Imagine this… It’s a beautiful spring day and I’m wandering a backyard with a client to discuss their landscape needs and wants. The design will include many elements, not only plants, but hardscape, and structures as well as a fire pit and a water feature. They want it all and I’m ready to design the outdoor space that makes them excited to spend many wonderful days entertaining and relaxing.

As I look around, and imagine the discussed possibilities, I see that there will be areas that will be on full display to the backyard neighbors' door. Then, I see that the neighbors to the right have a yard full of kid toys, that while quite natural to see in a home with children, is not the view my client wants to see. Then, of course, the client whispers that they have not gotten along with the neighbor on the other side of their yard for years. The client would rather not have them looking into their space.

OK, maybe you don’t often run into all these scenarios on the same site, but it does happen. Privacy and creating intimate spaces is not something new, but we don’t have to address it in the same way every time we run into the need.

The old standard, “let's plant a row of arborvitae” is not the only solution and should not be the only consideration. While it may indeed be the best solution for a particular scenario, as a designer, its good to branch out and look at other possibilities.

Sometimes an Emerald Green Arb will not be a good fit. For example, if you have deer wandering around your space, these Arborvitae will likely be lunch for the deer, at least as far up as they can reach. There are other varieties of Arbs that will be less likely to be browsed by deer. Green Giant Arbs or Wintergreen Arbs are better solutions for deer areas if, indeed, you and/or your client want the row of Arbs.

You need to know your plants, as they all have different growth rates and height and width requirements. Then there are also considerations like utility lines over a fence line to consider. There is no worse thing than planting beautiful things only to have the utility company come through and chop it all in a very unattractive way.

If space allows, why not create something with more variety of plants giving winter screening, spring or summer flowers, fall color, and just more interest. As we have seen in previous years, a monoculture of plants, can also be a bad idea. If an insect, disease or fungus decides to go after whatever you’ve planted, the entire screening row of plants is wiped out.

Mix different plants and different focal points for a more interesting look and seasonal interest overall. Adding plants that flower in the spring, have wonderful fall color, include evergreen options and great interest during all the seasons makes a garden more enjoyable all year long. Of course, talking to the client to find out where it may be necessary to have year round coverage is a must. Perhaps, its important to the homeowner to have flowers during a specific time of the growing season, as they have a large picnic at that time every year. Maybe feeding the birds is important to them. All these things can and should be considered when selecting the plants for a natural screened area. Also consider plant growth habits so that you are providing the correct size and type of plants to accomplish the privacy. Sometimes an immediate need changes the plants as there just isn’t time to grow in the coverage. It’s also important not to over-plant as some plants' health and development will be compromised if crowded.

Plants are not the only options to consider. Beautiful screening options can be considered as well.

 Custom-built trellis for clematis or cut metal panels can help break up a plant row while still providing beautiful options for privacy. These panels are a particularly great idea when space is an issue. They take up very little yard space and still can be set to provide the blocking of areas. Trellis and metal panels can be mounted to give extra height where needed as well. Then plants can be installed under the area for added interest. These types of panels can also be installed on the side of a pergola or hanging from a roof over a patio.

Because it is not fencing, permitting is not usually needed for this type of installation, however, if you do too long an area, you could have issues. To avoid problems, contact the municipality in the area to see if there are questions about how many continuous panels are too many to be considered a strictly decorative installation that does not need permits.

When we design, there’s so much more than just picking out pretty plants. Professional landscape design needs to encompass all of the needs of the homeowner along with the physical limitations of the space. If you find yourself in need of designs, I’m here to help and can be reached at barowley02@gmail.com or 734-890-9386.

When designing a patio much time and consideration is usually spent choosing the proper paver. Generally, a homeowner will be making an aesthetic choice. Your customer is counting on you to be knowledgeable about the rest of the paver system.  

Though unseen and not as exciting as choosing paver color, let's focus on edge restraint. Forces from above push down on the pavers, causing the bedding layer to be squeezed outward. If allowed to migrate out from under the pavers, low spots can form in the paver field and the border of the paver system may completely fail. Edging material contains the outward migration and halts the shifting that may otherwise take place.

