Fine Tuning

Fine Tuning

Scott and Chris have a very nice landscape and most homeowners would be happy, but there are a few areas that need a little help. So, that's why we got together. It might be best to wait until spring when the garden centers have stock up again, but here are some plants I think they should start looking for.

-Tuscan Blue Rosemary is an herb in most cities but in San Antonio it's more of a shrub. And it works well in sun or shade.

-Bicolor Iris does well in sun or shade but in shade it seldom blooms.

-Prostrate Rosemary is hard to beat when it comes to a low growing evergreen plant for a partly sunny location.

A great perennial for part sun is Coral Bells Huerchera. Here are three varieties with different colored leaves and different flowers.

And speaking of choices, Sweet Potato Vines are the same. There are quite a few different colored leaves and they all grow fast. They are annuals.

Need some privacy? Here are three good screening plants:

-Compact Cherry Laurel- it will get 15' tall and 10' wide.

-Yew Podocarpus- is slower but it will get 10' and you can keep it 5' wide by shearing it once a year.

-Scarlet's Peak Holly is upright growing to about 12' tall and 6' wide. And it will have red berries in the winter.

-Dwarf Pentas are great in sun or shade. you can find them in most colors and they only get about a foot tall.

-Rose Creek Abelia will get about 3' tall in 3 years. It will bloom in the summer.

-Variegated Flax Lily is evergreen and had 2' long variegated leaves.

-Giant Liriope will get about 2' tall and is evergreen. In some areas it's deer resistant, but not always.

-Kaleidoscope Abelia is another compact abelia. The leaves are variegated with golden leaves and in the winter the cool weather sometimes turns the top foliage red for a while.

-Japanese Blueberry does NOT produce blueberries. I don't know why they named it that. But, the plant does make a good screen. It will get 20' tall and 15' wide.

-Quite often the conversttion comes up about how to hide AC units, a utility boxes or a 1965 Chevy grandpa won't sell, that is still in the landscape rusting away. I've seen everything from planting a barrier of cactus to a hedge of roses to hide these hideous items. Here are a few photos that are not overly involved and not really expensive.

And below are some pieces you can buy to build a screen yourself.

That's about it for today. If you have any questions, you can find my email and phone number on previous pages.

Thanks for dropping by.