Who knew? Iowa has one of the best continuing education program around–Perennial Saturday–and it’s even open to the general public, not just the profession.
Dana, one of our designers, clears his calendar every year to attend this one-day intense workshop in early November–it’s that good. The program crams as much pertinent information in as possible with truly captivating speakers AND [...]
Snow blankets a freeze-dried rose.
Love it or hate it, it appears winter is here. Why not love it? Or at least appreciate it from a warm window seat. You have to admit, winter’s effects on the landscape are quite beautiful. Red and orange berries stand out like shining candy. Snow sits atop sedum heads, dried hydrangea blooms, [...]
As the last flowers freeze-dry on the stem and the final leaves blow from the trees, the landscape does takes on a more stark appearance, and we wonder where the summer went. But we look forward to this time of the year too. You get to see the bones of the landscape, as it were, and appreciate the [...]
Are ornamental grasses an overused plant in the landscape? Some people are complaining that when even fast food joints are incorporating grasses in their landscapes, this plant family has lost its luster.
You can’t give up on a plant that easily!
Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant once established? Check.
Clear foliage that rustles and blows in the summer breeze? Check.
Beautiful seed heads to [...]
Now that’s dry…photo by shioshvili
Even though we have been getting a few tenths of rain here and there, we are still operating with a deficit…a precipitation deficit. Since mid-June, we have grown to a 4-6 inch rain shortfall here in southeastern Minnesota, so if you have planted anything in the last two years–trees, shrubs, perennials–you [...]
Just like harvesttime in the garden (anybody need any tomatoes?), our new website has finally come to fruition. We hope you like the re-design…the main focus being on presenting our information in a more user-friendly fashion. The Gallery will continue to be a work in progress. Please feel free to weigh in on the new [...]
Bonnie went on the MNLA Landscape Tour in the Twin Cities on July 30, 2008. Pianist Lorie Line’s home was among the interesting landscapes she saw; she and her husband were most candid in talking with the designers about things they tried that have worked/ not worked, etc, and Bonnie got some great inspiration there and at the six other commercial [...]
On March 13, 2008, McLean, Jordan, and Becky attended Live Roof training and became certified in installation. Just what is LiveRoof, you ask? It is a modular system of plant trays used to create an instantly green rooftop. Picture a roof blanketed by low-maintenance plants, cutting down on air conditioning costs and absorbing rain water to lessen run-off. It’s [...]
March 19, 2008, Dana and Becky attended a Blue Thumb seminar in Roseville. The Blue Thumb program is something to get really excited about; the program promotes and educates people on the fine art of installing raingardens. Raingardens are one of the weapons in a growing arsenal to combat water run-off, thus lessening pollutants that [...]
FROM THE FIELD: Spreader Calibration Tip
By: J.B. Toorish and Michael Steve
February 2006
URL: http://www.lawnandlandscape.com/articles/article.asp?ID=2976&CatID=&SubCatID=/
We all know that we should brush our teeth three times a day, but how many of us actually do? Studies show only one in three Americans meets this mark, and that doesn’t including flossing. We all know the risk and potential [...]
