RIVER BIRCH

RIVER BIRCH IN THE TOP PICTURE WAS PLANTED IN SPRING 0F 2008 AND IT HAS GROWN ABOUT 6-10 INCHES IN 4-5 MONTHS. I WILL POST ANOTHER PICTURE NEXT YEAR TO SHOW HOW FAST RIVER BIRCH CAN GROW IN ROOTS ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE GROUND. THIS TREE IN MY FRONT YARD GETS MORE WATER THAN THE ONE IN MY BACKYARD AND ONE BACKYARD IS NOT GROWING AS FAST. THIS IS A LOVELY TREE BECAUSE OF IT FULLNESS AND PEELED BARK DUE TO THE SUN.

MOSS PLANTS

SCOTTISH MOSS AND IRISH MOSS GIVE MATTED CARPET LIKE APPEAL TO YOUR LANDSCAPING WITH SPECKS OF WHITE FLOWERS. THESE PLANTS GREAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE TO MESS WITH GARDENING BECAUSE THEY DONT REQUIRE A LOT OF ATTENDING TO ONCE THE ROOTS ARE ESTABLISHED.

GROUND COVER PLANTS

LIRIOPE AND MONDO GRASS/MONKEY GRASS ARE EXCELLENT GROUND COVERS. THESE GROUND COVERS WORK SUN, PARTIAL SUN OR SHADE. WHEN GROWN IN MASS IT IS A WELCOME SIGHT.

STONECROP SEDUM (COCCINEUM) IS GOOD DECORATION FOR ROCKY AREAS. THE RED BURGUNDY GIVES NICE TONE TO YOUR HARDSCAPE.

AGERATUM ANNUAL PLANT

AGERATUM GIVES FULLNESS TO THE AREA AND GREAT FOR GROUNDCOVER TYPE PLANTING. IT HAS THE CONTRAST OF RICH DARK GREEN LEAVES TO RED/PINK/BURGUNDY COLOR FLOWERS WHICH MAKES THIS PLANT STAND OUT.

BARBERRY BUSH

VIBRANT CRIMSON BUSH BUT NOT VERY KIND TO YOU IF YOU DONT HAVE PROTECTION FROM THE THORNS. BARBERRY BUSH CAN BE TRIMMED ROUND TO MAKE IT LOOK WELL GROOMED.

GRASS PLANT, VARIEGATED

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE MIXTURE OF COLORS THAT ATTRACTS THE EYES AND VARIEGATED ORNAMENTAL GRASS IS JUST THAT. IN WINDY CONDITION IS SO BEAUTIFUL SWAYING PEACEFUL IN THE WIND. THE OTHER BEST THING ABOUT ORNAMENTAL GRASS IS IT CAN BE SPLIT INTO MANY PLANTS WHEN IT GET TO BIG FOR THE AREA.

FRONT YARD LANDSCAPING

FRONT YARD LANDSCAPING SHOW DRAW THE EYES TO THE FRONT DOOR. YOU DO IT WITH SIMPLE PLANTING MONOCHROMATIC COLORS AND SIMILAR PLANTS OR YOU CAN DO IT LIKE ME..EITHER WORKS. I LOVE DIFFERENT PLANTS AND COLORS THEREFORE THE MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME DOESN'T WORK FOR ME. I LIKE TO PLANT IN MORE OR RANDOM BUT ORGANIZED WAY. MY FRONT YARD IS CHAOTIC BUT CONTROLLED. LIKE THE COLORS TO BURST IN YOUR FACE AS YOU WALK TO MY FRONT DOOR...BRIGHT BUT NOT BLINDING AND LOUD BUT NOT OBNOXIOUS.

BLUE STAR JUNIPER

GREAT PLANT WITH NICE COOL BLUE COLOR. BLUE STAR JUNIPERS ARE SLOW GROWING BUT THEY ARE WORTH IT WHEN ARE FULL AND MATURE.

HENS AND CHICKS PLANTS

HENS AND CHICKS ARE UNIQUE. THESE PLANTS DO NOT REQUIRE A LOT OF WATER AND GREAT FOR GRAVEL AND ROCKS. THESE PLANTS ARE SLOWLY GROWING AT FIRST BUT ONCE THERE ROOTS ARE ESTABLISHED THEY WELL.

