Sometimes we like to toot our own horn. We’ve just put online a new web site devoted to visiting the great state of Ohio. Having grown up in the state I can attest to its many attributes and hope that the information we’ve provided will be helpful if you ever plan on visiting the Buckeye State. It is still a work in progress and we will be adding additional information as time permits.

www.Touring-Ohio.com

Of special interest to landscapers is the section on the “Topiary Gardens” in Columbus, and the “Kingswood Center” gardens in Mansfield.

Came across this new web site that offers advice on how to get your house ready to sell, from creating curb appeal, to staging a bathroom.

http://www.1to1house.com

Spirea are among the easiest flowering shrubs to grow and are often used as foundation plantings and seasonal hedges.

Most spireas bloom in late spring to midsummer. Flower colors include pink, red, yellow, and white, depending on the variety. Once their flowering cycle is complete, they sometimes become slightly leggy, but a light trimming with hedge clippers will rejuvenate them and sometimes cause a 2nd bloom cycle to occur.

There are two distinct kinds of spireas: the bridal wreath type, with clusters of white flowers on arching branches in spring; and the smaller, shrubby, much lower-growing type, which has pink, red or white flowers clustered at the end of upright branches from late spring through to fall. Size depends on the species and variety, and can range from 2′ - 10′ tall and wide. Low-growing bumald spirea (S. bumalda) and medium-sized Japanese spirea (S. japonica) can be used throughout the landscape. Vanhoutte spirea (S. vanhouttei), the classic bridal wreath spirea, grows up to 10′ tall and 20′ wide, so give it plenty of elbow room. Masses of small, white flower clusters cover the plant in the spring.

Read more about growing spireas in your landscape.

Did you ever wish you could have a water fountain or a water circulating bird bath in the back yard but didn’t want to go through all the hassle and work of running an underground electrical wire clear out there? Well now science has come to the rescue.

Solar powered pumps can run without supplemental electricity all day long with some models that even run 24/7.

There are multiple ways of installing a solar powered fountain. The easiest and quickest is to just buy the entire unit (fountain, pump, solar panel) as a single fixture. These are available in all shapes and sizes.

You also can adapt a regular fountain to a solar powered unit by simply swapping the 120volt pump for the solar unit.

Read more about Solar Powered Water Fountains

Hollyhocks are a sturdy, stately, old fashioned plant and are wonderfully easy plants for the beginner gardener to grow successful. They can be a strong accent plant reminiscent of heirloom gardens and cottage borders. Hollyhocks are a charming addition to any garden space.

It’s best to plant hollyhocks near a building or fence so they can be staked when they get tall. Be sure to keep your soil evenly moist and add organic matter if your want to keep this plant looking good. Watch for Japanese beetles and rust.

Read more about growing hollyhocks in your garden

Wave Petunias are a spectacularly different type of the common petunia. It has a trailing shape that makes Wave petunias a great choice for containers, baskets, window boxes, as well as a great seasonal ground cover.

Wave Petunias hug the ground (standing only 4″ - 6″ high) for a very neat and tidy look. Unlike standard petunias, you don’t need to remove spent blossoms to keep the plants blooming!

Read more about the new Wave Petunia

Blooming clematis are truly dramatic. Growing clematis can at times, be daunting. The secret is understanding the pruning type of clematis you have and when is the best time to prune your clematis.
“To prune or not to prune,” is the most often asked question. Incorrect pruning in most cases will only delay flowering. However, improper timing of the pruning can cause the death of the plant. DON’T PRUNE IN THE FALL! Let your clematis stay unpruned and dormant until spring. Furthermore, if all varieties were left unpruned they would all flower very well. However, the flowers would not necessarily cover the plant as well as they otherwise could.

Most clematis enjoy being exposed to at least 5 to 6 hours of sunlight daily. In hotter inland and canyon areas, planting pastel pink varieties in bright shade helps to minimize fading.

