Nearly two years ago, I started blogging to showcase my favorite gardening, landscaping and outdoor living ideas. I’m a mediocre gardener at best, and mainly wanted to share my enthusiasm for spending as much time outdoors as possible.

After I blasted out a few posts on local gardens and design ideas, an enthusiastic community of cyber gardeners quickly embraced me. Many of my new friends are masterful gardeners — plant experts who tick off Latin botanical names, swap compost recipes and practically live on their knees. Some focus on specialties, such as growing succulents, native gardens and vegetables, or chasing landscape trends.

I also connected with other wannabes like me, backyard gardeners who love the mix –nature, plants, design, outdoor living, how-to, garden art, tips, advice, successes, failures — and furiously blog about what we learn.

There are hundreds of horticulture-themed blogs out there. I tend to follow the garden bloggers who know their stuff, but also freely share their opinions, personality and passion.

Here are seven of my favorites:

1. Far Out Flora. Two self-described plant nerds who blog as Matti and Megan share the fanciful garden they created in their San Francisco backyard. Matti worked for the popular Bay Area nursery, Flora Grubb, and Megan for the much-adored seed company, Annie’s Annuals Perennials. They love succulents, bromeliads, carnivores and other “weirdo plants,” as they put it. Currently pulling up stakes and returning to their hometown of Madison, Wis., MM promise to share their four-season garden adventures.

2. A Way to Garden. Garden writer powerhouse Margaret Roach began her popular blog in 2008 after she left a consuming media job to return to her garden mecca in the Hudson Valley of New York. The first garden editor for Martha Stewart’s Living, Roach decided she’d spent too much time in the boardroom, and in 2007 walked away from her career to explore her “personal creativity” again.

3. Wabi-Sabi Home and Garden. Michele Holt explores the homestead lifestyle in this sassy blog, which covers such diverse topics as raising chickens, painting mermaids on garage doors and foraging at the local thrift store in her hometown of Austin, Texas. Not only will you find scrappy, creative outdoor living ideas; you also will make an exuberant friend who loves a little mischief.

4. Studio G. With a keen eye for art and ingenuity, landscape designer Rochelle Greayer promotes the DIY spirit and features everything plant-related — from rhubarb martini recipes to the hanging gardens of Babylon. Greayer and fellow garden blogger, Susan Cohan of Miss Rumphius’ Rules, recently launched a free, online gardening magazine packed with fresh outdoor living ideas called Leaf Magazine.

5. You Grow Girl. An original guerrilla gardener, Gayla Trail has blogged about organic, sustainable gardening for a dozen years. Originally featuring her roof-top garden experiments in Ontario, Canada, Trail has expanded to share garden advice and photos from her urban backyard projects, and has written several bestselling garden books. The latest, Easy Growing, explains how to grow herbs and edible flowers.

6. A Growing Obsession. Describing her blog as a “journal of earthly delights,” Denise Ginger tells readers upfront she is no horticulture expert. Don’t let her fool you. Ginger is an intellectual garden blogger and accompanies her reflective posts with luminous photographs of the flowers, plants and garden art in the nurseries and botanical gardens around her home in Long Beach, Calif.

7. Digging. Pam Penick writes a polished garden blog featuring her dazzling photographs and informed, friendly voice. As a landscape designer who says “y’all” a lot, Penick takes readers on tours of diverse gardens in her hometown of Austin, Texas, and anywhere she visits. Look for her upcoming book on how to create sustainable alternatives for your yard, called Lawn Gone!

SecondAct contributor Janine Robinson is a freelance writer based in Laguna Beach, California. She blogs about gardening at LagunaDirt.

SecondAct asks: Are you a weekend gardener, too? Please share your favorite blogs and finds in the comment field below.

