Winter and I have a challenging relationship. I don’t love the way business slows down for a few months, I’m not a fan of the fact that it causes my construction jobs to take longer, and let’s be honest –…
Right plant, right place. I know I harp on that a lot. Sorry about that. The fact of the matter is that a lot of people have these teeny-tiny little areas for which nursery-fresh plants in 3 gallon pots look…
When I design a landscape for a brand new home in a subdivision that was until recently a hay field, I rarely get to use shade plants. Then there are loads of established landscapes all over northern Virginia, with towering…
I’m officially a HUGE fan of beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma). This is the time of year when plants are putting on the grand finale. Blaze orange, deep scarlet, brilliant yellow, and a multitude of other colors make this a beautiful time…
I don’t have to tell you this is bad, right? Wrong plant, wrong place and all that? Obviously you’ve seen examples of corrective pruning to deal with improperly located trees, but it’s better for everyone – homeowner, arborist, and tree…
Common? Maybe. Still, there’s no denying that this is a showy plant in the fall. Just keep in mind that it wants to get to be a ten foot by ten foot plant. Sure, you can keep it whacked back…
Can we speak frankly? We’re friends, right? This is an issue that I encounter a lot: A lot of folks are thinking too small when it comes to their trees. It’s a common occurrence: I go out to meet with…
I realize that I have already posted about Cryptomeria japonica, but I wanted to do a quickie Plant Profile card for it because hey, I find them fun. I recommend the use of these trees a good bit to homeowners,…
These beauties have mostly stopped blooming at this point (although I’ve seen an oddball bloomer here and there), and now the big, dangly seed pods are doing their thing. Koelreuteria is a good choice for spaces where you want a…
