Using plants to add movement to the landscape Story by Jane Jordan Strong winds can cause plants to move excessively, which in turn pulls on their roots and weakens brittle branches. Some plants embrace this movement – they have strong roots, clumps that hug the ground, and stems that can stand up to gusts or …
Planting underneath your landscape trees Story by Karen Neill Under the trees is where you will find me as we head into the hot summer months. Trees play an important role in our landscapes, providing much needed shade. Proper placement can also mean energy savings. You can reduce summer air conditioning costs by up to …
Overcoming the problem of planting under trees Story and Photos by Katharine Musso We’ve all seen those meticulously groomed lawns with one or more handsome specimen trees dropped seamlessly in the emerald green seas of turf. Maybe we saw it in a movie or maybe we saw it across town. What we do not see …
We need the bees, please! Story by Jay Carter Photos by Bill Johnson Pollination is one of nature’s most incredible processes. In fact, insects, birds, and animals – such as bats – pollinate over 75 percent of our flowering plants and 75 percent of our crops. Almonds are an exception to the rule: They are …
Story and Photos by Clara A. Curtis I’ve written about and gardened with this little-known ground cover for many years, yet I believe Epimedium need a Pied Piper to call attention to their variety and flexibility in garden designs. The genus is not widely known. According to Tony Avent, a well known plant evangelist and …
Story and Photos by Hubert P. Conlon whatgrowsthere.com Brighten up dark areas in your woodland garden with Japanese forest grass, sometimes called hakone grass. This warm-season ornamental grass performs well in most areas of Tennessee; it may struggle a bit in the warmer regions. Start by planting in amended, compost-rich soil in full to partial …
A bucket list of growing tips Story and Photos by Maureen Heffernan Five generations of his family, beginning with his great-great-grandfather, have farmed and gardened on Jared Dean West’s 102 acres in Ada. Of this acreage, 52 acres were part of the original Indian allotment lands of the late 1800s. His great-great-grandfather made his way …
The scent of gardenia is unmistakable Story by Denise Pugh The fragrance travels on the wind and comes around the corner quite unexpectedly. The month of June is ushered in by the most intoxicating fragrance. The smell is subtle in the breeze, but as one walks closer to the shrub – a gardenia (G. jasminoides) of …
‘Purple Fountain’ beech Story and Photos by Andrea Dee ‘Purple Fountain’ beech is a standout ornamental tree with a uniquely slender upright form and graceful weeping branches. Smooth dark plum/purple foliage hangs like ornaments draping downward. This handsome specimen provides a dazzling four-season show of color in the landscape: leafing out copper in the spring …
A professor gone bananas! Story by Annie Barbas Photos courtesy of Dr. Greg Fonsah As we guide our children toward academic success, we would have to look very hard to find a more intriguing example than Dr. Greg Fonsah. Originally from the former French colony of Cameroon, Dr. Fonsah was a local planting expert even …