Read more: 6 Easy Ways to Start Urban Homesteading

Next Post: Hot Topics: Social Security Roulette

2012-04-26

Healthy plants, healthy earth, healthy family – EZ Landscaping Solutions keeps it green

By Carolyn B. Edwards BCC Staff Writer

If you forgot to buy tomato plants, or that six pack you bought back in early March just shriveled up and died, we’ve got good news for you!

EZ Landscape Solutions, conveniently located at 8494 Highway 16 South in Pipe Creek has a good selection of large healthy plants ready to take off in your garden.

Alicia and Joel Sarazua opened their landscape business last January. “We started off well,” said Alicia, “but then we got hit with the drought.”

However, the serious lack of water during the 2011 season proved not to be as big a business negative as one might expect.

“As soon as people knew we were here and what we offered, they got to know us and trust us,” said Alicia. “They came and kept us going!”

Perhaps what kept them going is the fact that EZ Landscaping Solutions doesn’t just sell plants. They also provide professional yard and garden planning and installation. In-stock garden materials include sod, quality topsoil and mulch, landscaping gravel and stone, and organic compost.

They can install flagstone patios, stone entryways, outdoor fireplaces and kitchens, and rock retaining walls. EZ Landscaping can install an irrigation system for you and they can help you get a water feature installed as well.

The Sarazuas carry a wide variety of native trees and shrubs, plenty of perennial flowering plants and grasses, in addition to an assortment of vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers.

“We have our vegetable garden at the foot of our property,” said Alicia. “That way we can show people how to plan a garden…what grows well here. And the garden catches the run-off water from our nursery plants, so we demonstrate conservation, too.”

Alicia comes from the well-known Maldonado family, whose members have been operating nurseries in the San Antonio area for generations. Joel hails from Mexico where he earned a degree in computer engineering. “It’s a weird mix,” admitted Alicia, “but it works!”

They’ve been married nine years and started in the nursery business in Boerne before moving to Pipe Creek.

While in Boerne, they participated in a program called NICE, Natives Instead of Common Exotics, a joint project between the City of Boerne and local nurseries. “We still use the NICE idea of promoting native plants,” said Alicia. “They use less water and are healthier; they don’t need pesticides and treatments.”

A family member’s health issues challenged the Sarazuas to look for gardening options that don’t require the application of toxic materials in order to achieve beauty.

“For example, the live oak is susceptible to oak wilt and decline,” said Alicia. “So, a lot of people think they can’t have an oak, but we offer varieties that aren’t susceptible like Southern oak, burr oak, Monterrey oak. Other good trees for this area are the cedar elm and Chinese pistache.”

If someone wants a particular kind of plant that may not be ideal for the Hill Country, “we have alternatives,” said Alicia. “We urge people to go organic, avoid chemicals and save water.

“We’re happy to teach people how to keep a yard up without using a lot of water,” said Alicia. They also recommend the use of top quality weed barrier fabric and organic mulches for weed control.

The nursery offers a wide selection of salvias, lantanas, and grasses.

Plants are reasonably priced according to the size of the container and all of them look very healthy and vigorous. “We believe our prices are competitive with the large stores like Home Depot,” said Alicia.

So, save yourself a trip and get a good, locally acclimated plant.

The Sarazuas use a virtual design plan generated on the computer to insert actual plants and then animate your ideas for your landscape. “We charge for planning your landscape, but if you go with us for the installation we take that charge off on the final bill,” explained Alicia.

Once they have created a design, it is yours to keep.

“We also encourage people to consider planting fruit trees in their landscape,” said Alicia. “They’re wonderful to have. They bring back what is natural to the area, wildlife, bees, humming birds.”

When they develop your landscape plan, they use natural resources and try to work with whatever you may already have on hand. “If you have rock, we try to use it,” said Alicia.

Consider extending the celebration of Earth Day into May and stop by EZ Landscape Solutions in Pipe Creek to find some healthy, beautiful and colorful additions to your yard and garden. As an added bonus, you’ll get to know this knowledgeable and enthusiastic young couple.

