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Florida landscape plants offer such a stunning array of vivid flower colors, it can be difficult to decide which one is your favorite.  From the deep reds of Hibiscus, Ixora, and Passion Vine to the brilliant purples of Bougainvillea, Crape Myrtle, and Azaleas, one can fall in love with all of the color ranges!  As, well, when one visits a well-stocked nursery in the spring, when everything is in bloom, it can be overwhelming.

While it is natural to gravitate towards the more striking flower colors that stand out amongst a sea of green foliage, one should never overlook the simple grace and elegance of the white flower, or even more so, the white foliage of a plant.  Traditionally, using white as a landscape color has not been promoted as a viable or desirable landscape concept, and I suspect it is because it is simply misunderstood.   With that said,  let's explore the ways that using white as a landscape color can be best utilized:

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1.  Not all flowering plants can tolerate shady or part-shade light conditions, and continue to bloom.  However, some can, such as this white Angel's Trumpet, pictured above.  Using white as a landscape color is unique, in that white flowers and white-striped foliage will stand out in dark and shady light conditions.   Whether it is planted under an Oak tree, or even against a fence, these white flowers will stand out in the day time, and almost cast a ghostly hue at night, in places where other dark colored flowers will hardly be noticeable.  Some other white flowered or white-striped foliage plants to consider for similar site conditions are:

  • White Azalea
  • White-striped foliage Bromeliads
  • Variegated Minima Jasmine
  • Gardenia
  • Pinwheel Jasmine
  • Aztec Grass
  • African Iris
  • Peace Lily
  • White Bleeding Heart vine

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2.  White flowers and foliage can be used as a "buffer plant" separating other bold colors.  As you can see in the photo of the Bromeliads above, the white plant in the upper left corner, as well as the white trim on the center plant help all of the plants in the grouping stand out, highlighting their particular features to an advantage.  When you are considering using white as a landscape color with other colors, position the white plants in such a manner as to bring out the colors of the surrounding plants.  For example, if you are considering planting an annual bed with dark purple Petunias, or deep red Begonias, make 20% of the plants white, and randomly intersperse them throughout the bed to help the darker colors pop.  Some options for lower growing plants that make great white color buffers are:

  • Aztec Grass
  • Variegated Flax Lily (Dianella)
  • Variegated Minima Jasmine
  • White Dwarf Penta
  • Sun Hosta

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3.  Using white as a landscape color is particularly effective when creating a design for a dark-colored house paint.  Some plant features can seem to be lost when used as a foundation plant against a dark paint, to the point that they almost blend it.  If you select a white colored flower or foliage plant as a foundation plant, not only will that plant stand out, but it will set the stage for the other plants in front of it.  Consider the example above, of a Pinwheel Jasmine, that blooms almost all year.  It not only will stand out against a dark brown paint, but all other plants in front of it will shine in their own right, as well.  Keep in mind, though, that the opposite is true for a light colored house, such as white or yellow paint.  Some plants to consider as a foundation plant for dark-painted houses are:

  • Variegated  Pittosporum
  • Sinesis
  • Jasmine, many varieties to choose from
  • Silver Queen Hibiscus
  • Snowbush, or Snow on the Mountain
  • White Oleander
  • Chinese Silver Grass
  • White Fountain Grass

4.  Lastly. using white as a landscape color can be a complete landscape design concept whereupon the ONLY flower color being used is white.  In cases such as this, the design concept usually incorporates plants with dark foliage, with white used to highlight the dark foliage of other plants, with the primary focus being about texture and foliage contrasts.

Now that you have a better understanding of how white can be used as a landscape color, you will never see white flowers in the same light, again!  As always, half of the fun of gardening is to experiment, and see what works for you, as there is no wrong way, just a better way, when it comes to design.

So, let's get designing, folks, with white!

Donell

 

 

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rainbirdTimer

Programming your Rainbird irrigation controller is easier than you think.  While Rainbird makes it super simple, many others do, too.  It just takes a little understanding of some controller and irrigation basics, and the rest falls into place.  So, here we go with the basics, before we go to programming:

