Winona, Minnesota
Surely no one’s e-e-ever used that pun when typing a landscape post, but I couldn’t resist. Yes, I’m referring to our annual community tree planting; this year we got to spread the shade to not one, but two worthy organizations! The two chosen for tree donations were Sauer Memorial Home on Hwy 61 and Ridgeway Community [...]
We’ve heard the pet name some people have for irrigation systems–”irritation” systems. But c’mon, it doesn’t have to be that way! Irrigation, or underground sprinkler systems, TAKE AWAY irritation from your daily life, not add it. How much would you miss: lugging hoses around this summer? hunting for sprinklers to hook up to those hoses because the [...]
Dana, Bonnie, and Becky attended a recent continuing education seminar entitled “Perennials for Local Landscapes.” Five speakers dished out the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding mostly new perennial varieties for our area. Plants we will use more of: bush-form Clematis, Blue Heaven Little Bluestem, and the Twilight series Baptisias. Plants to abandon: sorry, but most [...]
When you hear the words “water feature”, what do you think of? We tended to think these thoughts: high-maintenance, lots of work, needing tons of room, parts to break down, algae problems, and did we mention work? Enter pondless waterfalls. These relatively new water features claimed to add the lovely rushing stream look and sound without needing a catch basin (aka, pond), [...]
No disrespect intended, but elms are back, and they are not the elms of yesteryear. Since the devastation Dutch Elm Disease brought to the American landscape in the late 1960s, plant researchers have quietly been working their way to getting elms back in the plant palette. The US National Arboretum has recently released several varieties of Elms, all backed [...]
In our profession, the New Year brings flurries…a flurry of trade shows, expos, and continuing education opportunities. After the fun of the holidays, it’s time to get back to business and what better way to do that than to exchange ideas with other professionals and see what’s new. It is so much fun, I mean, so invaluable to take [...]