They are open Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm and Sundays from 1 to 6 pm.

Call 830-535-4800 for more information.

Pictured: Joel and Alicia Sarazua welcome gardeners to EZ Landscaping Solutions at 8494 Highway 16 South in Pipe Creek. They offer a wide range of plants and garden services.

BY JULIE MORSE
Realty Insites

April 27, 2012 12:50PM

• Reprints

Updated: April 27, 2012 4:19PM

In eco-friendly homes, the focus on green goes beyond verdant lawns. Landscaping becomes a functional, sustainable system, while also enhancing the home’s overall aesthetics.

According to the National Association of Realtors’ Green Resource Council, plants, trees, gardens and even the soils and materials beneath them integrate with other systems to conserve water, condition the indoor environment efficiently and preserve natural habitats. Among the considerations for homeowners seeking a greener environment:

• Use the existing site: When building or adding on to a home, avoid disrupting wildlife corridors and maintain as much of the natural landscaping as possible. Retaining deep-root native plants prevents water run-off.

• Use native plants: These plants integrate with the ecosystem and require less irrigation and pest control, and many landscape centers now have special sections dedicated to them. This spring, the Lake County Forest Preserve is having a Native Plant Sale, May 12-13, at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville. (Visit lcfpd.org/plantsale for details.)

• Group plants: Putting plants with similar irrigation needs together in groups conserves water.

• Employ xeriscaping: Some plant species do not require irrigation beyond normal rainfall, thus helping to conserve water. Seek landscapers who specialize in this type of garden/yard design for different climates.

• Use mulch: Layering several inches of mulch in landscaped areas helps storm water management and protects root systems. Also, choose mulch that is made from recycled-content or reused materials, like wood chips.

• Compost and Rainwater: Yard and foodwaste can be composted, reducing materials sent to landfills and providing an eco-friendly way to fertilize soil and mulch. Collecting rainwater for garden use is also a savvy conservation effort. Compost bins and rainwater barrels are available at many landscape and home improvement centers, and online. There will also be a Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale, $50-60, on May 12 from 9 a.m to 3 p.m., at Libertyville’s Independence Grove Forest Preserve on a first-come, first-served basis. Compost aerators, thermometers and kitchen scrap pails will also be available.

• Use organic fertilizers: These environmentally-safe fertilizers prevent pollutants from seeping into the soil.

• Incorporate passive solar design strategies: Planting deciduous trees on the south and west sides of a home or building provides shade and summer cooling, reducing demand on HVAC systems.

• Green roofs: Those building new or retrofitting flat-roofed residential or commercial buildings might consider installing a green roof — a “smart garden” on the rooftop, which absorbs storm water and then slowly evaporates it, reduces ultraviolet degradation which extends roof life and provides a higher insulation value.

Sarah Danielson, an environmental writer for Talking About Green and Landscaping Ideas, also suggests replacing your old garden mechanical mainstays.

“When deciding on which lawn-maintenance tools to use, choose the ones with the least impact. There are plenty of alternatives to gas-powered machines that are better for the environment and more energy-efficient,” commented Danielson. “Switch to solar-powered [outdoor] lamps. Although they may be more expensive initially, you’ll see the difference when you pay no recurring fees to use them.”

Julie Morse is a green-certified Realtor.

Gaze at the stars: To celebrate International Astronomy Day 2012, the Everett Astronomical Society is hosting two events Saturday, including an evening of stargazing at Harborview Park, weather permitting. If the skies are clear, people should be able to see Saturn and Mars, and much more. Find the details in our story here.

Football: The Husky football team plays a spring game at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Century Link Field in Seattle. It’s free and open to the public.

Get ready for outdoors season: The Evergreen Recreation and Sportsmen Expo is this weekend at the fairgrounds in Monroe. The event gives people the chance to wander though displays about camping, fishing and landscaping. Featured sports for fans of the rugged outdoors include climbing, boating and all-terrain vehicles. There will also be carnival rides and kids 12 and under have the chance to use a casting pond stocked with nearly 1,000 trout. To cap it all off, the Washington State Spring BBQ Championship is part of the weekend fun. Find details in our story here.

