Here are some last minute ideas for Christmas gifts for the gardener on your list.

The easiest gift to arrange and obtain is a gift certificate. Personalize it and reveal thoughtfulness by purchasing it at your gardener’s favorite retail nursery.

In the note with the gift, remind the gardener that the gift certificate allows them to select the plants that fit into the landscape and to pick them up when it is convenient for the gardener to do the planting.

In addition to plants, there are many other great gifts for gardeners at neighborhood garden centers.

Garden gloves are always useful. If your gardener is a rose gardener or grows blackberries, consider the long sleeve gloves that protect the forearms from thorns.

Tools such as a high quality shovel, rake or pruners are always appreciated.

Pre-cut raised bed gardens are a neat gift. For someone that is getting older and having trouble bending down to a low garden, purchase a kit for a garden at 3 feet high. People in wheel chairs can even manage a garden if the raised bed is 3 feet tall. To make this gift even more special, purchase the appropriate number of bags of soil and build the garden for your special gardener.

Bird baths and bird feeders are always a welcome addition to the landscape. They can be simple or works of art. Many local nurseries even have fountains. The running water really attracts the birds.

With the wonderful weather we have in autumn through spring, lawn furniture makes it easier to enjoy your flowers and the birds that visit your bird baths and feeders.

Your local nursery may not carry a garden tiller, but your local hardware store or lawn equipment dealer does. I have a Mantis tiller designed specifically for raised beds that is one of my favorite gardening accessories. It is lightweight and not built for tilling heavy clay or caliche, but it is great for incorporating compost into a raised bed garden. From what I hear from other gardeners, there are several brands that start as easily and operate as effectively as my Mantis.

Another gift option that is well appreciated by gardeners is garden books. There is a large selection of books, including some new this year, that target Texas gardeners.

Look for Texas Fruit and Vegetable Gardening by Greg Grant. The book is new for 2012 and is a good, basic text for any gardener, but it is especially useful for a gardener new to our area or venturing into vegetable gardening for the first time. Greg Grant has a charming writing style as he weaves his East Texas and San Antonio gardening experiences into his presentation of the basic information.

My favorite Greg Grant book, and the most useful, is one he wrote with Roger Holmes called Home Landscaping Texas. It breaks down do-it-yourself home landscaping into chewable bites.

Find Greg Grant’s books and other great offerings, such as Neil Sperry’s Complete Guide to Texas Gardening and Bill Welch’s Perennial Garden Color on Amazon.com or at your favorite book store.

 

With a tree lighting, visits from Santa, puppet show, horse-drawn carriage rides and a Friday night Champagne walk, there are festivities for the whole family at this weekend’s Christmas in Collinsville.

The event has really taken off since 2007, Collinsville Merchants organizer Kathy Taylor said. The idea was to keep the momentum going a year after festivities were held for Canton’s bicentennial and to emulate a similar event in Riverton. It began with a champagne walk, a Santa visit and puppet show. Now there are more than 20 events over the two days, Friday

“It’s obviously grown a lot,” Taylor said.

This year a record 19 merchants are involved in the Friday night champagne walk, in which participants purchase a glass and enjoy food and beverages at the businesses. Newer business participants include Collinsville Canoe and Kayak, ABC Pizza, and the Ralph Dowd Agency.

Participants can purchase an engraved glass for $15 or get bring their own glass and buy “Champagne Flute Ring” for $10.

The glass sales largely fund Christmas in Collinsville, which costs about $5,000 a year due to features like the horse-drawn carriage rides, supplies and expenses. Last year, organizes sold all 500 glasses that were available and will have more on hand this year. Merchants also must cover their own expenses. 

Aware of general concerns, merchants have been advised to pour small amounts of alcohol for participants and some offer non-alcoholic beverages, organizers said.

Taylor said there are so many great additions to the weekend and mentions the horse-drawn carriages and puppet shows as two of her favorite events.

She said the tea light luminaries, put out by Twin Gardens and Landscaping add great atmosphere. The Canton Historical Museum’s Gallery of Trees, in its fourth year, also adds a nice element, she said. 

This year, carolers from the Collinsville Congregational Church will also stroll through the area, Taylor said. 

For the second year, it will also incorporate the town’s annual tree lighting, an event that used to be held at the gazebo at Dowd Avenue and Route 44.

Parks and Recreation Director Brian Wilson said he and the parks commission were happy with the response last year and felt it would be good to do it again. Collinsville is much more pedestrian friendly than the town green location, he said. 

“It made a lot of sense to contribute to the festivities in Collinsville,” he said. 