  • Every clock has a current date and time stamp.  That needs to be set for year, month, day, and time (AM vs. PM)
  • An installed irrigation system is set up in multiple zones, as you cannot water everything at once for lack of water pressure.  If you remove the bottom panel of your irrigation controller, you will see one wire (usually white or green) that goes to common, and the other colors go to numbered ports.  Each wire goes to a zone, and that will tell you how many zones you have, by the number of connected wires to zone numbers.  Each zone wire and numbered zone operates a specific zone on the face of the controller, and in the yard.  A zone is a section of the yard that will be irrigated at one time, and will be rotated by a section at a time by the programming of the controller that you will program.  Some home landscapes only have 2-4 zones, whereas large properties can have twelve or more, and your wiring panel will tell you how many zones you have to be programmed.  The number on the dial of the face of the controller is not indicative of the number of zones that you have, and you can only be certain by looking inside the controller to see what is wired up.  With controllers under 6 zones, you remove the bottom door panel, and with larger timers, you open it on the right side, like a door.  Both generally open with no tools needed, just by sliding or hand prying.
  • Some Rainbird controllers have a slide bar at the bottom right side, with numbers like 2, 3, 5 and "c".  If you slide the bar to the numbers, it will automatically water every 2 days, 3 days, or every 5 days, depending upon where you moved the slide bar to.  You should keep the slide bar at "c" which is for custom programming, which is what we will be doing for Tampa landscapes, and water restrictions (although you could use this cool feature if you are on reclaimed water)
  • Rainbird controllers (and most others) have at least two programs that can run simultaneously  On smaller controllers, the A/B program functions are a push button at the top right, next to the "on/off" or "up/down" arrow buttons.  On larger controllers, it is a slide bar, just left of the dial, that notes "A,B, or C".  These are your programs.  If you have an "A/B" program, you can run two programs.  If you have more, you can run more programs, A,B,C,D etc.  This is not the same as zones, as zones are the sections of the yard to be watered.  Programs are like an alarm clock, that you can program to wake you up multiple times in one day.   Programs are how you tell the zones to water.  To determine what program you are on when programming, look at the display window for a very small letter "A,B,C" etc.  It is miniscule, but critical, and it will tell you what program that you are programming.
  • On the Rainbird dial, there is a feature that either says "seasonal adjustment" or "water budget".  This feature allows you to adjust the amount of watering without changing the programming.  It should be set at 100%, which means that if you program each zone for 20 minutes, it waters for 20 minutes.  And, further, if it is the rainy season and you reduce the water budget to 50%, it will water 50% of what you programed, or 10 minutes instead of 20.  And, in the hot, dry spring, an increase of water budget to 150% increases the 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
  • Days of the week on the face of the Rainbird dial allows you to water certain days of the week.  With Tampa's water restrictions, you are only allowed to water on certain days, and this part on the dial allows you to program which days your irrigation will run.
  • The individual numbers on the dial are the zones that you have, and programming them allows you to tell the Rainbird controller how many minutes you will run each zone, which means, how many minutes will you run the sprinklers in each area of your yard, as they irrigate per section.  Plant beds may need less watering, as do sides of the house, while the front yard, full sun areas with grass need more.  This function allows you to determine how much water each section (zone) needs, and you can adjust it as needed, by changing the programming of the controller.  For example, maybe the full sun back yard needs 30 minutes for grass, but the sides only 8 minutes, because it is shaded and dank.
  • Each program has multiple start times.  That means that you can have 3-4 start times for program "A", and 3-4 start times for programs "B', and so on.  Start time is when you will start the watering for the zones that you have selected.  You should realize that if you have a smaller controller, with only "A and B" programs, you can have 3 start times for each A or B program.......that has the potential for 6 start times a day.  With larger controllers, there are usually 4 start times, and 3 programs, so that has the potential for 12 start times a day.  This is a very misunderstood feature on Rainbird controllers, and care must be taken, otherwise you could potentially be watering for 8 hours a day.  If you only want one program running, the other programs must be turned off, otherwise all programs will run, simultaneously, beyond your notice.
  • A program will not accept midnight as a start time, and that is the default to shut off a program from running.  Of course, the additional ways to stop a program are to shut off days of the week, or to shut off minutes per zone.  A zone needs all three to run, so if you have no start time, no days to water, and no minutes to water, the program will not run.
  • The last feature too discuss on the Rainbird controller is the advance button, usually on the top right corner (ADV).  This is how you test your system, or advance to a particular zone.  When the dial is in the "auto" position, if you press the advance button, it will start the program, and will re-set itself to the next time to run by itself.    This is also how you test the system on smaller controllers, and you can press the advance button to the next zone to run, or the next zone to run, or the next, etc.  The display screen will not only tell you what PROGRAM you are running, it will also tell you what zone, and how many minutes the zone is set to run for.  If you are on the wrong program, press the "A/B" button to change programs, or use the slide bar on larger controllers.

Once you understand the controller basics, the rest is easy to finish programming your Rainbird controller.  Move the dial to what needs to be programmed, and use the "up/down" arrows (top right corner) to make the changes.  On days of the week, for example, turn the dial to Monday, and use up/down to turn Monday off or on.  Move the dial to Zone 1, front yard full sun, and use the up/down arrows to adjust the minutes for the zone to run.  Pay attention to whether you are on program "A" or "B", as both are programs and you may inadvertently program the wrong one.  As for some adjustments such as time/date, you may have to use the advance button (usually used to start the programs), to move from one field to the next, to advance from year, to month, to day, to time, and then you still use the up/down arrows to make changes.  On larger Rainbird controllers, you will also have to use the advance button to check start times  per program, and then also use the up/down button to default a zeroed out start time to midnight.

I have two notes, and the first being that when I look at a controller, the first things that I check for are "water budget/Seasonal adjustment" and run times per program, as I find those to be the most common errors.  For example, a month ago,  a client not only had programming at 70% water budget on program "A", but it was running two times, overlapping by 1/2 an hour.  Worse, though, she had 3 start times running  on program "B'", and some of them were overlapping, too.  In this example, she had 5 start times, on two programs, and was mystified, and just saw water everywhere, every day, at all hours.  Who knows how that happened, but it did.  My guess is that multiple people programmed her controller over time, and did not pay attention to what program they were on, and how many start times were set.