Garden with native plants: Native plant steward and garden designer Nancy Moore presents a workshop at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Edmonds Wildlife Habitat Native Plant Demonstration Garden, Willow Creek Hatchery at 95 Pine St. and Highway 104 (Edmonds Way) just south of the ferry toll booth. No reservations needed. Call 425-771-8165 for more information.

Shop for plants: The Snohomish Garden Club has a sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at The Farm at Swan’s Trail, 7301 Rivershore Road, Snohomish. You’ll find perennials, annuals, water garden plants, blooming plants, and small trees and shrubs and flea market. The Snohomish County Dahlia Society also has a sale on Saturday from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. at Stocker Farms, 10622 Airport Way, Snohomish. They’ll have dahlia plants and some dahlia tubers. Call the Snohomish County Dahlia Society, 360-659-8687, for more information.

See the tulips: This is the last weekend of the festival and probably your last chance this season to see the last of the blooming tulip fields. Events include several art shows, farm tours and other special events. For more information and to check out the bloom map, go to the Skagit Valley Festival website.

Visit a national park: As part of National Parks Week, admission to all national parks is free. Free admission continues through Sunday. Head over to the National Park Service website to start planning your trip.

Eat and drink: Taste of the Northwest, a benefit for Bethany of the Northwest, will offer samples of food and drink tonight at Comcast Arena Everett. The event includes samples of Northwest wines, craft beers, nonalcoholic brews and appetizers. There will be a silent auction, live music and a raffle. Get the rest of the details here.

Calling all railroad buffs: Celebrate “Everett’s Railroad Heyday!” with Kent Sullivan and his son, Kyle, as these members of the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Society take you on a photographic journey of the industries NP served in Everett and Lowell, circa 1955. The event is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran College Commons, 2802 Wetmore Ave., Everett. Free for Historic Everett members; $5 for nonmembers. For more information go to www.historiceverett.org.

Catch a show: Here are two ideas for theater lovers. “You’ve Got Hate Mail” is being performed Saturday evening in Everett. The performance will be done in a cabaret style setting with drinks and dessert. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The comedy spins a tale of the bizarre things people will do via email. Read about it in our story here. Also this weekend, the musical “It Shoulda Been You” opens and Saturday and also plays on Sunday. Read more about Village Theatre’s musical comedy here.

Eat: Take a look at our recent dining reviews to find something delicious.

Click for more photos

The plans for Perth’s waterfront redevelopment

Artist impression of the Perth waterfront development – the Island, view north.

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Well, the first sod has been turned on the Perth waterfront development.

We all know what a saga it’s been, with countless committees putting forward endless ideas over the years – only to have them knocked back or re-worked.

So, it was with interest that I read about Labor leader Mark McGowan’s plan, should he become Premier next year, to set up a committee … which he calls a body … this time to identify and commit to major infrastructure projects across the entire State.

The public’s cynicism about committees could have something to do with their frequent re-branding as “think-tanks” – a ghastly euphemism – as well as the fact that committee recommendations are just that – recommendations, which can be so easily overridden.

However, it wasn’t the proposed establishment of the committee, but rather the comments around its announcement, that had me feeling a sense of déjà vu.

A few weeks ago I was sorting through some of the newspaper articles I’ve written over the years. I found this front page headline, dated October 21st 1994.

“Perth To Get A Bright New Face”: By Deborah Kennedy.

It details then Premier Richard Court’s “capital city committee” vision for Perth.

Two new traffic tunnels through Perth and Northbridge, the sinking of Riverside Drive between Barrack Street and Victoria Avenue, the demolition of Council House, to allow for a massive garden precinct linking the Old Supreme Court building and the Concert Hall, and a 2000-seat lyric theatre to attract international music events.