As part of that, Santa will be in the Town Hall auditorium from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday and the tree lighting will take place in front of Canton Historical Museum at 7:30 p.m. 

Official events take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. See the attached pdf documents for a complete schedule and maps. In addition, many business owners will offer special events on their own. 

For more information, visit http://www.visitcollinsville.com/visitcollinsville_004.htm

Associated Press
Salt in the soil can be deadly for lawns, trees and gardens, robbing plants of their ability to absorb water. Salt-tolerant varieties are available, however, and ground laden with soluble toxins can be flushed clean to depths below the root zone.

Regular soil testing is the best way to determine salt levels, said Richard Koenig, associate dean and director of Washington State University Extension.

“The problem is common in the Desert Southwest (with irrigation buildups), along roads cleared with de-icers and near oceans, where you get wind-blown sea spray,” he said.

Salinization frequently appears as white-crusted soil on the ground’s surface or stunted vegetation, particularly in low-lying areas.

“Another characteristic symptom is brown and brittle plants,” Koenig said. “People often refer to (soil) salinity as `chemical drought’.”

Anyone who has tried to sprinkle salt from a wet shaker knows how readily salt stores water, said Leonard Perry, an extension professor with the University of Vermont.

“Rock salt exhibits the same property in the soil, and absorbs much of the water that normally would be available to roots,” Perry said. “That’s especially a problem in the spring, when plants are coming out of dormancy and their roots are the most active. Salt competes with plants for that water.”

Q: What is a thoughtful and unique gift I can give the gardener on my holiday list?

A: Give the gift of spring during these cold winter months by giving a gift card for a Garden-In-A-Box. Each year the Center for ReSource Conservation sells a variety of Garden-In-A-Box kits as well as other products and services designed to promote water-efficient gardening and landscaping. Garden-In-A-Box kits simplify water-wise gardening by providing professional “plant-by-number” designs, a selection of xeriscape plants, and planting and care instructions all below retail costs.

Along with Garden-In-A-Box, CRC offers garden consults and planting services, drip kits, organic planting mix, vegetable gardens, and raised beds for vegetable gardens which are made from reused materials at our Woodworks shop at the ReSource Yard. Garden-In-A-Box gift cards starting at $5, can be used to purchase all of these products and services and are available until gardens are sold out. Gardens are distributed in May and June but gift cards can be used to secure purchases in advance.

CRC offers three different perennial Garden-In-A-Box kits. Each garden includes starter plants and planting and care instructions. The wide variety of water-saving gardens offered means there’s one for every type of yard and personality. The Shady Jubilee xeric garden at $135 is a gift of colorful blooms. From early spring through fall enjoy the soft and delicate colors of the Grapeleaf Anemone, Biokov Geranium, Plumbago, Nettle, and many more. This garden, with 26 plants, is perfect for those areas in your landscape that are less sunny.

The Morning Sunrise xeric garden at $135 will fill your landscape with the amazing colors of Blue Stem Salvia, Himalayan Border Jewel, Red Husker Penstemon, and many more. The Morning Sunrise garden, with 28 plants, is a great water saving addition to any landscape and perfect for the area of yard which receives full sun.

Another full-sun garden, the Western Horizon xeric garden at $99 brings forth such beauties as the Prairie Jewel Penstemon, Ornamental Oregano, and the Blazing Star. The great textures of the Mexican Feather Grass and the Silver Mound Sage also set the 15-plant garden apart from neighboring landscapes.

Also offered is a vegetable garden with 33 plants for $55.

With all these choices, a Garden-In-A-Box gift card is the perfect gift for the gardener on your holiday list. Gift cards can also be purchased for the do-it-yourselfer who needs building materials or tool rentals from the ReSource Yards and can be bought on site seven days a week. Garden-In-A-Box gift cards can be purchased online at gardenstore.

conservationcenter.org/garden-in-a-box-gift-

certificate.html.

ReSource, formerly the Center for ReSource Conservation, is a 501-c-3 non-profit that has been helping people discover practical ways to conserve natural resources for over 35 years. Visit our new garden website at gardenstore.conservationcenter.org or call 303.999.3820 ext. 212 for more information on Garden-In-A-Box gift cards.

(Thomas Jefferson’s ‘Poplar Forest’ retreat. Photo by Cheryl-Anne Millsap) 

 

   It is easy to think we know everything there is to know about certain historical figures. Thomas Jefferson, for instance. But even great men have their domestic secrets.