LEMON GRASS

AHH..LEMON GRASS. I USE THIS PLANT LEAVES IN ASIAN DISHES. LEMON GRASS WILL GROW VIGOROUS IN THE HOT SUN BUT YOU MUST WATER IT OFTEN. THIS PLANT HAS NICE FULLNESS AND LONG BLADE LIKE THE MAIDEN GRASS BUT CAREFUL BECAUSE THE LONG BLADE FOLIAGE CAN CUT YOU LIKE PAPER. LEMON GRASS SMELLS SOOTHING. IF YOU WANT THEM FOR NEXT SEASON TRIM BACK TO IT BULB OR ROOT STEMS AND BRING INSIDE IN THE WINTER.

ZINNIA

GREAT PLANT IF YOU WANT MASS OF GREEN LEAVES AND WONDERFUL BLOOMS. YOU CAN HAVE 30-50 OF PLANTS FROM ONE BLOOM. I MADE A MISTAKE OF DEAD HEADING THE FLOWERS AND BEFORE I KNOW IT WAS GETTING 30 OR SO SEEDINGS IN THE FLOWER BED. OVERALL THIS PLANT IS VERY DURABLE AND CAN BE TRANSPLANT ANYTIME IN THE SUMMER EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT GET VERY STRESSED.

Spiraea Goldmound

Spiraea Goldmound brights your landscaping with brillant yellows and pinkish flowers. I love this bush because it grows so well without too much fuss. I trim this bush back every winter to 2 FT tall so it is full and compact next growing season.

BOXWOOD SHRUBS

BOXWOOD IS WORTH THE MONEY IF YOU HAVE THE PATIENCE BECAUSE THE ONE IN THE PICTURE TOOK ME 3 YEARS WHICH IS ABOUT 3 FT TALL. BOXWOODS ARE SUCH NICE ADDITION TO YOUR YARD, COMPACT AND FULL, STAYS GREEN ALL YEAR ROUND. I LIKE TO TRIM THE BOXWOOD ROUND TO GIVE MORE POLISHED/MANICURED LOOK.

LAMB'S EARS

LAMB'S EARS ARE GOOD TO USE AS LOW LYING TYPE PLANTS, GREAT IN HEAT AND LOW WATER. NICE SOFT FUZZY LEAVES AND REDISH FLOWERS GIVE A NICE SMELL.

MORNING GLORY

MORNING GLORY- WHAT A NAME. FIRST YEAR I WAS WONDERING WHY IT WAS CALLED THAT BUT NOW I KNOW. AT FULL GROWTH THE PLANT WOULD HAVE THIS MAGNIFICENT AND VIBRANT BLOOMS EACH MORNING.

SWEET POTATO VINE

SWEET POTATO VINE IS NICE ADDITION TO PLANTING. I HAVE GROWN IN POTS AND THEY ARE DOING REALLY WELL. I SAW SOMEWHERE THE VINE WAS GROWN AS GROUND COVER AND IT LOOKED VERY LUSH. I LIKED IT SO MUCH THINK I AM GOING TO TRY IT AS GROUND COVER NEXT SEASON.

MANGO TREE IN KANSAS

MANGO TREE IN KANSAS. YES I GREW THIS TREE FROM SEED, IT IS ABOUT A FOOT TALL. I READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOU CAN GROW MANGO TREE INSIDE SO WHEN HARSH KANSAS WINTER COMES AROUND I WILL SCOOP IT UP IN A POT AND BRING IT INSIDE. SOMEONE ALSO SAID THAT IT DOES WELL IN A POT TOO.

CLEMATIS

CLEMATIS HAS GREAT BLOOMS. FLOWERS BLOOM ALL SUMMER. IF YOU WANT MORE BLOOMS YOU WILL HAVE TO PINCH OFF BEFORE IT GOES TO SEEDS. WONDERFUL CLIMBING PERENNIAL PLANTS BUT REQUIRE SOME SUPPORT OR TRELLIS OR ARBOR FOR HEALTHY GROWTH AND DISPLAY.