There were also proposals for a new combined Supreme Court/District Court building in the car park behind the Concert Hall, for Northbridge to be linked to King and Lake streets by a town square bridging the railway lines and for the corner near His Majesty’s Theatre, in Hay Street, to become a venue for street theatre.

The things that have come to fruition from the idea are the Northbridge tunnel, a new convention centre, built where they said it would go, a new theatre, (not as big as planned and opened just last year), and the landscaping of the Causeway to create a better entrance statement for the city.

Needless to say, many of the committee’s recommendations didn’t get up.

Mr Court conceded it was just a conceptual blueprint but said he expected Perth’s new identity should have take shape by 2001.

“In a city that is growing it is critical that our capital works keep pace with the requirements of the community,” he said in 1994.

Announcing his plan this week, Mr McGowan said his new body would focus on ensuring that infrastructure keeps up with population growth.

”The benefits of WA’s once-in-a-generation economic boom will be squandered if our infrastructure does not keep up with population growth,” he said.

Of Mr McGowan’s plan, Premier Colin Barnett is quoted as saying:

“It’s so Labor – set up new bodies, new organisations, new committees, lots of plans, lots of glossy documents but not much action.”

In 1994, Labor’s planning spokesman, John Kobelke, described Mr Court’s plan as glossy and lacking detail.

“There are a lot of good ideas but one has to doubt the process and the commitment of the government to achieving this,” he said.

The circle of life.

At Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting Councilman Robert Nicastro brought an idea in front of the other members at the dais to help improve the look of the township. 

Nicastro said as part of the township strategic plan he hoped to form a beautification committee from various people in the town. “Hopefully we can get some community members that would be appointed by the council with a background in gardening and landscaping,” he said. 

The group could also include members of the shade tree committee, the planning and zoning boards as well as the Department of Public Works according to Nicastro. “We always hear from our residents that when you come from Freehold or you come from another area you kind of always know when you’re entering Howell,” he said. 

Working together Nicastro said they can find a way to make the entry points to the township more inviting to visitors. That includes major roadways like Route 9 and Route 33. “Maybe we need to look at these areas and see if we could do some planting or establishing some themes,” he said. 

One of the early ideas presented was to have signs that highlight accomplishments by Howell residents including champion athletes at Howell High School. 

Councilwoman Pauline Smith said she believed Howell was beautiful already and was not yet sold on the idea of the signs. “A lot of people aren’t going to like this statement but I think signs are the ugliest thing you can do,” she said. 

Mayor Robert Walsh said the signs were just one idea and one way to show that the township is proud of its residents and their accomplishments. “I’m proud to live in Howell Township,” he said. “I would like to see things that exemplify that.”

In addition to the signs Nicastro said they would also look at plantings that would make the town more appealing for those driving through. “We have some talented volunteers in this community that I’m sure will come up with some good suggestions of plants,” he said. 

It was suggested by Mayor Walsh that groups like the Boy Scouts and local corporations would be excited to be a part of the program to help improve the overall look of the town. 

The council will draw up a resolution that will be presented at a future meeting to allow the committee to do its work. 

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This patio’s landscaping includes a beautiful water feature and large fire feature for entertaining. Photo: LandscapingNetwork.com

This new patio planning guide offers expert information on four key elements of patio design: sizing, shape, layout and cost.

Calimesa, CA (PRWEB) April 26, 2012

New patio landscaping guide offered on LandscapingNetwork.com outlines four important patio planning considerations for consumers interested in building a new patio. With detailed information on patio sizing, shapes, layouts and cost information, this guide provides professional tips for creating functional patios.

Patios have long been a staple of at-home entertaining for homeowners across the country. Increasingly, consumers are opting to transform these once simple outdoor spaces into luxurious resort-like areas featuring a range of paving materials, amenities and landscaping.