   On a recent trip to Virginia I drove up the long winding road that led to Thomas Jefferson’s secret love: a stately, symmetrical and elegant home situated along an avenue of tall poplar trees. I was not visiting Monticello. Instead, I was at Poplar Forest.

   Jefferson and his wife Martha inherited Poplar Forest from Martha’s father in 1773 but Martha died in 1782 before construction. It wasn’t until 1806 that work finally began, with Jefferson there to supervise the laying of the foundation. The octagonal house was his own design and he was intimately connected to the construction, corresponding frequently with the builders. Whenever possible he traveled to the site to check progress or make some necessary or desired change to the plans.

   When his presidency ended in 1809, Poplar Forest became Jefferson’s personal retreat and sanctuary, shared only with his family, and a few most-intimate friends. He escaped to it whenever he could, often accompanied by his granddaughters on his extended visits. Jefferson created the elaborate gardens and landscaping surrounding the house, choosing the plants and flowers that would grow there. He continued to make the journey to Poplar Forest until age and poor health finally kept him away. His last trip was in 1823. After Jefferson’s death his son inherited Poplar Forest but sold it to a neighbor two years later.

   As a private home, the house survived fire and numerous renovations and Poplar Forest remained a virtual secret for generations. It wasn’t until the 1980s, when development encroached, that the beautiful and fragile estate was purchased from private homeowners, organized and set aside. And the long, slow process of maintaining a national landmark was begun.

   Today, standing just inside the front doors, a visitor is bathed in light streaming in through windows in every room and through the long, narrow skylight in the dining room, light that illuminates every corner of the octagonal structure. It is easy to imagine the relief Thomas Jefferson might have felt as he rode away from the demands of the life that had come to settle on him, away from the pressures of law and government, away from crowds of admirers and, even in that day, celebrity-watchers, and arrived at this quiet place in the rolling hills of Virginia.

   To visit Poplar Forest now is a gift. A chance to see this place so beloved by a man who treasured his privacy, who craved quiet time to read and think. At this time it is a beautiful shell. Walls have been strengthened and repaired. Oak flooring—as was in the original structure—has been installed. Windows have been rebuilt, alcoves opened and doorways reconfigured, all to bring the beautiful, light filled, octagonal home back to it’s original design.  All of the work is being done by master craftsmen and artisans, after intensive study and research. And, to the extent possible, in the manner it would have been done in Jefferson’s time.

   At this time, only a few pieces of furniture, including a reproduction of the 19th Century Campeachy chair—with its ancient but strikingly contemporary design—Jefferson preferred because of his painful arthritis.

   Eventually, I suppose, the interior will be recreated to reflect the way Jefferson lived when he was there there. But at this moment, to be surrounded by the almost bare bones of the house is beautiful and evocative. It is impossible to stand in Jefferson’s bedroom, free of furniture and extraneous material, to see the empty alcove where his bed would have been, the rough handmade bricks lining his fireplace, to gaze out at the view of fields and forest visible through the tall windows, and not feel the powerful presence of the man who loved every inch of the place.

Cheryl-Anne Millsap is a travel writer based in Spokane, Washington. Her audio essays can be heard on Spokane Public Radio and on public radio stations across the country. She can be reached at catmillsap@gmail.com

Question: Being originally from California, I’ve always loved the (tropical) Bird of Paradise plant. I lived inland, and our summers were hot, but the nights were always fairly cool. The Bird of Paradise seemed to grow very well there.

For some reason, I never see it here in Arizona. I’m going to be landscaping a new home soon and was thinking of grouping a large area with this plant.

Is there any reason that Bird of Paradise would not thrive here, or some other reason planting them would not be a good idea?

Answer: The tropical Bird of Paradise plant, or Strelitzia reginae, (not to be confused with the Red Bird of Paradise or Mexican Bird of Paradise that’s abundant here) can be successfully grown in the lower deserts.

The flowers of this plant do resemble tropical birds. The plant, however, needs protection from intense afternoon sun and frost.

It will do well under a tree or on the east side with some dappled shade. The Bird of Paradise will grow to about a 5-by 5-foot plant if properly located, deep watered in the summer and heavily fed.

I have seen some really beautiful examples of this plant in some home gardens in Paradise Valley and in central Phoenix. I would plant this in a grouping of three or five for a tropical effect in a courtyard. I did this at my last home.

Q: I have a very tall saguaro that was planted next to the swimming pool approximately 40 to 45 years ago. It is now a high-rise condo for birds, and I am worried it will fall into the pool.

Do you think it would be a good idea to remove it? And if so, what would be the best and least expensive way?

