The Garden Shed
Evergreen Privacy Walls For Landscaping In Georgia
April 14th, 2014 categories: Deborah's Scrapbook, My Favorites, The Garden Shed
As a Remax Realtor, working in the Area of North Atlanta GA, we are selling homes and listing homes everyday.
One of the big questions we get when showing a homes is,
“What do you suggest we plant for a privacy wall in this back yard”?
When I first moved here to Georgia, I joined the Cherokee Master Gardeners and it was a great idea. The classes taught everyone a little bit about a lot of topics. From grass to Georgia native plants, to the best maintenance free shrubs to composting and fertilizing.
Anyway, back to the subject of this Blog, What resources are available and what plants to use to establish a Living Wall, instead of building a fence for privacy.
First, Here are a few resources that I found, instead of coping what they have to say. Keep in mind, the state of Georgia has a few Zones to consider (Zones 7, 8 and 9), so I have attached a Map for your reference as well. Happy Planting!
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Tree Huggers Unite In Milton Georgia!
August 15th, 2010 categories: Deborah's Scrapbook, Milton, The Garden Shed
The Milton Tree Ordinance passed by City Council!
Great news for all of us that were lured to the beautiful city of Milton by the abundance of rolling landscapes, farms and wooded nature. The city council of Milton Georgia has approved a new law that regulates how trees are to be handled on properties.
For any tree over 15 inches in diameter, (which is about the circumference of a persons thigh) the property owner will need permission to chop it down. The ordinance was crafted “to further ensure and preserve the rural characteristic in the city of Milton by retaining as many of our trees as we can”, said Lynn Tully, the Milton GA community development director.
The ordinance, which has working its way through the city council since 2008, also provides for the regulation and approval of tree removal companies who specialize in this area. The ordinance recently passed unanimously.
More Interesting Reading About Trees
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What Does It Take To Have A Great Georgia Butterfly Garden This Summer?
April 3rd, 2010 categories: Deborah's Scrapbook, Month to Month, The Garden Shed
A Summer Filled With Butterflies In GA
It all begins with the desire. By doing a little planning in the design, location and selection of the right plants to attract first the caterpillars, and then the butterfly, you will receive your reward in the spectacular show of color in the air, as well as the garden.
The Top 12 perennials And Annuals For Attracting Butterflies
Perennials
- Butterfly Bush
Butterfly Weed
Coreopsis
Hollyhock
Lantana
Loosetrife
New England Aster
Phlow
Purple Cornflower
Verbena
Violet
Yarrow
Butterfly Loving Lantana
- Cosmos
Heliotrope
Impatiens
Marigolds
Mexican Sunflower
Nasturtium
Phlox
Pin-Cushion
Shasta daisy
Sweet William
Verbena
Zinnia
While there may be a lot of different butterfly nectar plants available, there are few of these nectar-bearing plants that are at the top of the list.
The top seven nectar bearing food plants that butterflies love are butterfly weed, purple coneflowers, the New England Aster, Milkweed, Marigolds, Oregano and Butterfly Bush. If you plant all 7 of these plants, you will definitely be seeing a lot more butterflies in your yard!
Visit The Websites Below For Alot More Information
Butterfly Host Plants
Plants That Caterpillars Love
Herbs Butterflies Are Attracted To
- Anise
Borage
Burdock
Caraway
Clover
Dill
Dock
Fennel
Ginger (wild)
Hop Vine
Hyssop (water)
Lavender
Marjoram
Mallow
Mints
Mustards
Nasturtium
Nettle
Parsley
Plantain
Rue
Sassafras
Vervain
Violet
Yarrow
Butterfly Nectar Plants
Plants that produce abundant nectar to attract butterflies
What Butterfies Are Most Abundant To The Area Of GA
List Of Butterflies Of Georgia
A Bit About The Monarch Butterfly-King of The Butterflies
Wildflower Center For Native Plant Info.
If you would like to consider Native Plants to the area, check out this website:
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After December, What To Do With My Christmas Tree After Christmas…???
December 8th, 2009 categories: Deborah's Scrapbook, Month to Month, The Garden Shed
Top 10 Things to Do with a Christmas Tree after Christmas
No. 1 – Make a bottle tree. Cut all the branches about a foot from the trunk and put wine bottles on them. “My friend in Charleston, S.C., started that trend in his yard at Folly Beach. It’s definitely better with different colored bottles.”
No. 2 – Make a fish habitat. Drop three or four trees together in a pond or lake. Small fish will use the trees to hide from larger fish.
No. 3 – Make a bird pole. “My parents have used trees as bird house poles.” They can also be used to hold bird feeders, but make sure to cut the branches to the trunk or the birdseed will become a squirrel feast.
No. 4 – Make some mulch. “Some people, if they have a chipper or shredder, make mulch out of their trees.”
No. 5 – Make wood. Chop up the tree. The smaller branches make excellent kindling.