Having multiple irrigation programs with multiple start times can be beneficial to your landscape, if you understand how to use them.  As an everyday irrigation strategy for your landscape, everything should be programmed on program "A"  for a typical September day.   With that, you either lower or raise your "water budget/seasonal adjustment" feature per the weather conditions.  Program "B' should be used for drip irrigation, or vegetable gardens, or anything else that needs more than normal watering, a per water restriction guidelines.  Program "B" or  even "C,D", can also be used for new plantings or sod replacement, or anything else that needs temporary additional watering, without watering all of the property.

Programming your Rainbird irrigation controller properly can be pretty awesome:  it not only allows you to have dominion over your landscape and water bill,  but it is sort of like knowing how to program a smart phone, when no one else does.

Water is an important resource for all of us as a community, as is your beautiful landscape.    Home budgets are tight, and qualified, knowledgeable advice is harder to find than ever.  We want for your plants to live, as well as help you save money on your water bill.  With that, Johns Palms Landscaping is offering to program your irrigation controller for free, as well as to teach you how to do it, at your home.  It's our way of saying thank you for your support of our 27 years in business, as well as paying it forward for the next 27 years, even if you have never been one of our customers in the past.

Call Johns Palms Landscaping at 813-493-3373, to schedule your appointment, today.

Let's get to it, and start fixing those bothersome issues about your home and landscape.  This one is an easy fix, and it's free!

 

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As more and more homes are built in communities that feature large tracts of grasslands and woodlands, it gives us an opportunity to live close to nature and enjoy the abundant wildlife that lives amongst us.  We can observe birds, rabbits, deer, and other wild animals in a natural setting, right outside of our patio, doors, and windows.  While enjoyable to watch, some of those animals can create havoc to our landscape, and pose challenges to even the most seasoned gardener.  Deer are one of those animals that love our landscape plants even more than we love to watch them, and can thwart almost any attempt to deter them.  Today, I will explore some of the physical or chemical barriers that are available, but will primarily focus on deer resistant plants for Tampa landscapes.

It's no surprise that deer have become a major pest to our landscapes and gardens.  They have less predators than ever before, which allows for increased populations.  As well, as we build closer and closer to their habitats, they become less intimated by human presence.   Often, we don't realize that we have a deer problem as they may only be present at late dusk and early dawn.  However, if you have damage to your plants, like the Hibiscus in the above photo, or see droppings similar to the photo on the right, you have a deer problem.  Some of their favorite plants are Roses, Indian Hawthorn, and Hibiscus, and once they know that you have them in your landscape, they will make regular feeding trips.  The easiest way to tell for certain is if the leaves are stripped off the top and sides of the plants, exposing only the stems.

So, if you have determined that you do have deer eating your landscape plants, you can try a few measures to deter them.  Small fencing barriers may be effective in some locations, while coyote urine or deer repellant may work in dry areas that receive little or no irrigation or rainfall.   Another option is to relocate your favorite plants close to the home's front entrance, but even that may not prevent the bolder ones from venturing closer to human foot traffic.

If you have tried barriers, scents and repellants, and relocating plants to "safe zones", and nothing has worked, you may just have to consider landscaping with deer resistant plants.  There are many wonderful deer resistant plants for Tampa landscapes, and with a little knowledge, you can create a beautiful landscape that will discourage the deer from making a nightly feeding trip to your home.  While deer will eat just about anything, they will mostly leave these plants alone, after an initial taste test:

  • Pinwheel Jasmine
  • Crinum Lily
  • Junipers, all varieties
  • Holly, all varieties
  • Pittosporum
  • Podocarpus
  • Society Garlic
  • Ligustrum
  • Viburnum, all varieties
  • Bird of Paradise
  • Agave
  • Bromeliads
  • Crossandra
  • Penta
  • Iris
  • Most grasses, such as Pampas, Fountain, Muhly, Adagio, Fakahatchee
  • Jatropha
  • Ixora
  • Gold Mound and Duranta
  • Bamboo
  • Palms
  • Allamanda
  • Azalea
  • Bottlebrush
  • Boxwood
  • Bush Daisy
  • Coontie, King Sago, and Cardboard palms
  • Downy Jasmine
  • Shiny Jasmine
  • Dwarf Firebush
  • Lantana
  • Nandina
  • Oleander
  • Plumbago
  • Philodendron, all varieties
  • Oyster plant
  • Mexican Petunia and Dwarf Mexican Petunia

This list is by no means complete, but you can always call our office if you have any questions about a particular plant, or you are welcome to add to this list based on your experience.  As a fail safe method, I will install a sample plant in a yard that I know has regular deer activity.  While it might be nibbled on, the deer may only be testing it.  If it is mostly left alone over a few weeks, than I feel comfortable using it in my design.  As always, have fun and experiment......that's half the joy of gardening!

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Landscape design incorporates many of the same concepts as any other type of artistic endeavor, whereupon one hopes to capture the heart and interest of those that view it.  Creating a beautiful landscape design is no different than creating a beautiful dance, painting,  musical score, or fine meal, where we, as the artist, try to provide the viewer with an experience that challenges and pleases all of the senses, through balance, flow, and sensual interest.

To achieve that in a landscape design, one must incorporate a few basic design concepts: specimen plants, focal points, background/screening plants, and filler plants (ground-covers, color, and such).  Today, though, we are going to focus on focal points.

