Willow Trees
Willows Want It Wet! You don’t have to be a tree expert to recognize a “Weeping Willow” tree. Native to China, Salix babylonica, commonly called weeping willow or Babylon weeping willow, is a medium to large shade tree with a stout...
Magnolias Are a Solution for Clay Soil
Showy Magnolias Aren’t Fussy About Clay Soil At this time of year, Magnolias are putting on a show. If you’re looking for a showy flowering tree that’s not too large but grows fast, consider the Magnolia! There are some gorgeous Ma...
Using Windbreaks to Reduce Energy Cost
Windbreak Plantings – How and Why Cool, windy days remind us how useful windbreak trees are. Effective windbreak plantings save energy dollars, paying for themselves many times over the years. They also make our lives easier and our ho...
Fabrics Make Hardscapes Stronger
Geotextiles Are you tired of fixing potholes and washouts in your gravel driveway? Is your paver patio settling into the ground? Do you have a sagging, collapsing retaining wall? These problems can have one thing in common; they were ins...
Backyard Greenhouse Basics
Living With a Backyard Greenhouse Have you ever considered having a home greenhouse? It’s certainly an appealing thought. Perhaps you could start your vegetable garden and bedding plants extra early from seed, saving money and getting ...
Red Maples – Which One Do You Mean?
What Exactly is a Red Maple Tree? As spring unfolds, the deep red blooms of red maple trees along the roadsides and in the woods really stand out. Within days, the blooms fall onto the pavement like blood-red snow. Did you know that red ...
Humane Control Works Best
Humane Mole Control is the Most Effective They’re back! Telltale cones of mud in your lawn are a signal that mole season is upon us, and if you do nothing, moles will take over your entire yard. Doing nothing is not an option. Over the...
A Winter Visit to Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens in Winter How would you like to spend an afternoon in a tropical paradise? For an afternoon’s relief from winter dreariness, beautiful Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania is one of our favorite places. The...
Holly and Ivy Symbolize Christmas
Holly & Ivy Holly and ivy have been traditional Christmas decorations since at least the fifteenth century. Evergreen Holly, sometimes referred to as “Christ’s thorn”, has carried a Christian symbolism since medieval times. Because H...
What Temperature is Your Lighting?
Light Temperature Have you ever noticed how “white” lights seem to vary in color? Some light bulbs seem yellowish, others almost blue; some seem to have no color at all but give an unpleasant “cold” light that’s very unflatterin...
Budget for Beauty
Budget for Beauty Our Christmas shopping trips take us on a whirlwind tour of the Cincinnati metro area, and on our way home we like to detour through the lovely neighborhoods of Indian Hill and Mariemont. Their tree-lined streets and pr...
Composting for the Lazy
Improve Your Garden with Cheap Homemade Compost Job one in gardening and landscaping is loosening and enriching compacted soil and clay by mixing in organic materials like compost. For experienced gardeners, good compost is worth its wei...
How Did This Landscape Disaster Happen?
Design – Landscape Pathology As a landscaper specializing in “makeovers” (rebuilding existing landscapes) I often find myself looking at landscape disasters, trying to pick up the pieces and figure out how to make it right. You might...
Hollies – It Takes Two to Berry
Hollies – It Takes Two to Berry Think about what a pleasure it would be to walk out into your garden next Christmas and gather an armful of festive holly branches for holiday decorating. We’ve all seen magnificent Holly shrubs and tree...
Hostas Are Problem Solvers for Shade
Hostas Are Problem Solvers for Shade Hosta is a perennial foliage plant so well-known and widely planted that many gardeners take it for granted. There are over 3000 named varieties, all of them easy to grow and very trouble-free. They a...
Pansies Shrug Off Late Frost
Pansies Are Cold-Hardy Color As fall weather brings frosts, your annual flowers will start to fall victim to nighttime temperatures, wilting and turning brown. Some annual flowers are more tender than others. The petunias and lantanas in...