Paver edging combats these forces by creating a wall, of sorts, attached to the base aggregate and extending up past the bedding material, but generally not far enough up the side of the paver where it can be seen. It prevents lateral movement of pavers during freeze-thaw cycles and under heavy traffic. There have been numerous improvements of these systems throughout the years, but they have not been without their problems. 

(Of course, you do not need to install an edge restraint against hard surfaces, only soft surfaces. That means pavers up against walls, foundations, existing driveways, or any hard surface that can contain those pavers will not need an edge restraint installed.)   

The most popular edging materials are concrete and plastic edging.

At Christensen’s we stock Quikcrete bags and BEAST plastic edging. Concrete adheres to the base aggregate and extends up past the bedding sand. Plastic edging has long spikes (ardox spikes) driven down into the base material and ends up oxidizing, grabbing on to the plastic and aggregate.

While these are both popular, both have drawbacks to their use. Subsoil movement is a major cause of plastic edging popping up. The spike is meant to corrode and secure itself on to the fines of the base creating a strong bond to the base and preventing that spike from being pushed up through the plastic restraint. This makes it an ideal restraint for a traditional base preparation that includes fines in the base material, but not for an open graded application where the base is prepared with a clean stone that has no fines.

Concrete adheres to the base aggregate, but can crack with significant heave which will reduce its ability to prevent lateral movement over time. That is why it is recommended to steel reinforce with rebar or fibers added to the concrete mixture. With these additions, the concrete collar will be reinforced to prevent cracking and eventual separation.

A newer option in our market is fiber reinforced edging. It is designed to move along with the base as the subsoil moves. We stock the best value of the newer reinforced concretes, Edgecrete from SEK.  Modern fiber reinforced concrete edging materials contain long polymers that hold the concrete together as it flexes with the base material.

The natural elements and Earthly forces provide a malleable, everchanging canvas for us to work with. Even areas that seem flat and stationary change with precipitation and temperature. Hardscape installations should stand up to the elements. A properly installed concrete paver patio or sidewalk is a system. Each piece of the puzzle plays its part in keeping everything in place. 

For the first time since 1988, Christensen’s will open to the public! Christensen’s Plant and Hardscape Centers end of season Yard Sale will be held on September 14, 2024 and October 12, 2024. Our entire line of products, plant material and hardscape products, will be available. These events are to reduce our overwinter inventory levels and allow us to refresh and restock with new inventory for the 2025 season. We will be offering our products at our wholesale trade pricing with select products at special sale prices. The event is cash (or credit card) and carry, and all sales are final; we will not be tagging or holding product for pick up later and we will not be offering delivery, planting, or installation services.

How will our customers feel about us selling to the public? Our intent is not to compete with our customers, but with the retailers and box stores. The do-it-yourself person that will be attracted to this event is not someone who would normally hire a professional landscaper for their project. Truly, this will be a benefit to our customers by allowing us to sell our products that haven’t been turning and replace them with fresh more popular items. The pricing for this event is our catalog price with no cash or quantity discounts available; there will be selected items on sale with special pricing. We will be making our pricing available through a digital link that will only be available for the event.

No warranty or guarantee is expressed or implied, other than plant material is true to name and disease free at time of sale. All sales are final; we will not be accepting returns or offering exchanges.

Cornus (Dogwood) is not a species of plant that we put much thought into. Most of them sit in the background being the workhorses they are. Cornus are one the of the few species that cover all “types” of plants. From the 3” perennial Cornus canadensis (“Bunchberry”) to the shrubby ‘Ivory Halo’ types (many of them natives) to multiple sizes of ornamental trees which also include many natives.

Let’s start with humble Cornus sericea and its cultivars, the “Redtwig’ and “Yellowtwig” dogwoods. We’ll cover the natives first, then cultivars.

