SOLAR FOUNTAIN

 

With the increasing interest in solar fountain pumps as a means of powering garden fountains we provide a brief guide to solar fountain pumps.

Tree Peony 'Hakugan' Flower

Tree Peony Tree Peonies such as 'Hakugan' pictured left are spectacular flowering plants. Paeonia suffruticosa is the botanical name and with lots of cultivars you will have a huge range to choose from. Kamata-nishiki' is a fantastic purple flowering cultivar while Paeonia 'Shimanishiki' has a red and white flower. Try planting in dappled shade 10ft from the base of a large tree. Remember that tree peony do not like wet feet, in fact once they are established they are reasonably drought tolerant. Many tree peonies are killed by overwatering. Plan now for a spring planting.

 

 

2010 Perennial Plant Symposium

The 28th Annual 2010 Perennial Plant Symposium will be held in Portland, Oregon from July 18 - 24, 2010 at the Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel. Follow us on the PPA website, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for updates as the symposium gets closer.

Specifically for the educational community, please see the PPA website for scholarships, internships and research grant opportunities. The 2010 scholarship application is due March 1, 2010.
For landscape designers, there is a design award application due February 1, 2010.

Mingle with horticultural companies and nursery professionals looking to enhance their network and knowledge base. Explore wholesale nurseries and retail garden centers using cutting edge technology to bring interesting and unusual perennials to market.

The Perennial Plant Association (PPA) is an independent group of perennial enthusiasts working together to promote best practices in the horticulture industry. The PPA promotes education and research for perennial plants, design, and maintenance techniques. The PPA has been an active association since 1984, with over 1,600 members nationwide. The organization membership is made up of 34% landscape, 42% wholesale/retail grower and 25% retailers.

For more information on the Perennial Plant Association, please visit: http://www.perennialplant.org/
or contact Steven Stills, PPA Director via email at: ppa@perennialplant.org.

Trees and shrubs, their valuable contribution to the urban landscape.

Trees and shrubs are extremely important in our landscape, not only from an aesthetic point of view but for environmental and practical reasons as well.

Trees and shrubs can actually help reduce heat, it is possible to reduce summer cooling bills by as much as 20% if trees are planted to provide appropriate shade. Trees can also reduce the effects of wind, both cold and hot winds, trees will actually slow evaporation on hot windy days, soils maintain moisture and understory plants are given protection.

Trees also act as barriers to noise as well as wind, and can also form a living privacy screen. Trees can reduce freeway noise by up to 5db. Remember that trees also help absorb fumes and are a part of the fight against increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and greenhouse emissions.

It is always interesting to note that commercial retail and residential developments are some of the biggest users of trees, trees actually attract people, residential streets lined with appropriate trees can actually improve house values.

So what about falling leaves and invasive root systems? Leaves can be composted and returned to the soil, or used as mulch, raking leaves should not be seen a chore, use it as a valuable form of exercise. Root systems can be controlled using root barriers to protect drains, paths and foundations, but remember that not all trees have invasive root systems, choose the right tree for the right location.

Small trees for small gardens, large trees larger gardens as well as for parks and rural areas, consult your local nursery for advice.

Our favorite trees include: Japanese Maple Tree, Gingko Biloba, Cotinus (smoke bush), Cornus (dogwood), Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica) and of course Pyrus

The Nurseries Online Group offers the largest gardening and nursery information diectory and resource on the internet. Whatever your gardening needs are you will be able to find all of the information you need on one of our group of sites. Garden Calendars or seasonal informaion,advice and growing notes on 1000s of species of plants. Roses, advanced trees, flowering plants, perennials, bulbs, annuals, vegetables, fruit trees, sundials, water features and a lot more. International sites on Gardening in Great Britain, Nurseries and Gardening in the USA and all the information on Gardening in Australia. And coming soon Gardening in New Zealand.