This new patio planning guide, offered by LandscapingNetwork.com, offers expert information on four key elements of patio design: sizing, shape, layout and cost. Consumers can now access this information for further research and landscape design tips when starting a new patio project.

The guide provides three easy steps to determine proper patio size, and information on choosing the right patio shape for the space, covering square patios, round patios and free-form shapes. Also, included is a detailed description of three important considerations that go into choosing a layout. Lastly, the guide covers typical construction costs for patios based on various paving types, like concrete, pavers and more.

Consumers interested in further information on patio landscaping, planning tips and patio photos, can visit the site’s extensive patio section at LandscapingNetwork.com.

About LandscapingNetwork.com

LandscapingNetwork.com works with a team of professional landscape designers and writers to bring together the very best landscaping resources and information available. Homeowners, landscape designers and architects, builders and more can also stay up-to-date through the site’s extensive collection of articles, landscaping photos and videos on landscape design ideas, products and more.

For consumers ready to turn their landscaping design dreams into reality, the site offers an easy-to-use Find a Contractor directory to find local landscape contractors and designers throughout the United States and Canada.

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The 4th annual Mar Vista Green Gardens Showcase on Saturday displayed top-notch eco-friendly landscaping, an abundance of blossoming sights and even chickens and bees.

The unsung heroes of the event were the dozens of Mar Vista residents who graciously opened up their ridiculously gorgeous yards and generously shared their vast gardening knowledge.

One such resident was Marilee Kuhlmann, who opened her garden in the 3700 block of Redwood Avenue to the public and gave a rapt audience of a handful of gardeners a symposium on water conservation and soil optimization.

Kuhlmann advised a gardener who had problems with an organic soil to consider worm casting to provide better nutrients in the soil and gave a first-hand demonstration of how to do it yourself. She also had a stormwater catcher system installed and a composting setup on the side of the yard and explained how they worked.

Kuhlmann, who owns Comfort Zones Gardens Design, is a member of G3, The Green Gardens Group, which promotes eco-friendly landscaping; the Association of Professional Landscape Designers and part of the Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Friendly Gardens, which fights urban runoff from gardens.

Across the street, Nancy Hastings was greeting visitors at her front-yard garden that had signs designating it as a certified wildlife habitat and an one of Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Gardens.

Hastings said she works for Surfrider so it made sense to convert the grass garden in 2007 to help reduce garden runoff, which is the top cause of ocean pollution in Los Angeles. Hastings said she only paid to have the grass and stones removed and did the rest. The garden started out with 10 plants that were bought for under $10 each and now attracts a steady stream of birds who dart around a huge Mexican daisy plant.

Sherri Akers, an event organizer, estimated that more than 2,000 people attended and a lot more visitors on bikes were seen this year. The Mar Vista Green Gardens Showcase blog has seen heavy traffic and return visits as they check back for landscaping ideas, Akers said. Gardening enthusiasts are also checking the site to plan out walks year-round to view the front yards and also conduct gardening research.

“What I love is that we are able to use a day that is so enjoyable to share so much information – about ocean friendly gardens, pollinator habits, urban beekeeping, labeling GMO’s, the need for bluebird boxes, rainwater capture – the list is endless,” Akers said in an email after the event. She said the showcase has gone beyond being about conserving water and into an opportunity to focus on what we can do to rescue the planet.

Patch contributor Kaitlin Ferrell covered the Mar Vista Green Gardens Showcase in photos. If you have your own that you would like to share, please add them to the gallery.

Having a beautiful, well-landscaped yard is important to many people here in Central Florida.

Some people move into homes that already have lovely landscaping and lush, green grass. However, the vast majority must design their own landscape setting if they want to have a beautiful yard.

Taking a moment to form a plan is extremely helpful before beginning to purchase plants for a yard or garden.

When professionals design a landscape setting, they put their ideas on paper and map it all out. Developing a master plan is one of the most useful things you can do before beginning your project. Make a diagram of your yard or garden and note where you most need landscaping.