C s. Baileyi… Wait, I said natives first!!! And ‘Baileyi’s’ gets included in with the natives. Unlike its cousins ‘Bergessons’, ‘Kelsy’ etc., ‘Baileyi’ is a naturally occurring hybrid that was found on the side of the road in Minnesota by a worker from Bailey Nursery. Yes, officially ‘Baileyi’ are considered a cultivar (scientifically speaking) but because it is a naturally occurring hybrid it is usually ok to swap for straight Cornus sericea. The straight species, ‘Baileyi’, and all the other cultivars of Cornus sericea like wet to swampish locations and have a vase-shaped habit. What is the difference? ‘Baileyi’ has a deeper red color in the winter! That is it! …officially

Unofficially, there is another problem. I can get you #3 or #5 Cornus s. ‘Baileyi’ all day long. Nice full plants, foliage fairly clean, well maintained, and pruned accordingly for success. However, to get a native Cornus sericea, I have to go to smaller nurseries that specialize in native material. Typically, straight Cornus sericea is available in a #2 or #3 pot with a couple of sticks sticking out of the pot in all directions. It’s hard for me to sell, and more importantly, really hard for you to sell. I understand and you do also, but know that if you want straight species, I am going to sell it to you – only because even though it may be 2 sticks in a pot it is rock solid hardy, and will grow up to be a nice 7-9’ tall plant. It just doesn’t start as pretty as ‘Baileyi’ or any other cultivars.

Other sericea that are noteworthy are:

• ‘Kelsy’ A cute little mound of green leaves and bright red stems growing 2-3’ x 2-3’.
• ‘Buds Yellow’ is an older cultivar but a well-established “Yellowtwig” that is 5-7’ tall with a vase shaped habit.
• ‘Bergessons Compact’ grows 4-5’ x 4-5’ with dark red stems.

Very closely related is Cornus alba ‘Ivory Halo’ or tartarian dogwood. These are not as aggressive as Cornus sericea cultivars can be. The stems get red but not as red as the “Redtwigs”, but the green and white variegated leaves are where it is at!

Another closely related species is C. sanguinea “Bloodstems”. Proven Winners® have some newer ones that are just starting to hit the market in quantities. We had a few here last year, but we will see more this year. ‘Arctic Fire’, ‘Arctic Fire Yellow’, and ‘Arctic Fire Sun’ all have a nice, rounded habit, get 3-4’ x 3-4’, and have bright red (or yellow) stems.

There are many others on the market these days. Many are native to us or other parts of the states. We have our favorites and they have theirs.

Before I go, I would like to go back to the natives for a minute.

• Cornus racemosa “Grey dog’” prefers a swampy area and will reach 10’ tall. It has red stems but not a great color.
• C. amomum “Silky dog”. It really has no stem color and like the “Grey dogs” like a wet swampy area. “Silky’s” have a nice, rounded habit.

Ps: There is a rather large elephant in the room while I talk about Shrubby Cornus. All “dogs” from the perennials to the trees have fungal leaf spot issues! Less sun, water on leaves, and tight space only exacerbate the issues.

Can your heart break for a plant?  My heart has been broken by men, dogs, cats, and one particularly painful financial (but also sentimental) loss, but I never thought it could break for a flower… until I spiraled ‘down the rabbit hole’ of tulips. (Thanks, Betsy, for introducing this captivating subject to me.)

Of all the flowers in horticulture, the Tulip might be the most intriguing.  A modern homeowner may associate the Tulip with spring, bulbs, and maybe the Netherlands without ever realizing the crazy, rich history of these flowers. While no Sticks & Stones article could touch all of the facets of Tulip history, I’d like to share some points that were tragically shocking to me.  Who knows?  Maybe you’ll find a future Jeopardy answer or an intriguing conversation starter for your next tradeshow within this article. I hope I don’t break your heart as well, but we all know that misery loves company.