Specimen plants are your large plants which are usually trees or palms.  Generally, they are tall and large, and the first thing that someone sees, when they approach your landscape.  I like to equate them to a large sectional sofa or entertainment center in a living room.  Background/screening plants are usually the hedges in the background, that allow the forward plants to pop; I call them the curtains and chairs in a living room.  The filler plants are the smaller grasses, ground-covers, etc. that fill up the majority of the rest of the landscape, that have color and interest, and I call them pictures and lamps.

Using living room decoration as an analogy then, in landscape design concepts, focal points are the mid-sized furniture:  cocktail tables and recliners.  If everything is tall or small, you have to have an in-between for balance, flow, and interest.  For me, most landscape designs are missing the focal point, which I call the 3'X3' or 4'X4' plant.....the cocktail table or recliner.  The human eye just does not easily scan a landscape canvas with bold height, and short low plants, without hiccuping.  You have to have the focal point, the mid-sized item, to bridge the divide from high to low.  Fortunately, a focal point is easy to add to your landscape design.

Focal points can be anything from plants, to statues, to boulders, to benches and bird baths.  They just have to be a mid-sized selection that interrupts your view from high to low in a pleasing way.  They should be substantial in impact, through size, color, or texture difference, but not so bold that they are the first thing that you see (in that case, they may become a specimen).

Some options to consider, both plant and non-plant:

  • Agave, Striped or Blue
  • Orange Bird of Paradise
  • Crinum Lily
  • Cardboard Palm
  • Coontie Palm (purchased mature, extremely slow growing)
  • King Sago palm
  • Windmill Palm, European Fan Palm, Needle Palm
  • Xanadu, Firecracker Plant (slow growing, possibly over time will work)
  • any smaller growing plants in group of three or so
  • Bird baths, statues, large pots with or without plants, boulders

Mostly, the idea is to designate an area that is about 4'X4' and create a secondary centerpiece that does not compete with your specimens, that creates flow and balance.   As with all artistic efforts, there are no rules, just thoughts and ideas, so you can't go wrong.  Try ideas out, draw them on paper, put a chair in that spot or a short trash can (the 3'X3' kind).  Test your ideas with similar household items, and see what you think of the placement with regards to space and concept.  And, then, go shopping and explore your options, and buy what you like. As is true with all landscape design, there are so many options to style and products, it is impossible to not get what you love.  So, get what you love, and don't settle for anything less.

With a few guiding principles of landscape design concepts, you can create a beautiful landscape for your home.

Post a question or comment, I'd be happy to answer what I can.

 

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A well designed landscape can add thousands of dollars to the appraised value of your home, and, surely, all of us understand the impact of "curb appeal" to potential buyers, real estate agents, appraisers, and loan providers.  Beyond that, though, a well designed landscape offers a sanctuary and beautiful vista for the homeowner, neighbors, friends and visitors, and even passer-bys.  A successful landscape design can be a show-stopper, eliciting fascination, envy, and wonder at the beauty of it.  To achieve that impact, though, there are 7 important elements of a successful landscape design that must be considered:

1.  By far, the most important element of landscape design basics is to recognize the primary point of view of your home and landscape.  Unless your home is at the end of a cul-de-sac, you are most likely approaching your home from a singular direction, from the left side or the right side.  Even if you live at a home that can be approached from both directions, it is most likely that you and your visitors approach your home from a common direction.  That is your primary point of view.  While it is important to look at all angles, the primary point of view is always what you see as you approach your home.  After all, you are the one that will see your landscape every day, and you are the one that needs to be pleased with what you see.

2.  Now that you have determined your primary point of view, the next important element of a successful landscape design is almost as important as the first....define what you love and hate about the area to be landscaped.  Do you have a beautiful front walkway with arches and columns?  Do you have large sweeping windows with low sills?  Do you have a one-story horizontal ranch-style house that looks short?  Do you have a neighbor that you wish wasn't your neighbor?  Do you have a street light that intrudes into your living room, night after night?    Do you need a little bit more privacy in one location or another?  Do people use your yard as a cut-through to get to the dog park?  Do you have a large tree(s) that must be worked with?  Identify those good and bad areas and features, and use your landscape design to fix them through select plants, and landscape concepts.

3.  Now that you have done the first two steps,  we are ready to dive into the heart of landscape design basics:  defining the landscape bed.    I personally think that this is the hardest part of the design process, but it is also one of the most important elements to a successful landscape design.  As well, it is also open to personal design preferences, so it is hard to go wrong with your choices.  More than anything, I would say that you can easily make your bed outline too small (and the house dwarfs the landscape), but you can never make it too big (everyone loves a large landscape).  Of course, the larger the bed, the more plants and expense, and, ultimately, weed pulling and plant trimming.  But, design is still design, and given that you have identified the features of your home and yard that you love and hate, now is the time to put that to action.    Short houses need lift on the corners, and some of those choices can also be used for privacy or blocking the neighbors and trespassers; tall houses need something on the corners to make them not look so tall;  every row of plants needs at least 3', so 3 tiers equals 9' at a minimum for bed depth; use curves to soften sharp edges.   Look at other designs that you admire in your neighborhood (not the plants, but the bed layout), and use that as an inspiration for your layout.   Use a garden hose or extension chords to play with bed lines.  At this point, we are still not at plant selection, we are just trying to define the space to work with.    As we progress, we will revisit this step again, and refine it further.

