Landscape - Common Practices that Cost Us

Landscapes - Are We Making This Too Difficult?


God and Grass

I received this email a while back.  I do not know the author to give credit.  But I could not say it any better. (I've added the pictures.)

GOD:

Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago?

I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds.

 I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

ST. FRANCIS:

It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD:

Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms.

Grubs

Billbug

 It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS:

Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:

The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:

Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.

GOD:

They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS:

Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD:

They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:

No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD:

Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:

Yes, Sir.

GOD:

These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS:

You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it,

 so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:

What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself.

 The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS:

You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

GOD:

No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS:

After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD:

And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS:

They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD:

Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE:

'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

GOD:

Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.*


I hope my story has humored us into rethinking how we garden.  Are we 'mimicing' nature?  Can we garden like nature?  You betcha!  Hope this gives us something to strive for - and take care of our environment. Thanks for stopping by.  Claudia

Arbor Day Featured Tree–The Redbud

The Eastern Redbud tree, Cercis canadensia has been a favorite of mine since kindergarten.  In the early 1950’s our school sold Redbud trees to help a school fundraiser.  They were $ .25 each, and we sold 100’s of trees.  Each spring I recall that time of my life and smile a little when I see rosy wafts of color in the still stark woods in Southwest Ohio.  Along roads and streams the native redbud probably was not all attributed to my kindergarten class, but I like to think I had a little hand in this hopeful sign of spring.


The Redbud is a short lived tree that is grown in Zones 4 – 9, and when we bought this property, we had four redbuds that had outlived their beauty.  As I have documented in past posts, we have also had to remove pines, mulberry, ash, and blue spruce. So with this blank slate, we headed to the garden center to get a Redbud ,’Forest Pansy.’

Redbud, 'Forest Pansy'

The lovely dark purple and pink leaves are stunning, and I had my mind made up – until I saw some of the ‘new’ redbuds available in the marketplace.  So, let me show you some really great cultivars that breeders have developed in Redbuds.

The tree we finally brought home is a variety called ‘Solar Eclipse’.  The variegated green and cream leaf really caught my eye.
This cold hardy tree in Zone 4,  had pink-lavender blooms on the stems before leaves appear.  The leaves are emerging as a fresh golden orange.  This tree will stay small with a mature height of about 12 feet tall.

Blooms of Redbud, 'Solar Eclipse'

New Home for my 'Solar Eclipse'

Several varieties of weeping Redbuds that are available are ‘Ruby Falls’, ‘Cascading Hearts’, ‘Lavender Twist’.

Redbud, 'Ruby Falls'

Redbud, 'Cascading Hearts'

Redbud, 'Lavender Twist'

The ‘Ruby Falls’ is a weeping Redbud with tiny pink flowers before dark burgundy foliage appears.  As the season progresses the leaves turn a dark green. Finally in autumn, the bright gold foliage takes of the show.  ‘Ruby Falls’ is good for a small garden since it’s mature size is only 6’ to 15’ tall.

‘Cascading Hearts’ is another weeping Redbud that will get about 15’ tall also with pendulous branches that are flexible and have a fuller weeping form. This Redbud has great fall foliage of orange and red.

‘Lavender Twist’ is an eastern Redbud in a weeping form and has zigzagging branches that mound to a mature height of 6’ to 8’ tall.

Redbud, 'Rising Sun'

‘Rising Sun’ really caught my eye since it’s spring foliage emerges with hints of orange and apricot. Flowers of pink, ‘Rising Sun’ matures at about 15 feet.

 

Redbud, 'Burgundy Hearts'

 ‘Burgundy Hearts’, also known as ‘Greswan’ is an eastern Redbud with pink flowers and these lovely glossy reddish-purple leaves.  They will fade to a green as the season progresses.  Growers believe this burgundy color will stay longer into the season than the ‘Forest Pansy’ leaf does.

Redbud, 'Merlot'

‘Merlot’ also has dark purple leaves that emerge after bright pink flowers.  Hardy in Zone 6-9, this small 10’ – 15’ dense trees is ideal for small yards.


‘Don Egolf’ will be a popular variety in my opinion.  It is a slow grower with dark green foliage, that emerges after vivid, rosy-mauve blooms.  This trees is sterile and does not produce seed or unsightly pods, and is not invasive.  It is compact in size and can tolerate most any type soil.  This variety is a Chinese Redbud, Cercis chingii.

Chinese Redbud, 'Don Egolf'

'Hearts of Gold'

This is the leaf color of an appropriately named variety – ‘Hearts of Gold’. The reddish new growth turns into this lovely gold but will eventually turn green.As the leaves emerge, they change from the opening color of red, to golden yellow and in inner leaves will be green.  The emerging leaves can give a show of all three colors at a time for great impact. The flowers are a lavender-purple.

