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| Q. How can I create a privacy hedge
so I can play in my kiddie pool without the neighbors questioning
my sanity? |
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A. There are many great ways to create a natural
screen. One is ‘Bright and Tight’ Carolina cherry laurel,
an evergreen that stays very compact. Take a look at clumping bamboo,
like featherleaf. Flowering shrubs include evergreen viburnums,
primrose jasmine, and shrub roses like Mutabilis. For narrow spaces,
consider Italian cypress. Trellised vines like star jasmine and
potato vine can break up the view with vertical attention. I also
like to use ‘Little Gem’ magnolia, which stays compact,
and provides dense foliage all year.
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<<view past Questions of the Week |
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|
 Red
bird of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
Right now you’ve probably noticed a spectacular plant
blooming around town. It’s red bird of paradise, and it
loves our hot weather. Its bright red-orange blooms and nice
green foliage make a stunning specimen plant in the landscape.
It provides a southwestern look with a tropical flair that is
especially nice near a pool or outdoor patio. This tropical
plant is not dependably hardy in our area.
A closely related species, Caesalpinia gilliesii,
produces finely cut foliage and yellow blooms adorned with
long red stamens. While less showy, it is hardier and attracts
hummingbirds. Give these plants a sunny location with good
drainage. A little water periodically is all they need to
thrive.
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<<view past Plants
of the Week
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- If you’ve kind of lost your garden, or parts of it, due
to summer’s scorch, this is a good time to pull out the
lackluster. Mix compost into the soil to allow it to rest for
a few months. That way it’ll be ready to go when fall planting
season arrives.
- If you’ve got natives that have bloomed themselves out,
lightly shear them back now, fertilize and water. They’ll
be back in fall with an outstanding show.
- Summer’s a good time to walk through the landscape and
evaluate problems. Maybe you’ve got a spot in the lawn that
requires constant water and still looks bad. It may be that the
soil is too shallow, or the sun’s baking it. Maybe that
spot would be better as a bed of drought-tolerant plants.
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<< more Planting Tips |
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