While the average homeowner, if asked, would probably say that Tulips come from Holland. A ‘fact’ that is reinforced by the Holland, Michigan Tulip Time Festival every year.  However, Tulips, veritably, came from central Asia and were first cultivated in Iran (Persia) in the 10^th century. Before they were prized in the Netherlands, tulips were a symbol of power in the Ottoman Empire. The Dutch botanist Carolus Clusius is believed to be one of the first to plant tulip bulbs in central Europe. Clusius’ variegated tulips were so coveted that he was often the victim of theft.

Alas, Semper Augustus (and many others of the time) were ‘broken’ tulips. Broken tulips are varieties that are infected by a virus (Tulip breaking virus or TBV, a potyvirus) that affects their petals causing patterns of flames and feathers. The virus that makes them so beautiful eventually kills them making the blooms wilt quicker and depleting the energy in the bulbs.  Worst of all, it is contagious (to other tulips, carried most often by aphids) and the bulbs carry the virus to the next generation of bulbs until they slowly disappear.

In modern times, we know all about viruses and the effect they can have on a crop.  Broken tulips are carefully regulated and quarantined away from healthy tulips so the virus does not spread. Unfortunately, in the 17^th century, widespread knowledge of viruses was limited and eventually led to the first modern stock market, an economic bubble and crash. If we want to delve into the economics of Tulip Mania, we’ll have to do it another time, as the financial implications would require a whole other article (or two).

But wait, don’t we see broken tulips at Christensen’s each year?  Well, no. Yes, you can see a similar coloration.  Modern hybridization has evolved to create look-alikes of the Rembrandt tulips. Nowadays, you can pop into the plant center to buy (or pre-order!) Carnaval de Rio, Quebec, etc... and have your very own Semper Augustus look-alike without the danger of a plant virus overtaking your landscapes.

This is, of course, a very simplified article.  If you would like to get deeper into Tulip History, these articles are a good place to start.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/semper-augustus-tulip-netherlands
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/science/broken-tulips.html
https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PDIS.2000.84.10.1052

Pruning is a powerful tool that can significantly impact how a tree grows and develops. Japanese Maple are elegant ornamental trees that can be delicate and require pruning to maintain an ideal shape. Pruning can alter growth patterns, improve structural development, and reallocate resources. It encourages vigorous, healthy new growth and contributes to the long-term well-being of the tree. However, it’s important to apply the right techniques and timing to ensure that the benefits are fully realized and that the tree continues to thrive.

Japanese Maples can be a significant investment for your clients and providing pruning maintenance to them can be a way to set your business apart. Just be sure you are prepared for the task, with knowledge, and with sharp shears!

Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a native tree species found primarily in the southeastern United States. It is renowned for its graceful form, fragrant flowers, and glossy green foliage, making it a beloved choice for gardens throughout its range.

Sweetbay magnolia is a medium-sized tree that averages heights of 10-35 feet, depending on growing conditions and variety. Its narrow, oval-shaped leaves are dark green on top and silver-gray underneath, creating a striking contrast when rustled by the breeze. In late spring to early summer, the tree produces creamy white, lemon-scented flowers that stand out against the foliage. These are followed by cone-like fruits that attract birds and wildlife.

Sweetbay is often overlooked in favor of its popular cousin, the southern magnolia.  But, as the name implies, the southern magnolia can be affected by the mercurial Michigan weather.  You could miss a whole season of blooms if the conditions are not right.  But the Sweetbay avoids this with a later bloom.

In conclusion, Sweetbay magnolia is an enchanting plant that deserves a place in any garden or landscape design. So why not consider adding one of these captivating trees to your plantings and experience their unique charm firsthand?

Steep slopes and uneven terrain can be a common burden that presents itself in a landscape. This less-than-ideal planting situation can make it all the more challenging when it comes to plant selection. Low-maintenance shrubs are often desired in these kinds of areas, and there are a select few that not only thrive in these conditions, but they look great as well! Here are a few that can offer a lot of character to a landscape while also stabilizing these hillsides.

Junipers:
Spreading and low-growing junipers can cover large areas and provide a unique look and color to a landscape. Some varieties to consider are Blue Pacific or Blue Rug. There are many varieties of Juniper that could be used in these situations, but these two are known for how well they do in these tricky environments.

