pink, blue, lavender and white. The shrub has a very wonderful fragrance. Their bloom season is much longer than that of lilacs. They can go all the way from summer to autumn. The bloom is especially prolonged if you remove the older flower clusters as soon as they start fading. to 4'wide & 6' tall, some larger.

Carolina allspice
Carolina allspice – This shrub produces very beautiful flowers with a deep red color. The flowers emit a spicy fragrance which can be enjoyed across the yard. This is a low-care plant that is naturally very tough. It can grow very well in a full sun condition or in partial shade. It requires soil that is well drained. can get rather large, up to 5 feet wide & 10 feet tall

Hydrangea paniculata quickfire
Hydrangea paniculata – Among the hydrangeas, this species is the easiest to grow. As summer advances into autumn, the shrub will normally produce some feathery bunches of white flowers. The flowers then fade to pink and green shades. Whatever the spot, these rugged shrubs will fit perfectly. They do well in partial shade or full sun with soil that is very well drained. Hydrangeas are just phenomenal when it comes to landscaping. 6to 8' tall & wide is average

Nerium oleander
Oleander – This is a sub-tropical shrub that is very easy to care for. The shrub bears flowers during summer and these appear in shades of red, pink, lilac, white and yellow. This shrub is quite fail-safe such that you will commonly find it grown along highway sides in areas endowed with warm weather. It is however important to take note that this plant is quite poisonous. It grows well in full sun and well drained soil conditions.

Planting these summer flowering shrubs will ensure that there is bloom in your yard throughout the summer season despite the prevailing heat.

 Seeding a Lawn or Sod - Which is Better? tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0163017604c5970d01901eec51ac970b 2015-04-11T04:23:00-07:00 2015-04-11T04:23:00-07:00 There are several thing to consider when deciding whether to seed a lawn or to use sod, but the most important two are how patient you are and how much money you want to spend on your new lawn . If it is important to you to have a lawn... lawntips

There are several thing to consider when deciding whether to seed a lawn or to use sod, but the most important two are how patient you are and how much money you want to spend on your new lawn . If it is important to you to have a lawn that can be used and enjoyed within a short period of time, then spending the money for sod is the way to go. If all the proper prep work is don, sod will root quickly and can be ready for use in less than a months. Sodding can be done at almost any time of the year once winter is over, though it’s best to avoid hot midsummer temperatures.

If you are not in a hurry and would prefer a less expensive method, the cost of seeding is reasonable. Of course, you don’t get something for nothing. To save money, you’ll have to wait longer for the grass seed to establish .

The best time to seed your new lawn is when temperatures and moisture conditions are most favorable for seed germination, and when there is a lower potential for weeds to grow. For best results, a six- to eight-week period should be allowed when seeding.

The preferred time for seeding cool-season grasses - kentucky bluegrass, perennial (not annual) ryegrass, tall & fine fescue - is the end of summer or early to mid  fall. A lawn can be seeded in early spring but there is a greater chance for some weeds to grow as well.

Warm season grasses ( ber­muda grass & zoysia grass) are, for the most part, propagated vegetatively. How­­ever, each grass species has its own set of possibilities. For example, zoysia grass can be seeded or plugged. ber­muda grass can be  seeded  or plugged and can also grow from sprigs.. 

Warm-season grasses are best planted  very late in the spring or early to mid  summer. The extended period of warmer soil temperatures  encourages rapid growth. Avoid late summer or fall seedings, as there is not usually not enough time for the grass to root well enough to make it through the winter.