Read more about growing beautiful clematis in your garden

Every insect has a place in the world, but some are more of a nuisance to people than others. Flies fall into that category. The common house fly and stable fly are the primary pest fly species that create problems for people and animals, plus, these species are the most widely distributed throughout the country. Adult flies are not only a nuisance to humans and animals, but they can also transmit some diseases.

Read more about how you can control flies in your area

The following are the hot topics for this year as perceived by the Association of Landscape Contractors:

Sustainable Gardens – Green applies to more than just lawns. Homeowners are looking for landscapes that conserve water, use locally produced or recycled materials, and employ environmentally responsible maintenance practices which means reducing runoff, reducing fertilizer usage, and reducing landfill usage by composting.

Combining Interior and Exterior Design – Outdoor living continues with a strong emphasis on creating a cohesive flow between interior and exterior spaces. Outdoor rooms meld colors, textures and styles with a home’s indoor spaces. Backyard retreats, including meditation areas, reading nooks and living rooms also are growing in popularity.

Big Impact for Small Spaces – The trend toward smaller yards causes homeowners to make the most of their small space gardening by enhancing privacy, selecting plant material designed for small spaces and choosing designs maximizing functionality.

Attractive Xeriscape – In some areas, years of continuous drought have greatly raised an awareness about water use and made Xeriscape more than a passing fad. Consumers continue to request stunning plants and hardscape elements that minimize water use.

Exterior Lighting – Homeowners want to extend enjoyment of outdoor spaces into after-dark hours. Hard-wired lighting is now illuminating more gardens, trees and nighttime activities while enhancing security.

Water Features – Trends include installing several water features throughout the yard, as well as pond-less features and fountains to enhance sight and sound.

Landscape Makeovers – The reality TV craze to refurbish homes and landscapes has spilled into the mainstream. Consumers are looking at ways to refresh a dated landscape or start from scratch by incorporating new decks, patios and gardens.

Planning is in – More homeowners are looking at blueprints to help them design their landscapes by creating garden plans on their own or hiring professionals to create well-designed yards to fit their lifestyles and budgets.

As a gardener or landscaper, you’ve probably already become aware of the disappearing honey bees. Along with this has come a boatload of theories as to why. Cell phone usage, global warming, sunspots, UFOs, terrorist plots, insecticide use, Russian scientists gone mad, etc. etc. etc.

Most of these theories do not have enough merit to even comment upon because they are so ridiculous, except for one: insecticide use. But in this case, it is a lack of insecticide use that may well be the cause.

Our bee population has had a problem with the varonna mite over the past several years. Most bee keepers were aware of this problem and most have been treating for this infestation. The key word is “most bee keepers”. Some have not.

There are basically 2 types of honey bee colonies in America: commercial or hobbyist types of colonies, and natural bee colonies that live in hives they create on their own.

The hobby bee keepers are usually small scale with hives they maintain on their property year round. However, the commercial bee keepers are much larger and they move their colonies around the country 1000s of miles during the year as they follow the blooming cycle of different plants. They are paid by farmers to set up their hives on their farm so many dollars per hive. This is done so there will theoretically be enough bees to help pollinate their crops so the farmer will be insured their fruit crops will be adequately pollinated.

Now, imagine one commercial bee keeper’s hive becomes infected with a veronna mite infestation and he does not know it. This mite infection usually can only be detected with a large infestation. Smaller infestations may well go undetected. Here is the problem: an infected hive, say in Florida, is moved north as the season progresses. Every day the infected bees leave the hive and go out and do what bees do– they pollinate flowers, along with the 1000s of other bees from local natural bee hives. These local bees then pick up this varonna mite and take it back to their natural bee hive. In time the varonna mite sucks the life out of the hive since there is no insecticide controls around to kill the mite in these hives. The cycle repeats itself over and over and soon we are faced with “a great honey bee mystery.”

I don’t know if the varonna mite is the sole problem. It is very likely to be the case. If it’s not the varonna mite, then it could very easily be some other problem similar to that and spread in the exact same way already described. What we are faced with is an adjustment period. In time, a new breed of honey bees will arise that is resistant to whatever the infestation cause is. It will take time.