There is a handful of native landscape species that provide a rich history and folklore, as well as disease-resistance, native hardiness and beauty. Two trees with these attributes are the White and the Pink Flowering Dogwoods.

An American favorite for centuries, both white and pink flowering dogwoods were propagated widely from Massachusetts to Florida, and west to Texas. George Washington planted white dogwoods at Mt. Vernon as did Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. These dogwood trees are covered with showy white or pink flower blossoms from April in the southern part of their range, to late April through May in northern and high altitude areas. They are an excellent contrast when planted together or with larger evergreen backgrounds.

Pink and white dogwoods were originally favored as much for their utility as for their beauty. Cultivated in 1731, these native North American trees' extremely hard wood made it a useful tool in colonial times. Used as leather punches, watch-cleaning brushes, weaver's shuttles, chisel and maul handles, yokes... dogwood twigs were even used by some colonists to brush their teeth!

Providing four seasons of enjoyment, white and pink dogwoods explode with pink and white biscuit-shaped flowers each spring, and their deep, dark green oval shaped leaves change to vivid reds, purples and browns each fall. Their berries mature into glossy red fruits in the autumn that provide food for songbirds and other wildlife through the winter. Their low, somewhat twisting branches provide shade through the summer while their gray stems and checkered bark provide contrast against the winter snows. These flowering dogwoods prefer to be planted in partial shade with moist, well-drained acidic soil, making them an ideal candidate for planting near modern landscape elements like utility lines, near more formal garden structures and patios and next to larger buildings.

The seed, fruit, flowers, twigs, bark and leaves of the white and pink dogwoods are as useful to a wide range of local wildlife as they were to our own ancestors. At least 36 species of birds, including ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail and wild turkey are known to eat the fruit. Chipmunks, foxes, squirrels, skunks, rabbits, deer, beaver, black bear and other mammals also eat the fruit. The twigs and foliage are browsed heavily by deer and rabbits.

Gardening with an eye toward native plants that sustain wildlife has reintroduced many species which were the backbone of the early American landscape to a new generation of gardeners. Bring home a few to your own landscape and discover for yourself the enduring grace of these popular classics.

Perhaps no other single plant or tree can add as much value to a garden landscape as a Japanese maple. They look great planted as a centerpiece in mounds or garden islands, plus they make excellent container plants for a patio or terrace. Japanese maples are also used quite extensively as bonsai specimens.

What makes this tree so popular is that it is available in many sizes, colors, leaf shapes, and growing habits. The color of Japanese maples ranges from bright green and variegated to shades of orange, red, and purple. The fall foliage on most varieties is beautiful. You can find single-stemmed specimens, multi-trunk, and low-growing mounded varieties.

This versatile tree can be planted any time of the year in most regions of the U.S., as long as the soil is not soggy. They require a location with good drainage and prefer protection from the wind. Avoid planting them in lawn areas, because lawns receive more frequent watering than Japanese maples require. Use red- and purple-shaded varieties against light-colored fences and walls, or to set off other plants. Use green-leafed varieties in shadier areas, against plain fences or darker shaded walls.

Most Japanese maples prefer a morning sun/afternoon shade or full shade location but will acclimate quite well after a few years planted in full sun, provided the soil around them is kept consistently moist. The key to watering Japanese maples is slow, deep and regular waterings. Never let the tree dry out. The soil should be kept moist, not wet.

Japanese maples are not heavy feeders, and can burn from too much or too strong a plant food. We recommend feeding twice a year during the growing season. It is important not to cultivate around the root zone. A 2" layer of mulch will help keep the upper layer of soil moist and help prevent soil crusting and weeds.

Pay us a visit and let one of our nursery experts help you pick the perfect Japanese maple tree for your garden.

If you ever find yourself getting bored with your garden, consider adding or creating some topiary plants to bring a little life to the party. Topiary, the art of fashioning living plants into ornamental shapes and sculptures, is an art that has been practiced for centuries: the practice of controlling plants by selective pruning and shaping.

Mediterranean topiary dates back to Roman times where figures of animals, inscriptions, cyphers, and obelisks were introduced to gardens. The Romans also introduced the art of miniature landscapes. Clipping and shaping shrubs and trees has also been practiced in China, Japan and other parts of Asia for centuries but with completely different esthetic goals. The Orient has given us more "natural" forms of topiary, including "cloud pruning."