Drift Roses:
There are endless options for color when it comes to drift roses. There’s anything from pinks and red to yellows and whites. They have a spreading growth habit and can be great in a landscape for someone who loves roses.

Deutzia:
Some varieties of Deutzia include Nikko, Nikko Blush, or Chardonnay Pearls. This can be a more unique plant to be put on a hill, but it has a mounded shape that can look great as a mass planting.

There’s a reason I work in the Hardscape Center amidst the limestone aggregate and the concrete pavers... I’m easily distracted by rocks.  (...as you might remember from my previous Sticks & Stones article) It makes perfect sense that my vacation time allows me to get closer to some monumental formations.

On a recent trip to Arizona I was able to check two places off of my bucket list.

The first story begins 50,000 years ago when a meteor slammed down onto what is now Arizona. The impact struck with more power than early nuclear bombs, creating a crater ¾ mile wide, 600’ deep! The shockwave vaporized everything near ground zero, pushing winds outward at over 600mph within a 2 mile radius. Animals over 1 mile away likely were killed by the pressure wave and debris, vegetation was destroyed over 200 miles away, and regional weather would have been affected for several weeks.  

Early non-indigenous people thought the crater was an extinct volcano caldera. In 1902 self-taught geologist Daniel Barringer proposed the idea that the geological feature was actually a collision crater. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that this idea was accepted by the scientific community.   The site of the crater is currently preserved by the Barringer family. It’s a family-friendly tourist site if you’re in the Flagstaff/Sedona area.

This second story starts back even further in time. Just a short drive away from Barringer Crater, but 200 million years back in time, Arizona was covered in forests and swampy rivers.   I was originally excited about seeing so much petrified wood and quartz, but upon arriving at Petrified Forest National Park, I became enamored by the gorgeous colors painted across the mounds of layered sediment. Scattered almost everywhere in the park are logs and pieces of petrified wood. In places, they look like hundreds of petrified wood “headstones”, memorializing a place in time where these trees once stood.

It was a surreal experience walking behind my long evening shadow, feeling the cool sinking air on my face as I strolled between mounds of bold reds and crumbly gray rocks and fossils. Then, to turn around and witness the sun sinking beneath the horizon. To say it took my breath away is an understatement.  I became lost in wonder and pure beauty.     

Historic Route 66 runs through the park, so if you’re thinking of a road trip, this would be an excellent stop.

Where’s next on my bucket list?  Someday I’d like to check out 'Jurassic Coast' in England and The Gates Of Hell in Turkmenistan!

With Boxwood still in limbo I thought I would give a refresher on some plant substitutions that have been flyin’ out the door as a replacement.

I would have to start with Ilex glabras – seriously! I would have considered these an underused plant, but their time has come to step out in the world! “Inkberries” are hardy to a zone 4, not too bothered by wet feet, and can take part shade. They are not as deer-resistant as boxwood but are on the ‘least browsed’ list. Ilex glabra do not like our alkaline soils and to look their best with an acidic fertilizer applied. (Our alkaline soils are why they get yellow.) They are also salt tolerant. Straight Ilex glabra gets rather leggy and is known to sucker. However, the newer cultivars are an improvement in both leafing all the way down and less suckering (…they say no suckers but… I don’t always believe what they say.)

Even “Mugos” have seen a resurgence. Pinus mugo prefers full sun but is light-shade tolerant. Of all the evergreens it is the one that gets the least winter burn. They will tolerate our heavier soil but prefer something a little sandier. Pinus mugo is also deer-resistant and tolerates salt. Nothing new and fab but some tried and true ones are available…

Globe shaped Thuja occidentalis have been moving up the popularity ladder for the last several years. The Globe “Arbs” have some newer well-behaved cultivars (not that the older cultivars are not well-behaved!!). Thujas will take our alkaline soil as well as wet soils. They prefer full sun but will take part shade.