4.  At this point in landscape design basics, we are ready to consider plant selection and placement of those plants in the landscape, but we are not ready to decide on the exact plants that we will use.  Instead, we are going to look at them as if they were geometric shapes, that grow to different sizes when mature.  We are still on design principles, and every plant has it's place in a landscape. When I design, I look at plants like furniture:  some plants are sectional sofas or entertainment centers, and others are cocktail tables or recliners;  some are foot stools or end tables, and the rest of them are pictures and lamps.  An important element of a successful landscape design is to make sure that we have the appropriate combination of all of these in the landscape design, as no living room would be inviting with all sofas, and no pictures and lamps, and visa verse.  It is all about balance, and there are many plants that will naturally fill any design requirement .  If you have a small living room, you still need a sofa, TV, and cocktail table; if you have a large living room, you need that, and a loveseat, recliner and a few end tables.  It's up to you, and your design aesthetics, but ultimately, everybody needs the big and medium items, and then some pictures and lamps.  In your landscape design, position your larger specimen plants first (trees, palms), then the mid-sized specimens next (King Sago, Crinum Lily, the 4'X4' plants), and then the rest is pictures and lamps.  At this point, we are still not looking at plant selection, but we are re-evaluating our bed layout design.  Is it going to hold all of the furniture/plants that we want to put in there?  As we get deeper into landscape design basics, we need to keep the bed layout in mind.  We will get back to that.

5.  At this point, we have not discussed another important element of a successful landscape design, which is the style of your home.  If your house has a strong, distinctive exterior style, then it will lend itself to a certain landscape style, that must be honored.  To me, as a landscape designer, most homes have a personality that calls to me of a certain style of landscape design.  That being said, it does not mean that you can't bend the rules some, but all would agree that it would be a bad match to pair a Key West landscape design with a Colonial traditional home.   As we get closer to plant selection, this part of landscape design basics is critical, as I do think that you can pair many plants with many styles, just be cautious of ignoring your house's inherent personality.  When you ultimately do you plant selection, ask yourself "does this fit with the style and plan that I have envisioned?".

6.  This important element of a successful landscape design might require some outside help, or a least a little bit of research and homework, and it is about the planting site, as well as your expected level of participation in the long-term care of your plants .  What are the sunlight conditions (shade, part shade, full sun)?  Is it exposed to winter elements (north facing, prone to freeze or frost damage)?  What type of soil (well-draining, or clay-based)?  Are there drainage issues, where water collects?  Are there unusual but common issues like deer eating the landscape plants?  Are you willing to provide pest control on plants that are prone to pests?  Are you willing to trim plants to keep them to size requirements to meet your landscape plan?  Do you have an automated sprinkler system, and are you willing to run it?  If not, are you willing to hand water or provide water, to establish and maintain your landscaping? These issues are unique to your landscape, and you,  and must be understood and addressed if you want a successful landscape design.

7.  Congratulations!  You are now ready to select your plants!  You might have noticed that plant selection is the least important part of the Landscape Designs Basics process, for a very good reason.  Plants are expensive, and some plants are permanent and difficult or expensive to remove.  With a thoughtful plan, hopefully you will have a landscape plan that will enthrall you and captive others for years to come.  Now that you know what you need to fill a landscape space, and you know what your site conditions are, and what your level of desired maintenance and care to be, you can shop for your plants.    Start with the largest, and adjust your landscape bed line accordingly, with it's ultimate growth in mind.  Then select the mid-sized plants, and give them room, too.  The rest is pictures and lamps, and while they are important, they are usually not hard to move, or change out.

I've been doing this for years, and I can tell you that it is trial and error.  I've done  probably 1500 landscape designs, maybe more? and to be sure, every home is different, every client's needs are different.  I get stumped, more than one would think, and I just walk away for a few hours or a day, and then revisit it.  There is no right or wrong about design, you just have to like what you have done, and hope that others agree.  That is the Art of it, yes?

 

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This is an interesting concept, that your gardening style is related to your Astrological Sign!  What do you think?  Do you see yourself in this gardening horoscope?

link:  http://moongrow.com/article%20archive/Gardening_and_Horoscopes.html

Gardening and Horoscopes
By the Astrocenter Team
It's now safe to plant outdoors in the Northern Hemisphere. But what will you grow in your garden of earthly delights?Flowers, herbs, vegetables, fruit-bearing trees, decorative shrubs - what a decision! Before you head off to the garden center, take a peek below to see which type of gardening suits your disposition best.

Seeds and life

Regardless of your choice, once you're down on your hands and knees, digging into the earth, don't be surprised if you're inspired to plant seeds in other areas of your life. Gardening isn't just fun. It's therapeutic.

Aries:

(March 21 - April 19)
Patience has never been one of your most famous traits, so if a project doesn't show results quickly, chances are good that it may not get finished.

Garden ideas

When deciding what to plant in your garden, forget about seeds. Get yourself some seedlings or mature plants of the fast-growing, hardy variety. Don't waste your time on anything that's not perennial, and don't be surprised if your favorite part of gardening is doing battle with the enemy: weeds.

Taurus:

(April 20 - May 20)
You, Taurus, don't ever start a project unless you fully intend to finish it. That goes double for projects that involve living things.