Europe can be credited with starting a topiary revival in the 16th century and has historically been associated with the terrace gardens of wealthy European land owners. This is where traditional geometric topiary forms such as balls, cubes, pyramids, cones, tapering spirals, flattened hedges, and other formal shapes were introduced.

There are many different plants that can be used to create topiary, but for centuries one of the most popular plants has been English boxwood, a slow growing shrub with densely packed light-green leaves and rounded, compact growth habits. A true dwarf, English boxwood is easily shaped by trimming away growth to train the plant into any desired shape. This is usually accomplished with patience and using steady hands to prune away growth to create the shape, which is the method traditional topiary depends upon.

Hedging is an easy way for the beginner to introduce geometric topiary into the garden. Simply give your boxwood hedges a smooth, crisp finish. Then cut out windows and doors, or turn the top into a battlement. You can use rows of smaller growing plants to create mini-walls to frame flower and vegetable beds--or consider creating a traditional knot garden with embroidery-like patterns.

For spirals, use a line of string tied to the top of the plant, and then circle it around and down to outline the shape. Then start pruning with some topiary shears. You can even create evergreen pillars and arches to highlight the entrance to a special part of your garden. For more informal but equally spectacular topiary, try Japanese cloud pruning. Simply strip most of the leaves off each stem leaving a ball of foliage at the end. This looks beautiful and impressive, adding an abstract formality to a garden and making a great sculptural focal point.

Of course, containers of boxwood clipped into traditional or whimsical shapes are the quintessential topiary--and easily moved about if you (or your plant) could use a change of scenery.

We have a great selection of boxwoods in stock now at Nicholson Hardie, and check our selection of shears to find what you need. Then just let your creative juices flow--but please be careful where you point those shears!

Many homeowners revel in the glory of their garden in spring, only to be disappointed when plants start to dry out and look stressed in the heat of summer. The natural reaction is to pour more water into the garden to "moisturize" the plants. This in turn can lead to root rot and/or the continuous lowering of soil temperature to the point that plants aren't stimulated to grow--or just plain die (overwatering is one of the main causes of plant death). But these problems can be greatly reduced or, in many cases, prevented by summer mulching.

The goal of summer mulching is not only to reduce summer heat stress on plants, but to create an environment for plants that will be conducive to good growth. Mulch is to a garden what a roof is to your home. We couldn't heat or air condition the home without the roof. The same seasonal temperature variance occurs in your garden. A 2" layer of mulch not only retains moisture in the soil but it maintains a cooler temperature in the summer and a warmer temperature in the winter.

Mulching also brings many other benefits to the garden. It gives the garden a tidier appearance and greatly improves the growing conditions for plants. Mulch helps suppress weeds and helps to conserve moisture. It creates an environment where earthworms can thrive and enhance the soil's condition. Nature provides this for us in natural settings; when we apply mulch to our garden, we mimic what is naturally done on the forest floor.

The strategy is to stimulate the growth of good soil bacteria, which in turn digest plant foods that the plant will recognize as nutrients and absorb. By keeping moisture in the soil you will attract earthworms and beneficial microbes and bacteria. The earthworms loosen up the soil, easing compaction, while the beneficial microbes help digest nutrients more efficiently, making them more readily available to the plants. Maintaining "moist" soil as opposed to "wet" soil keeps the temperature of the soil at a more consistent level for optimum growth. Mulch also provides a blanket to the soil that protects against soil crusting, as it decomposes and adds humus to the soil.

We recommend spreading a 2" inch layer of mulch or bark over the top of the native soil. There are many mulching materials available. Color, particle size, and nutrient exchange are considerations when choosing your material. Non-organic decorative mulches such as rock or gravel may be an attractive addition in gardens but give nothing back to the soil. Note: make sure not to place mulch right up against plant stems or tree trunks.

When mulching is incorporated with a good organic fertilizing program, the plants in your garden will not only survive the stress of summer and winter, but will thrive in it. Mulch will also give your garden a more "finished" look, adding to its overall beauty.

Click to print this article.