Sure Things

Don't you just love to look at landscaping while out on a drive?  Of course, not while YOU are driving.  The variety of plants, trees, shrubs and flowers is really inspiring.  And who doesn't like to go to the nurseries that seem to be everywhere around here?  We are really fortunate in that regard.

In my neck of the woods, there are Miday's, Rohr's, Lafayette Forest, Rice Nursery, and one on Erie Street (can't remember the name).  And that is only a few.  There are many more, including one nice one on Applegrove.  If you want to really treat yourself, try Petitti Gardens.  Their main store in Avon is spectacular, but people have told me the Tallmadge location is good too.

When we first moved here, landscaping was the last thing on our minds.  We still didn't have closet doors or carpet!!  And builder's dirt was everywhere.  It was a daunting task building a house.  There was, in fact, too much so we sub-contracted some of the work to others.  We subbed out the basement dig, the block, concrete in basement and garage, the fireplace, chimney, the electric and the plumbing.  We took on the framing, the drywall, painting, finished wood trim, the roof, siding, and heating.  We moved in just before the snow started in October 1987.

Finally, after a few years when the dust had settled, we went to Miday's.  The old guy was still there and he helped us pick out azaleas, rhododendrums, and an unusual Japanese flowering plant of some kind.  They have all made it and are still doing great.  As time went by, we added a bed in the backyard and landscaped the front too, using some dwarf Alberta spruce.  Thing is, these conical spruce got infested with spider mites.  We didn't know that you have to take the hose to them every year and really spray them hard.  So they started dying a little at a time until you could see through them.  Finally, it was time to yank them out using our old trusty John Deere four-wheeler that's as old as the house.

That's when somehow I found boxwoods.  They are my favorite "go to" shrub that fills almost every need.  They are hardy and evergreen.  The aren't pokey.  They define an area with their beauty, and can be trimmed into almost any shape.  There are many different species, so pay attention to how large they will get.  For small spaces, they even have a variety that only gets a couple of feet tall.

Viburnums are lovely.  They come in either tree or shrub, and their pinkish flowers have a wonderful smell in spring.  Ours are just budding out now.  They hold most of their leaves during the winter too so at least you don't have another barren tree.  A couple of days ago I told you about the drift roses, and I do recommend them as well.  Rose of Sharon are a nice tree/bush.  They bloom in late summer/early fall, and their purple color is lovely against a backdrop of green.

My niece has a verdant backyard, an oasis amidst many older homes in Fairview Park.  She has always said that you don't need a lot of color, just dabs here and there.  Too much color and it is overwhelming and almost garish.  The shades of green are gorgeous, with just that splash of color.  There is an ad on TV running right now.  Have you seen it?  The one where the man and woman create these towers of flowers?  The result is really nice, but they have way too many of them and way too much color besides.  Perfect example of too much of a good thing.

This spring the reluctant work that I did last fall paid off.  My grandson's school had a fundraiser and I bought bulbs.  Seemed like a great idea at the time, but then when they came it was cold and I didn't feel like going out there and planting them.  BUT, I did.  And I think every single one of them came up this spring.  I put them among the Sweet William in the front and so they were naturalized.  What a nice surprise!

If you are just starting out, read the labels on everything.  They've made it so much easier by telling you if the plant likes full sun, part sun, or shade.  They tell you how large they will get and how far apart they should be planted.  At that point, you can make some really good decisions on where this plant would do best in your yard.  And there is no law against moving them.

Oh, and about slugs!!  I really despise slugs.  They have done a lot of damage over the years when I didn't realize what was doing it.  Buy some play sand in a bag and put it on the surface of your flower beds.  Slugs don't have much protection and they can't tolerate the sand on their skin. 

Good gardening everyone!!