Consider things like function, aesthetics and which plants will work best in our warm climate. In most instances, using plants native to Florida will result in a successful landscape setting.

When mapping out a landscape design, make a note of where power lines and septic tanks are located to avoid future problems. The University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends homeowners refer to the plat of their property before beginning a landscaping project.

If you don’t already have a plat of your property, hiring a professional to perform a survey will help you avoid placing plants outside of your boundaries, which can be a mistake that proves costly.

Understanding which type of soil you have will help you choose plants and trees that will grow and thrive in your yard. The type of soil you have will determine how much moisture is available to feed your plants and which nutrients are most abundant.

Look around your yard to determine which existing plants are thriving. You may need to make a few adjustments when choosing an area to place your new plants. If the soil is poor, it can be amended to increase aeration and nutrient levels. You should also have proper drainage in planting areas.

Always aim to keep water draining away from your house. If your lot is not graded properly, it can cause water to run back toward your home’s foundation, which may eventually cause moisture problems. Hire a professional to re-grade your yard if drainage is poor.

The climate is a concern in our area. Because much of the year is so warm, it can be difficult to choose plants that can survive our high temperatures. Before choosing new plants, make sure to find out if they need full sun or if they will thrive in areas of shade and make the necessary adjustments. If you are unsure where to start, you can refer to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map at www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/.

Moisture is one thing all plants must have to grow and thrive. Many home gardeners fail to provide enough water to their new trees and plants. As most landscapers in our area will tell you, it is almost impossible to provide too much water to new trees during the summer in central Florida. If you do not already have an irrigation system, it is best to hire a professional irrigation installer to put one in for you. These professionals are trained in the proper placement of sprinklers and use the newest technology that will help you save water while giving your new plants the moisture they need to thrive.

By hiring someone to install your sprinkler system, you will save yourself precious time as well. Your irrigation system can be equipped with an automatic controller that will turn on and off at a pre-determined time to ensure adequate moisture is being provided.

The last thing to consider before beginning your landscaping project is how much time you have to devote to the care of your new plantings. Before deciding which plants you will purchase, consider how much maintenance they will require.

If you have little time to devote to gardening, you will want to go with low-maintenance plants such as knock-out roses and native shrubs. By choosing plants native to our area, you will have long-lived plantings that are fairly resistant to pests and diseases in our area.

Choose a lawn grass that thrives in Florida such as bahia grass or Bermuda grass for a low-maintenance lawn.

By taking the time to formulate a plan, you will be able to create the yard of your dreams.

Mindy Levandoski from Litchfield Landscapes talks about Garden-to-Table Landscaping trends. While Diana Shellhaas, Outdoor Education Coordinator with The Orchard School talks about unique container ideas!

Mindy says a hot item right now is the raised bed garden or raised box garden, because you can get so much produce out of such a small space. Homeowners like it, because they can mow around it. While she can’t bring in a raised bed garden, she can bring in a container garden to show how you can plant edibles.

Diana Shellhaas, Outdoor Education Coordinator at The Orchard School. Like Mindy, Diana lives a green lifestyle and teaches the students at Orchard to do the same every child at Orchard (from preschool to eighth grade) planting a total garden. There were plants all over the school, under lights, in the cold house, in the greenhouse, everywhere.

Show Dates :  

Thursday, April 26, Preview Party, 6:30-8 p.m

Friday, April 27, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

             Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday, April 29, Noon-5 p.m.

Tickets:  Tickets are $10 in advance and are available at Marsh Supermarkets, The National Bank of Indianapolis branches, The Orchard School, and the Holliday Park Nature Center. Tickets are $12 at the gate the days of the show. A three-day ticket is $15. Children 14 and under are free.

Location: Holliday Park, 64 ^th and Spring Mill Road, Indianapolis

Parking :Free Parking and shuttle service are available at Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian Street.

Web site: www.orchardinbloom.org