Garden ideas

You love good food and have quite the green thumb, so growing veggies, fruit, and herbs is a must. Yet your fondness for sweet sights and scents means you'll need a colorful, aromatic flowerbed, too. Oh, and trees - don't forget the trees. Sure, they'll take years to grow, but you won't mind. Patience is your middle name.

Gemini:

(May 21 - June 21)
You're perpetually busy, so free time isn't just rare; it's priceless and absolutely must be spent on fascinating activities. For gardening to fit into that category, a virtual buffet of brightly colored flowers is the only option.

Garden ideas

Choose fast-growing blossoms, and start with plants, not seeds. Then, you might want to just skip all the work and buy the flowers at your local outdoor market.

Cancer:

(June 22 - July 22)
A garden is a required part of your nesting process. It's part of what makes a house a home. You won't settle for one type of greenery, either.

Garden ideas

You want flowers, herbs, veggies, and fruit - a little bit of everything. If you don't have a yard, you'll manage to create your own little Eden on your deck or patio. Getting your hands dirty in good, rich earth is the point. It's healing to your soul, your mind, and your heart.

Leo:

(July 23 - August 22)
Showy, extravagant, colorful and impressive - that's a garden worthy of regal Leo. Better still if it's chock-full of rare blooms in imaginative displays. You'll only be satisfied if the end result is something you're proud enough to submit for the cover of Town and Country. In your mind, that's a garden.

Garden ideas

Be sure you have qualified help with new plants and seedlings and with rearranging and pruning your "permanent residents." If you opt to go it alone, prepare yourself to do two full-time jobs.

Virgo:

(August 23 - September 22)
You have a famous connection with leaf-creatures, so strong that they can't help but flourish under your care. That applies equally to the finicky African violets on the windowsill to your hardy vegetable garden, regularly producing enough to feed a family of four for the year.

Garden ideas

Warn your friends not to worry if they don't hear from you for a while. 'Tis the season to ignore your two-legged friends in favor of your green-legged "buds."

Libra:

(September 23 - October 22)
Creating and maintaining balance, harmony and beauty - that's your job. It's not easy, but during growing season you have an excuse to indulge yourself in one of the more pleasant aspects of your astrological work: planting and tending to flowers.

Garden ideas

You have a knack for arranging a garden - from seeds, mind you - so that the heights, colors, and even the size and shape of the blooms are perfectly symmetrical. It's magical, and the final result is equally enchanting.

Scorpio:

(October 23 - November 21)
As a lover of secrets, you prefer what's behind the scenes and beneath the surface, and you absolutely must be in control of any project you take on.When it's time to plant a garden, then, anything that's already growing just won't work.

Garden ideas

You want to start from scratch. Planting seeds is terrific, but your all-time favorite is bulbs. Seeing them sprout from the earth you've personally turned, worked, and fertilized is the ultimate in satisfaction.You have zero tolerance for weeds.

Sagittarius:

(November 22 - December 21)
Anything with fur, feathers, or leaves is automatically a member of your extended family, and you treat them all with love and respect.

Garden ideas

Since bigger is always better in your book, your favorite leaf-creatures are trees or plants that are capable of becoming trees. If your garden is potted, start with avocado pits or apple or orange seeds. If you've got acres, go for broke. Start an orchard - and maybe a business.

Capricorn:

(December 22 - January 19)
Before you invest your valuable time and energy into a garden, you'll map it out on a grid, read up on the expected growth demographics in several books, and then, finally, when all conditions are right, plant your seeds.

Garden ideas

There will be no need to thin out rows of seedlings, as some guides suggest. You'll plant exactly what you want to grow and tend to every seed until it's a mature plant.

Aquarius:

(January 20 - February 18)
Being different and making sure everyone notices that fact is what you live for. So when you decide to start a garden, you'll spend more time finding unusual plants and flowers than you will putting them in.

Garden ideas

Another alternative is to buy a seed mix, scatter it in your yard, and wait to be surprised by what comes up. Your garden tends to be weedy, though. To you, "weed" is just a label. Every living thing has an equal right to survive.

Pisces:

(February 19 - March 20)
Your yard is probably full of lovely greenery - an assortment of plants, flowers, and trees that you're sentimentally attached to. Your grandmother's rosebush may be next to the mailbox, your Mom's African violets in your window box, and that tree out front has probably been there since you were in grammar school (aren't those your initials on the trunk?).

Garden ideas

Tending to these precious creatures comes naturally, but when you choose something new, it's with your own children - and grandchildren - in mind.
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red-sisterCAM00339Kiwi Ti Plantauntie-lou

Most people are familiar with the Red Sister Ti Plant, with it's striking magenta leaves, that add a vibrant splash of color to many landscapes. Ti Plants (Cordyline fruticosa) are a large family of plants that offer so many varieties that it is worth the effort to explore options other than the more common Red Sister.  While Red Sister is a lovely plant, it prefers shade, and can often-times have "sunburn" spots on it's leaves when grown in full sun.  As well, it tends to grow "leggy" over time, displaying more stem (I call them chicken legs) than foliage.  A simple solution to this characteristic, of course, is to use them behind a bushy plant, whereupon one only sees the bright leaves, and not the "chicken legs".

