Archives for September 2013

Without a doubt, plants are the foundation of our outdoor environment. The diversity of plant species and the multitude of cultivars, hybrids and varieties make for creative and appealing landscape compositions. There are a number of reasons for choosing plants for the landscape. We may be attracted to their ornamental appeal or call upon them to serve a specific function or purpose in the landscape, such as providing a screen, blocking unwanted views, or stabilizing a soil bank. Others may be selected because of their ability to adapt to poor soils or simply for the ease of subsequent care. Generally, when horticulturists are asked about plants, responding is not as simple as blurting out a few names. Plant selection is an organized process that examines several factors: function, aesthetics, site adaptability and management. The priority placed on each category varies with the individual. The freedom to choose from a wide variety of plants depends on the flexibility or restrictions imposed by the individual, the site, or in some cases the local availability of plants. [Read more…]