PRIVET SHRUBS

GOLDEN PRIVET BUSHES ARE EYE CATCHING AROUND THE LANDSCAPING. THESE BUSHES BRING SUCH A BRIGHT ADDITION TO THE YARD. THE ARE VER EASY TO MAINTAIN. YOU CAN PRUNE IT ROUND OR SQUARE OR OTHER SHAPE. MOSTLY, THE RICH GOLDEN WITH TOUCH OF GREEN BASE FOLIAGE

OTHER PRIVET IS THE VARIEGATED TYPE WHICH IS ALSO INTERESTING AND VERY ELEGANT. I PLANTED ONE THIS YEAR AND I AM KINDA WAITING TO SEE IF HOW WELL THE VARIEGATED PRIVET GROW VERSUS THE GOLDEN PRIVET.

DIANTHUS

MY ANNUAL DIANTHUS NEVER DIES EVEN IN THE HARSH KANSAS WINTER...(I COULD PICTURE PEOPLE FROM MINNESOTA AND NORTHERN STATES LAUGHING AT ME FOR SAYING "HARSH WINTER" IN KANSAS. I USUALLY BUY THE ANNUAL DIANTHUS BECAUSE THE GRAYISH COLOR PERENNIAL DIANTHUS COSTS LITTLE MORE.

CELOSIA

BEAUTIFUL CELOSIA ARE MY ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLANTS. THESE ANNUAL PLANTS BRING REDS, YELLOWS, ORANGES AND MORE TO YOUR GARDEN. EVEN THOUGH THESE PLANTS ARE ANNUAL THERE SEEDS CAN BE SAVED FOR NEW GROWING SEASON. THEY ARE SO EASY TO GROW. IF YOU LET THE PLANT GO TO SEEDS AND IF YOU DON'T CLEAN UP THE FLOWER BED YOU WILL HAVE ERUPTION OF SO MANY PLANTS IN THE SPRING.

NADINA

THE NADINA IN THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT WAS GROWN FROM A SEED. NOT AN EASY PLANT TO GROW FROM SEEDS BUT THE REWARD IS THERE WHEN YOU GROW ANYTHING FROM A SEED BECAUSE YOU SEE SEEDLING SO SMALL AND DELICATE THAT WILL EVENTUALLY TURN INTO A STRONG HEALTHY PLANT. THIS PLANT IS LOOKS GREAT ON THE FRONT PORCH OR NEAR THE FRONT DOOR. THIS PLANT GIVES THE FEEL OF LIGHTNESS AND DELICATE BUT MASS AND FULL.

SEDUM

SEDUM ARE NICE PLANTS FOR BORDERS, EASY TO GROW AND FAST. IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO START A PLANT KINDA LIKE BERMUDA GRASS, BREAK OFF SMALL STEM FROM SEDUM PLANT AND STUCK IT IN THE MOIST GROUND THE STEM SHOULD START RIGHT UP INTO A NEW PLANT. I LOVE THIS PLANT BECAUSE YOU CAN MULTIPLY IT INTO MORE FULL PLANTS IN ONE GROWING PERIOD.

CANNA PLANTS

INSTANT PRIVACY WITH CANNA PLANTS, WELL MAYBE A MONTH OR TWO BUT ONCE THESE PLANTS GET GOING THEY WILL REWARD YOU WITH BEAUTIFUL BROAD LEAVES AND DELICATED TOP FLOWER PETALS. THESE PLANTS WILL GROW VIGOROUSLY SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CONTROLL THEM WITH DEEP EDGING OF SORT. IF YOU WANT THEM FOR NEXT GROWING SEASON YOU WILL DIG UP THE ROOTS BRING INSIDE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHEN THESE PLANTS ARE GROWN NEXT TO THE HOUSE THE ROOTS WILL BE OK OVER WINTER FOR NEXT SPRING BUT TO BE SAFE I USUALLY DIG UP WHAT I NEED. CANNAS ARE MOST VISUALLY OUTSTANDING WHEN GROWN IN CLOSINGLY TOGETHER.

HOSTAS

HOSTAS BEST SHADE AREA PERENNIAL PLANTS FOR THE SUMMER. LARGE, SMALL, VARIGATED LEAVES DRESS THE PLANT. HOSTAS PRODUCE BELL SHAPE PURPLE-ISH FLOWERS ON LONG STEMS IN THE FALL. DIRECT SUNSHINE IS NOT PREPERRED FOR HOSTAS, HEAT WILL CAUSE THE LEAVES WILT AND TRUN BROWN AROUND THE OUTSIDE EDGES. THE LEAVES DIE BACK IN THE WINTER BUT START UP IN THE SPRING.