Mix things up and add a bit of sparkle to your landscape this season.

You decided to save money or perhaps try something new and ordered bare root plants from a catalog or through the internet. Now you are wondering what to do with them once they arrive.

So what do you do when those bare root perennials, shrubs, roses, or fruit plants you ordered arrive before you and your garden are ready or the weather is suitable for planting? Don’t despair you can preserve your investment with minimal effort.

Turn your attention indoors and give those tender annuals overwintering a bit of TLC.

Celebrate Arbor Day by planting new trees or caring for your established ones in your landscape and community.

Reduce maintenance and improve your plants’ health by creating large planting beds around trees and shrubs.

Avoid dulling your mower blades and more importantly damaging your trees by creatively dealing with the surface roots.

Cooler air and the crackle of burning wood mean fall for many. But don’t destroy the forest by moving firewood. Instead use wood from local sources.

Stop – don’t top that tree. Instead, make sure it is properly pruned for years of health, beauty, and enjoyment in your landscape.

The brilliant fall color in our landscapes is a magical transformation that happens each year. And the science behind it all is just as intriguing.

A forsythia bloom in fall? It’s not as unusual as you think.

Mums are the traditional fall flower – but don’t stop there. You can find plenty of plants to add to your landscape’s fall display.

So you decided to brighten the winter landscape with a few lights.

Don’t sacrifice beauty for function when you can have both. Select long blooming shrubs that can screen bad views, create barriers and serve as the framework or a focal point in your landscape.

A break in the cold winter temperatures can be a welcome reprieve for gardeners, but not such a good thing for our spring flowering bulbs.

Heavy snow and ice can wreak havoc on our landscapes. Proper handling of storm damaged plants can help minimize long-term damage.

Improve the health and longevity of your trees and shrubs with a bit of preventative care.

Don’t let a lack of space keep you from growing trees in your landscape. Consider planting columnar trees in containers and narrow spaces.

Trees, shrubs and perennials are great for container gardens. But as winter approaches we need to provide a bit of care to help them through the winter.

One of the biggest plant investments you make for your landscape is your trees. Help insure their longevity by planting them right.

Start with a call to 811 at least three days before digging in. This free service will mark the location of all underground wires. This one call can save you money and even your life.

Use shrubs in the landscape for extra color, a bit of privacy and year round beauty.

Procrastination is a good thing when it comes to cleaning up your landscape in fall.

All your hard work on the lawn and landscape can be undone with a quick toss of deicing salt. A little care now will eliminate the frustration and time needed next spring to repair winter damaged plants.

Tame those floppy potentilla and spirea and bring other overgrown summer flowering shrubs down to size in late winter through early spring.

Late spring is the time to bring overgrown lilacs, forsythia and other spring blooming shrubs down to size.

Late winter after the coldest weather has passed through early spring before growth begins is a great time to prune trees. Make proper cuts to insure the health and longevity of your plants.

Winter is often the time we break out the pruners and start shaping trees and shrubs. Before making that first cut, be sure you are pruning with a purpose in mind.

Add a bit of season long color to your landscape with purple leafed shrubs.

Rake your way to a healthy lawn. As the snow recedes from the lawn break out the leaf rake and fluff up the grass. This helps reduce the risk of pink and gray snow mold developing and damaging your lawn. These fungal diseases are most common when heavy snow falls or ice covers non-frozen turf or after late winter snow storms. The damage is usually seen where snow lingers late in the season. Symptoms appear as circular areas of matted brown grass. You may even see a gray or pink cobweb-like growth over these areas. A light raking dries the grass, making it less susceptible to these diseases.

Don’t drag that Christmas tree to the curb. Give it a second life in your landscape.

Cut trees make great windbreaks in the landscape. Strategically place discarded Christmas trees on the windward side of rhododendron, boxwood and other broadleaf evergreens to reduce problems with winter burn.

Beautiful reddish purple buds line the branches and trunks of the picturesque redbud tree. As the temperatures warm the buds burst into rosy pink or magenta blooms. And this is just the beginning of this tree’s beauty.

Add structure and a year round framework to your shady landscape with shrubs.

Birds can add color and motion to your landscape year round. Planting shrubs that provide food and shelter is an easy and affordable way to bring birds into your backyard.

Your mailbox and dining room table are overflowing with catalogs filled with pictures of beautiful flowers and scrumptious vegetables. With so many choices it can be a bit overwhelming – I can help.

Moving trees and shrubs can be tricky and heavy work. Make the move in spring before growth begins or in fall as the plants go dormant for greatest success.

Some of your impatiens, geraniums and other annuals overwintering indoors may be looking a bit unkempt. Break out the pruners and get busy with a little grooming.

Tired of constant pruning or need a change from those green gumdrops, hockey pucks and meatballs? With a bit of time and patience you can convert these back to their natural beauty.

Save energy, care for new trees, and conserve water in one easy step.

Save time, energy, and conserve water while caring for your new trees.

Add a bit of greenery to your front steps, window box or patio with a winter container.

Make this the fall you protect your evergreens before winter winds and snowloads cause your arborvitae to split and rhododendrons to wither.

Help your roses through the winter and be rewarded with beautiful blooms next season.