A: Is there a specific weakness you are noticing with your saguaro? Are there noticeable breaks, or is it leaning?

If you really do not see any problems other than birds, I would leave it alone. If you want to lessen the amount of bird activity, you can stuff steel wool into most of the cavities. This will deter some birds for a while.

Q: My backyard is desert landscaping, but I do have several citrus trees. Our lemon tree died about two years ago, and now I can see I am going to lose a sour orange or two and possibly my navel tree.

The leaves just start to curl and whole branches die. The bark is also peeling, but I think this may be sunburn and may not be related to whatever seems to be attacking my trees. Any suggestions?

A: I’m going to first have to ask the usual questions: Have you changed the watering system in your backyard, or the drainage, or have you possibly removed a tree that gave some afternoon sun protection?

From what I can see in the pictures you e-mailed, your citrus trees are definitely stressed and in decline.

How old are these plants? We have been slowly coming off years of drought and extreme summer heat. Citrus trees do well in this climate provided they get proper deep summer watering.

I also see they are planted next to a block wall. I would guess that the wall creates a lot more heat stress on the trees. Unfortunately, your citrus trees do not look like they will recover at this point.

If you are looking for an alternative plant that would soften the wall and grow to about the size of a medium citrus, I would suggest the Texas mountain laurel, or Sophora secundiflora.

This ornamental small tree will grow to about 15 feet and thrives in heat and in our alkaline soil. Sophora has beautiful, fragrant, purplish-blue flower clusters in early spring that smell like grape soda. There is also a silver-leaved variety called Silver Peso.

Kissinger is director of horticulture at the Desert Botanical Garden. E-mail your garden questions to bkissinger@dbg.org.

Wheaton, IL, December 05, 2012 –(PR.com)– Bruss Landscaping in Wheaton, IL announces it was selected as one of the 12 finalists in the 2013 Landscaper of the Year program operated by New Holland Construction and Total Landscape Care magazine.

The annual program recognizes the best and brightest from among thousands of professionals across the country who work in the landscaping industry. Bruss Landscaping and the other program finalists will be featured in Total Landscape Care magazine throughout 2013.

Sponsored by New Holland Construction and produced by Total Landscape Care, the Landscaper of the Year program honors landscapers who exemplify the highest standards of their profession, including business acumen, quality and aesthetic excellence of their project work, marketing and equipment management expertise, attention to safety, and community involvement.

Bruss Landscaping was selected for outstanding landscaping design and construction projects that encompass excellent examples of plantings, lighting and water features, as well as specialized gardens and landscape maintenance.

The company is a third-generation, family-owned business now in its 60th year of operation. With an experienced team of landscape architects, designers and installers, the company is one of the area’s most trusted and sought-after firms, creating award-winning outdoor living spaces. To read an article about the company’s history and to see early photos, go to the website.

“The Landscaper of the Year program illustrates New Holland Construction’s commitment to hard-working landscape contractors,” said Curtis Goettel, brand marketing manager, New Holland Construction. “We congratulate Bruss Landscaping and the other program finalists for their extremely unique projects.”

The 12 finalists and their guests joined representatives from New Holland Construction and Total Landscape Care for an all-expenses-paid cruise to the Bahamas, Nov. 9-11. All 12 finalists will also receive a free, one-year lease on a New Holland 200 Series skid steer loader, along with a toolbox set valued at more than $2,500.

As 2012 comes to a close, Eric Bruss, President of Bruss Landscaping, looks back on a momentous year for the company. Earlier in the year it was announced that the company had won Unilock’s Award of Excellence for the Best Ecological Paving Installation for 2011, with their work to be featured in Unilock’s product catalog. That was followed by the company’s achievement of reaching its 60th year in business this past August, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chamber of Commerce. “To be one of the finalists for Landscaper of the Year is the exclamation point on a great year for us”, remarks Eric Bruss. “We’re pretty excited to be getting a brand new skid steer,” he adds.

Bruss Landscaping, Inc. specializes in residential landscape architecture and construction, serving homeowners in DuPage and eastern Kane counties of Illinois. Bruss Landscaping is a member of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, the Glen Ellyn and Wheaton Chambers of Commerce, and the Better Business Bureau. Owner Eric Bruss is a frequent contributor in newspaper columns offering advice on all matters related to gardening and landscaping. For more information contact Eric Bruss at 630-665-1600, or ebruss@brusslandscaping.com

Orangeburg City Council will discuss Russell Street improvements when it meets tonight at 6 — an hour earlier than usual — in council chambers at Middleton and Fischer streets next to City Hall.

