A DOGWOOD DILEMMA? USE KOREAN.

Korean dogwood 'Satomi'
Use this cultivar in lieu of common pink dogwood Cornus florida.
www.monrovia.com

In late March and early April, clients shop for dogwood trees. The Green Man recommends the use of KOREAN DOGWOOD (Cornus kousa)in contradistinction to common FLOWERING DOGWOOD (Cornus florida) to avoid what he calls "heartbreak down the line."

Recall that your landscaping dollars are an investment, so shop for "bulletproof" trees, shrubs, and plants whenever possible. And, the problem will flowering dogwood is its susceptibility to dogwood anthracnose:















Finally, if you find you absolutely must have FLOWERING DOGWOOD (Cornus florida), then use the disease-resistant white cultivar 'Appalchian Spring.'

















www.rarefindnursery.com

"Every so often a new plant is introduced that is destined to become a classic. 'Appalachian Spring' is one of them. It has demonstrated unusual resistance to dogwood anthracnose, a destructive disease which affects this treasured native species.

The parent tree was found growing wild in heavily shaded forest understory on Catoctin Mountain in Maryland. In U.S. Forest Service tests, thousands of dogwoods were screened for resistance to anthracnose, and 'Appalachian Spring' was the only one to survive!

An excellent tree with four seasons of interest, it blooms prolifically with white flowers which are followed by abundant bright red fruit. The strikingly larger leaves than most other flowering dogwood cultivars turn bright red in autumn. Its vigorous upright growth habit reaches 20 feet in 10 years."

Combine dogwoods with a deer-resistant viburnum, the "Lexus of shrubs." such a Viburnum odoratissmum 'Red Tip'.



www.monrovia.com

OK, so here's your design triad:

1 Korean dogwood 'Satomi'
3 Flowering dogwood 'Appalachian Spring' OR 3 white korean dogwood
5 Viburnum 'Red Tip'
Accent drift: Daffodil 'Dutch Master'


Understory with "bulletproof" daffodil 'Dutch Master.'

GROW YOUR OWN TOMATOES IN A POTAGER

The Green Man has recommended to clients for nearly 2 years now to design and install an expansive potager in a 6-hour sun area on their sites. OK, here's another reason to start NOW: store tomato prices are ridiculously high...and what you get...pulpy, tasteless, and useless...makes growing one's own tomatoes highly desirable. Tomatoes are great plants for beginning gardeners to try to build confidence and skills. And, tomatoes are so easy to cultivate!





















Flavorful Tomato 'Big Pink'



Tough 'Snowball' white marigolds produce 3" flowers on 2' plants, and they protect both roses and tomatoes from pests.







www.burpee.com/product/id/102997.do














Design triad: The Apothcary's rose (Rosa gallica officionalis) is the traditional potager rose. Keep tomato plant 12" away to protect the root system. Mediate the bright rose pinks and bright tomato reds with groupings of white marigolds between. www.roguevalleyroses.com

Let's enumerate the reasons to grow your own vegetables, starting with tomatoes:

1. They're easy to grow. They need stakes for support, but they thrive in hot, dry weather.

2. They are real tomatoes, and nothing beats the taste of vine-ripened fruit.

3. Gardening a bit each day has inumerable health benefits. In fact, in Candide, Voltaire recommends gardening as the only reasonable response to a wacky world.



Carefree pink Knock Out rose
www.naturehills.com



Cheerful and elegant cherry tomato 'Sun Gold' Yummy!



Design triad: Accent pink Knock Out roses and 'Sun Gold' tomatoes with Victorian heirloom EDIBLE 'Empress of India' nasturtiums.






4. Tomatoes are colorful additions to the potager. They LOVE the benefits of companion plants such as carrots and colorful marigolds in bright yellow, white, and creams. Do not use orange.

5. A fresh food-producing potager is a terrifc substitute for expanses of high-management, inert turf. Enjoy greens on the golf course...grow greens (and tomatoes)at home in a potager off the terrace and near the kitchen.

You can do this. Start here: www.americanpotager.com

www.burpee.com/category/vegetables.do?cid=2010_03_15_TomatoPrices&

OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA 'SNOW QUEEN'

An elegant, much-desired hydrangea. Get it!

Go with the whites.

"Some improvements make this Oakleaf Hydrangea significantly better. Its upright habit is useful in small spaces; its rich green leaves take full sun and its large, white, well-filled flower heads are held on rigid stems and do not droop after rain."

Then, russet to burgundy fall leaf color is a plus, too. Want 5 good ones?

Any oakleaf hydrangea
'Limelight'
'Annabelle'
'Little Lamb'
'The Swan'

Get your color from perennials and other plants.

'Snow Queen' is available at www.whiteflowerfarm.com