No. 6 – Make a vine pole. Trim the branches off, but leave some for vine support. Sink the trunk in the ground. Plant a climbing plant like a morning glory or clematis next to it.
No. 7 – Make a landscape addition. “If you get a live tree, just plant it.”
No. 8 – Make a walking stick. Christmas trees are generally tree species unique in Georgia. Make a special walking stick. “It takes a lot of whittling. You can give it as a gift next Christmas.” This is Chappell’s favorite use.
No. 9 – Make a coat rack. Cut all the branches off except for a few at the top, which should be trimmed 3 inches to 4 inches from the base. “It will turn out very good if you strip the bark. The wood is very pretty.”
No. 10 – Make a longbow. “My brother-in-law made a longbow out of last year’s Christmas tree. A lot of bow hunters are going back to the old style, the old world way of doing it.”
Next year, when it comes to picking a living Christmas tree, look for tree varieties that can take Georgia’s heat.
Pines, cedars and cypress typically do well in Georgia. Spruce and fir will wither when summer hits.
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Wild Stawberry Bush – Is It A Benefit To Wildlife In Georgia?
September 20th, 2009 categories: Deborah's Scrapbook, The Garden Shed
I have often wondered if the Strawberry Bush, which grows so well in the moist wooded soils of Georgia, has any nutritional value to wildlife. Therefore, I did a bit of research.
Before you pull that Strawberry Bush or try cut it down, keep in mind that birds, rabbits, and deer seem to like this native plant of GA.
If your Strawberry Bush is blooming like the picture below, it took over 2 years to mature to that state. There are visual features that are attractive in this plant and the Strawberry Bush is an excellent ornamental species.
The process begins in late spring with white blossoms tinged with pink or lavender, begin to bloom. After fertilization, by an unknown pollinator, the flower ripens and eventually forms a globular fruit. This capsule resembles a Strawberry.
In late September the husk opens to reveal 5 brilliant, shiny, orange-red berries and begins the colorful fall foliage that is still to come.
The most common names of this plant are Strawberry Bush, Bursting Heart, Fish Wood, Burning Bush, Hearts-a-Burstin-love (my favorite!), and Brook Euonymus. The leaves turn dark red in autumn and the red capsules and scarlet seeds add to the “burning effect,” contributing to several of its common names.
The Strawberry Bush is best used in natural settings, in the shade of larger shrubs and trees. Winter is the optimum trimming time, but cutting can be done anytime the plant is in leaf. This time of the year, late September, is when this plant is in its glory!
So you decide! Either keep the Strawberry Bush in the wild, for the animals and interesting foliage, or destroy it. Remember though, it could be feeding a hungry bird, squirrel, rabbit, or deer that may just need it in the fall/winter days ahead. Have a great Fall Season!
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Historic White Oak At Risk Due To Drought In Alpharetta Georgia
February 24th, 2008 categories: The Garden Shed
By Caroline Gray
An Alpharetta tree, popularly known as the runner-up champion white oak in Georgia, may be dying as a result of the drought.
The grandfatherly tree, next to the Extended Stay America Hotel on Haynes Bridge Road, was once considered the single largest of its species in the state, said City Arborist Ray Probart.
“I would guesstimate it’s at least 100 feet tall and the canopy is about 100 feet across,” he said. “It could be in better health.” For more information on white oaks visit White Oak Information.
At 135 to 150 years old, the white oak may be the oldest in Alpharetta and it has been severely impacted by the drought, said Dave Lofstrom, branch manager for Brickman Landscaping, the company responsible for maintaining the hotel grounds.
According to Loftstrom, the tree is desperate for yearly maintenance including feeding and lightning precautions in order to protect it from the drought stress and already present dead-branching.
“It’s a gorgeous tree. Currently what we’re trying to get them to do is mulch it – our arborist has made a bunch of suggestions,” said Lofstrom.
Mulching the tree with hardwood chips or pinestraw would be the single-most effective step the landscapers could take to protect the roots of the tree, said Probart.
People need to be educated to spread mulch all the way out to the drip line of the canopy – 10, 15, 20 feet away from the feeder roots,” he said. “Another thing that’s hard for people to accept is that grass is competition for the roots. One option is to use a herbicide to kill the grass out to the drip line.
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One Of The Best Drought Tolerant Plants For North Atlantas’ Drought Conditions
February 2nd, 2008 categories: Deborah's Scrapbook, The Garden Shed
The Best Drought-Tolerant Perennial-When summer heat kicks in, rely on this drought-tolerant plant to hold its own and still look beautiful.
Lavender!
This plant has it all: It looks great, it smells wonderful, and it’s as tough as nails (as long as it’s not too wet). Enjoy the blue, lavender, purple, or white flowers in summer. They’re great for drying and using in crafts — and even cooking with.
Name: Lavandula angustifolia
Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: 3 feet tall
Zones: 5-8
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