Redbud 'Royal White'

One Redbud I saw at the nursery had white blooms.  It is ‘Alba – Royal White’ and it was stunning.  The ‘Royal White’ blooms earlier than some of the other white redbuds and it’s spring leaves start being burgundy, then fade to green.  Later in the season the leaves turn to a blue-green before turning yellow in the fall.  It does produce 4” pea pods that wildlife appreciate. ‘Royal White’ is a large Redbud and will peak to 30 feet tall. 

'Redbud, 'Appalachian Red'

‘Appalachian Red’ is smaller at a mature height of 15’ to 25’ and is heat tolerant.  Deep fuchsia red blooms stand out in the landscape, and the blue/green foliage turns brilliant yellow in fall.

Redbud, 'Traveler'

One other type of Redbud is the Texas Redbud.  ‘Traveler’ is similar to  ‘Lavender Twist’, but the red buds are smaller, and glossy leaves resist fading in the heat of summer.

Other popular Redbud varieties are 'Pink Charm', 'Pinkbud', 'Silver Cloud', and "Flame'. No matter what variety of Redbud you choose, I believe you will have hope and a smile that spring is truly here when these beauties bloom.  Arbor Day is April 27, 2013.  Let’s celebrate trees and plant a tree or three. 

Host Plants for Caterpillars

As we head out to the garden center, keep in mind the beautiful sight of colorful butterflies in the garden. Now is the time to plan a feast for the caterpillars with appropriate host plants.   Caterpillars of butterflies have a menu that is as diverse as the different butterflies they will morph into. Some butterflies will come to the garden for the sole purpose of eating, mating, and depositing eggs on these host plants.  The eggs will hatch and the young larvae will begin eating and growing until it is time for them to spin a cocoon, and emerge into the beautiful butterflies we all enjoy.
This feast of the young caterpillars is not the time to panic.  Yes, leaves of plants will be devoured.  Torn edges and holes will appear.  The host plants must be offered and yes, sacrificed, for the life cycle of butterflies to continue.
Here are just some of the Butterflies, their caterpillar offspring, and some of the host plants that the caterpillars prefer.

Anise Butterfly

Anise Caterpillars

Fennel

Deposited egg on fennel

Rue

Parsley

The Eastern Black Swallowtail also depends on the parsley, Fennel, and rue as a host plant.


One of the most endearing caterpillars is the Spicebush Swallowtail. 
And as the name suggests, the host plant for this interesting fellow is the Spicebush.  This larvae also will eat bay leaves and sassafras.
The Spicebush shrub is a native and can tolerate a shady spot in the garden.


This is the cabbage white butterfly and the caterpillar.  As the name suggests, the host plants are cabbage, mustard, and nasturtiums. The fact that cabbage is a host, also make this caterpillar a pest in the vegetable garden.
American Painted Lady is a colorful butterfly. 
The host plants favored by this species are daisies, hollyhock, and other composite blooms.  Composites are blooms that are centered or flat and provide a landing pad for butterflies. 


Monarch butterflies get a lot of attention in the garden, and their annual migration in the fall is documented here.  The milkweed is the only host plant I have found for this variety. 




Viceroy Butterflies are similar to Monarch butterflies in color, but smaller in size.  They feast on willow, poplar, apple, cherry and plum trees. 



This Great Spangled Fritillary and cocoon are hosted by violets.  Other Fritillary butterflies are the Variegated Fritillary and the Meadow Fritillary.  They all need violets, pansies, and tricolor violets. 


The Variegated Fritillary will also use Stonecrops, plantains, and Passionflowers for its host.




Many butterflies do not appear in the garden until late summer and early fall.  Therefore it is important to have a progression of flowering plants to draw in the butterflies, and to have host plants available.
 
Asters are a great late season plant both for color, nectar, and as a host plant for the Pearly Crescentspot.


Red Admiral larvae favor hops, nettle, specifically false nettle. The Red Admiral butterfly is increasing in population.  It typically has two broods or generations each season.

False Nettle

Chrysalis of Red Admiral

Since I’m in Ohio, home of Buckeye, as our state tree, I wanted to show you a very pretty butterfly, The Buckeye butterfly.   The caterpillar eats plantain, cudweed, toad flax and verbena.

Verbena

Keep in mind that the butterflies are drawn to the garden for two reasons.  One is the nectar they need for food, and two is the host plants the caterpillars need for food. 

Host plants can be herbs such as parsley, or annuals like cleome. Perennials that are good host plants are Dutchman's pipe, milkweed, daisies, Turtlehead and foxglove. Shrubs, and trees also host caterpillars.  Trees like willow, poplar, apple, hawthorn and tulip tree are only a few.  Several clovers, and other legumes qualify for caterpillar menus along with some vines like beans, and peas.   Thanks to Joyful Butterfly.com for many of the references used.

By incorporating host plants into the landscape, the wonderful winged world of butterflies will be frequent visitors. Remember to refrain from the knee-jerk reaction of reaching for insecticides when a caterpillar is munching away on your plants.  No caterpillars, not cocoons.  No cocoons, no butterflies.  Embrace the inevitable and enjoy.