Council is being asked to authorize the city administrator to accept a “community enrichment grant” of federal funds awarded by the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

The city has won a series of these grants since embarking on the downtown streetscape project. Construction began a little more than 11 years ago, with the ultimate goal of installing new sidewalks, brick pavers, crosswalks, granite curbing, landscaping, trees, drainage improvements, underground wiring and decorative pedestrian lighting along Russell Street from Edisto Memorial Gardens to Railroad Corner at the intersection of Magnolia Street.

Also on the agenda is a public hearing, followed by second reading of an ordinance updating the city’s Energy Conservation Code, part of the building code.

Council also will consider a mutual aid agreement and narcotics investigation agreement with the City of Columbia and the Columbia Police Department.

A TEAM of Tamworth young people are ready to role up their sleeves and benefit the community – all they need now is a project to tackle!

The Prince’s Trust has embarked on many successful projects in the town, including refurbishing a garden at the George Bryan Centre, sprucing up grounds of sheltered housing in Autumn Close and renovating Tamworth Canoe Club.

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   Earlier this year the Prince’s Trust completed two weeks at Birds Bush Primary School, in Belgrave, working on the school’s Wildlife Garden which had become overgrown. Now they need some new challenges. TS9905-3436TH 160312

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   Tamworth Canoe Club’s storage room before The Prince’s Trust Tamworth team commenced their work.

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   The renovated room after the group had finished.

But now the team of 16 to 25 year olds need a raft of new challenges to complete in 2013.

Ruth Sabin, Prince’s Trust Team Leader in Tamworth, said: “We’ve had many successful projects in Tamworth and we’re on the look out for more.

“The group have to fund-raise to meet the costs, and then work together to complete the project.”

Suggestions are needed for one-day projects on;

January 31, 2013

May 30, 2013

September 19, 2013

And two-week long projects from;

February 25 until March 8

June 24 until July 5

October 14 until October 25.

Project suggestions must have a finite task to meet a community need and have a lasting impact in the community.

The project is driven by the young people and is solely owned by the team in terms of its administration, organisation and management.

The Prince’s Trust team has in the past tackled landscaping and structural work of residential gardens, renovating buildings for new purposes, for example a coffee shop, mural and artwork of nurseries and schools.

For more information or to forward suggestions, contact Ruth Sabin by sending an email to ruthiepops@aol.com or by calling her on 07557 319 408.

HOMES which were built not in accordance with approved planning conditions could have to be knocked down and rebuilt.

New Linx Housing Trust submitted an application for a mitigation scheme of fencing and landscaping and planning permission for nine dwellings already built on land at Manor Drive, Halton Holegate.

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   East Lindsey District Council’s planning committee has refused the new application for nine homes which ‘have not been built in accordance with the original approval’.

But the development has not been built in accordance to the original approval and the homes are higher than neighbouring dwellings in Station Road.

And now that the new application was refused by East Lindsey’s Planning Committee, New Linx could have to start again with the development.

The site is on different levels and neighbours to the development on Manor Drive and Station Road claim they have been affected by the development including such things as flooding.

One resident, a Mr Emmerson said: “There used to be a four foot fence, the skyline would stretch to the coast and we all had well drained back gardens. Not anymore. If it had been built correctly we would be happy bunnies.”

Neil Adie head of development at New Linx Housing told the committee the housing trusts accepts errors were made in the construction of the homes and said the new application, which aimed to mitigate the errors, offers the best solution to existing residents and those who will occupy the new houses.

Mr Adie, said if the permission was not granted and they would have to revert back to the original permission, they would not be able to cover the cost of landscaping and the rear access.

This was met with a stern warning from committee chairman Neil Cooper who said: ‘You cannot blackmail this committee’ which Mr Adie replied that it was not intended as blackmail.

The committee, who had previously been on a site visit, debated the application for over an hour-and-a-half to find the fairest solution with Councillor Terry Knowles stating the committee is ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place.’

Councillor Hazel Newcombe said: “The mitigation measures to address the effect on neighbouring properties are not enough to ensure a good state of amenity.”

Councillor Sid Dennis said he was in support of the residents of Halton Holegate.

He said: “To walk in their gardens was very, very appresive. If you live there it is not a nice place to be and I bet it feels like being in a prison camp.”

Councillor Jill Makinson-Sanders added: “This is a public funded organisation who had a duty to do it properly. Somebody should have checked and they would have known right from the word go that it was laid out incorrectly. Fences and trees do not solve this situation.”

The application was refused and the committee said a round table discussion with local residents and New Linx Housing should take place.