Fortunately, though, there are other Ti Plant variety options that provide a range of growth heights and sizes, foliage color, and preferred lighting conditions.  Black Magic Ti Plant, for example, is one of the tallest and widest growing varieties, with a deep Plum-colored foliage, that will grow in sun or shade.   At the other end of the spectrum is Kiwi Ti Plant, or even Lemon-Lime, with shades of light or lime green in it's leaves, for shade or part-sun.

Despite that endless choices of Ti Plant to choose from, it can be difficult to find a specific variety at local nurseries.  Most nurseries carry only the Red Sister variety, probably because it is the most familiar to customers, and arguably the most colorful.  With a little bit of leg work, though, one can find other varieties.  In my recent visits to several local nurseries, I have seen Black Magic, Bolero, Auntie Lou, Xerox, Lemon-Lime, and Ruby.  Any of these varieties are a wonderful addition to a landscape, and can be used either as a substitute for Red Sister, or in combination with.  One note to keep in mind, though, about any variety of Ti Plant:  most are grown in shade houses, so if you are planning to use them in full sun, you should either buy them raised in full sun, or you will have to acclimate them over several months.  Eventually the new growth will be acclimated, and if it is a variety that will tolerate full sun, it will adapt and ultimately thrive.

For a comprehensive list and beautiful photos of the various Ti Plant cultivars, please visit this link:  http://www.cordyline.org/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=35&catid=13

 

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Anything that I have to say would simply be redundant.

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Dwarf Bamboo; Golden Goddess Bamboo
Dwarf Bamboo; Golden Goddess Bamboo

There may be many reasons why you might want to add a privacy barrier to your Tampa landscape.  Perhaps you would simply like some privacy!  Or, you might need one as a sound barrier next to a noisy street, or to block out a street light that disturbs your sleep.  Maybe the local teenagers cut through your yard on their way to the park, or your neighbors have an unkempt yard that offends your view.  No matter the reason, a privacy barrier can be one of the best landscape investments that you can make.

When selecting the types of plants that you might like to use, you need to keep a few things in mind:  it should be a plant that is hardy and permanent; you need to understand the maintenance requirements and preferred planting site of the selected plant(s); and you must make sure that you have the space for a privacy barrier.

Primarily, you want to make sure that the privacy barrier will live for many years.  Given it's function in the landscape, if the plant that your select is prone to freeze damage, you have the potential to lose your privacy hedge in any given winter.  A good example of this would be using plants like Bougainvillea or Hibiscus, that could potentially be killed or freeze burned to the ground, and you will have to wait many years for them to grow back.  If you would still like to use plants such as these, consider adding a few so that you get the look that you like, but do not rely on them as a permanent plant.

Secondly, make sure that understand the growth habit of your desired plant(s) for the privacy barrier.  Some plants like Podocarpus can be trimmed as a more narrow and upright hedge, but plants like Dwarf Bamboo will need plenty of side room to grow.  Also, while some plants are versatile in their sunlight and soil preferences, others may not be.  One example is Ligustrum, which prefers sunlight and well-drained soil, but will be thinned out in too much shade or may get root rot in soils that are too moist.

Lastly, make sure that you truly understand the ultimate growth habit of the privacy barrier plants that you select.  If you can determine the height of the privacy barrier that you desire, you can try to select plants that will ultimately stop growing at near that preferred height.  Otherwise, you should at least try to understand the maintenance level that it might take to keep a plant at 10' when it really wants to grow to 20'.  Ask yourself how many times a year will I have to trim it, and does that schedule mesh with what I willing to do in my landscape?

Fortunately, there are many wonderful plants that you can select from to create your privacy barrier.   While some plants grow very slowly (like Chinese Fan Palm), others grow very quickly (such as Sweet Viburnum).  Depending upon your budget and the urgency of the privacy barrier, you may be able to buy smaller plants (3 or 7 gallon size) and let them grow.  Conversely, if you need an instant privacy barrier, you will have to purchase plants that are several years old, and have a much higher price tag.

Any of these plants will work for your Tampa landscapes, just be sure to understand their ultimate growth height and spread, preferred planting conditions, and typical maintenance schedule:

  • Dwarf Bamboo, varieties such as Golden Goddess, Fern Leaf, and Alphonse Karr
  • Chinese Fan Palm
  • Areca Palm
  • Roebellini Palm, in select situations due to limited growth height
  • White Bird of Paradise
  • Fishtail Palm
  • Bottlebrush tree, single trunk or multi-stem
  • Podocarpus
  • Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum)
  • Red Cedar
  • Eleocarpus
  • Ligustrum tree
  • Holly, many varieties

Any of these plants would make a welcome addition to your landscape, either in a grouping or hedge,  or as a solitary plant.  As well, many of them can be mixed together in a pleasingly cohesive design that can create a privacy barrier that doesn't look like a "wall".  As always, half of the fun of landscaping is experimenting, so if you do your homework, and understand the nature of the selected plant(s), you will be amply rewarded!

Let's get growing, Folks!  You privacy barrier is awaiting!

Donell

 

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Every landscaper and gardener has their favorite go-to landscape plants, that they prefer to include in a landscape design for their unique color or foliage, ease in maintenance, and versatility under many planting conditions.  Here are my favorite landscape plants,  my top 10 (although I will admit, it was hard to winnow the list to only 10!)

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Ti Plants, but only certain varieties.  I like to use the varieties that can be planted in full sun or shade, and stay full throughout the plant, naturally or with a little trimming.  My two favorites are Black Magic (on the left) for areas that could use a larger and wider growing plant, or varieties such as Auntie Lou or Xerox (on the right), that are more slender, upright growers.  And, I never, never use Red Sister!  In fact, Red Sister usually looks horrible after the first year, and, sadly, just gives the rest of the family a bad reputation.

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Crinum Lily, either green leaf or the red-leafed varieties.  This is a great 4'X4' growing plant, your mid-sized mini-specimen, so that not everything is tall or small in the landscape design.  It is drought tolerant, generally pest free, and needs two time a year leaf clean up.  Occasionally, small pups do need to be removed, but they can either be planted elsewhere in the garden, or given to friends in a seed or cutting exchange.

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Blushing Bromeliads, the Neo variety (not the ones that are green all year and bloom once a year for a month).  These wonderful plants come in all leaf colors and growth sizes, and if used properly, can add foliage interest to a well-designed landscape.  They have little maintenance requirements, and multiply over time to fill in an bed area, and yet are still easy care enough that you can control their growth so that they do not over take your garden.

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Angel's Trumpet is not for everyone, but if you have the room and the inclination, this plant can provide endless ghostly salmon or white trumpet flowers during the humid summer months, that have a delicious subtle fragrance that wafts through the stillness of the night air.  It is a hallucinogen, though, so care must be taken with pets and children.

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Foxtail Fern could not be a more versatile plant, that lives in almost all light and soil conditions.  It's bright lime, funky foliage works well against almost any other plant color and texture, and can be used as a border plant, or a mid-sized filler plant.  As well, it is unique in that it's foliage generally does not "stretch" or change color in the sun versus shade, so it can easily be used as a plant that matches on both sides of a bed with different light conditions.

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Pinwheel Jasmine is a mid-sized shrub that blooms almost year-around, in sun or shade.  It makes a great background or foundation plant, and it's blooms stand out nicely in the shade or even at night.  White foliaged or white blooming plants are often over-looked in the landscape, but they stand out nicely against dark paint colors or other green-foliage plants, and can help other bold landscape colors pop.

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Dwarf Crown of Thorn is a fabulous option to use instead of seasonal flowers.  Seasonal flowers must be changed out 2-4 times a year, whereas Dwarf Crown of Thorn is a long living perennial that blooms throughout the year.   If trimmed properly (two times a year), it can grow to the size of a soccer ball, and will be dense throughout the plant.  While it can be prone to frost and freeze damage, it generally bounces back within one season, making it a viable landscape plant for a Tampa garden.

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Dwarf Bamboo varieties such as Alphonse Karr, Golden Goddess, or Fernleaf cannot be matched as far as privacy barriers go.  They are not only quick growing, they are cold hardy for Tampa landscapes, drought tolerant, and pest free.  They require little maintenance after they are established, and have foliage from top to bottom, making them ideal for privacy.  Dwarf Bamboo does require space to grow though, as they can grow almost as wide as they grow tall (8'-15'), so that must be taken into consideration.  Despite that, they also offer an easy tropical or lush flair to many styles of landscape design.

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Adagio Grass, also called Chinese Silver Grass, is a large growing (4'X4') landscape grass that is a great substitute for the much larger growing Pampas Grass.  In the landscape, it can be used as a stand alone feature, as a background plant, or in mass plantings.  It provides many soft white plumes throughout most of the warm months, and it's foliage has a white rib, that gives it a silver shimmer.  I find that it grows well in most soil conditions, and while it prefers full sun, it will tolerate and still bloom in part shade.  While it can hold on to it's old leaves as it grows new ones, one easy method to remove these is to use a leaf rake like a hair comb, used upside down.  Other than this 1-2 time a year maintenance task, this plant is generally care-free.

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Bottlebrush is a small growing tree that can easily be sheered and trimmed to a desired size, thereby making it a perfect candidate for a small specimen plant or privacy barrier.  It can also be allowed to grow to it's full potential of 15-20', allowing it to be a magnificent and glorious centerpiece of your landscape design.  It can be purchased in multi-trunk form or in single trunk form (called a standard), and I generally prefer the standard variety, as it allows for plantings underneath to help create a multi-layered landscape design.  Bottlebrush trees can bloom for several months of the year, and have the added bonus of being pollinators that attract butterflies, honey bees, and hummingbirds.  Preferably, they should be lightly trimmed once a year to help keep them dense.

From these photos, and my brief plant descriptions, you may be able to see why I have listed these as my favorite landscape plants, and as my top 10.  I have many more favorites, and I will post about them later, perhaps as another round of favorite landscape plants, top 20.  Mostly, though, they made the list for their ease in care, fabulous characteristics of form/color/texture interest in a landscape design, and their versatility of site conditions and purposeful use in the landscape.

When you decide as to what you would like in your landscape, I suggest that you start with a favorite list as well, and then learn the nature of that plant to determine if it will fit into your over-all plans.  Again, half the joy of gardening is the trial and error.

So, let's get to picking favorites and making new garden friends, folks!

Donell