Flowering Yoshino Cherry, A Beautiful Japanese Bloomer

Are you looking for a nice tree to plant in your yard? Or do you just simply want another kind of tree to learn about? Whatever the reason, the Yoshino Cherry Tree is the one for you. 


The Yoshino Cherry, also known as prunus x yedonsis, is native to the country of Japan. This tree is a hybrid, however the origin is unknown. It is one of the most widly planted of the flowering trees. This is a small deciduous tree that grows from 5-12m tall. It grows the best in full sun areas and in zones 5-8. The YoshinoCherry gets beautiful flowers right before the leaves appear. The flowers are white or pale in color, with fragrant blooms with 5 petals on them. 


Blooms grow in clusters of 5 or 6. It has a small, cherry fruit, that is a globose drupe 10-12mm in diameter. The fruit poses as a food for many mammals and small birds, which includes robins and thrushes. Due to it’s small size, sweet smelling fruit, and elegant shape, this tree is generally used for ornamental purposes. The Japanese legend is that a fairy maiden, flys over the trees and awakes the sleeping cherry trees with her sweet delicate breath of air. 


A cool fact to know is that this cherry tree was introduced to America in 1902. Along with all new additions to your yard, the Yoshino Cherry does require a small bit of attention. This tree is sensitive to drought, therefore it will need to be watered in an area that does not receive much rain. The crowns will become one-sided unless they receive sun all over. Please be sure to plan the tree where it can receive full sun. And for best results acidic soil with good drainage, is the best choice. So get to shopping and place orders early from your local mail order nursery. Don’t forget to read proper ways to care for your trees before planting.

Shade Loving Perennials

Not everyone’s garden has ample sunshine and this can sometimes be a limiting factor when selecting plants for your landscape. However, there are many perennials that will grow quite well even in the shade. Before you decide to plant, evaluate your landscape for sunshine. Some parts of the garden may receive the sun but it may only be for a few hours. Thus, you need to choose your plants accordingly. 

Areas of medium shade often only get sunshine in the early morning or late afternoon. However, medium shade is very common in most homes in the urban areas. Besides large buildings, the landscape may be blocked from the sun from large trees or fences. If you have medium shade, then the best plants are astlibe, corydalis lutea or a variety of aquilegia hybrids. These low growing perennials are easy to grow, need minimum maintenance and produce beautiful flowers.

If your garden has even less sunshine and is dark, you can still grow some perennials like the Japanese spurge and the periwinkle. Both produce flowers with dense green foliage. Another option is the Lilly of the valley which produces pleasant fragrant flowers.

You can even grow a variety of shrubs in medium light. These include the azales, rhododendron and the hydragenas. if you want ground covers to fill in large areas of your garden, then the choices are Sweet woodruff, pachysandra, evergreen candytuft and Vinca minor. Some of these will even grow under the trees.

To brighten up your dull landscape you may even want to go with annuals, foxglove, begonias and pansies. Other flowering bulbs that also thrive in low sunlight are the surprise lilly, Madonna and calla. If you are unsure what to grow, speak to a gardener or a landscaper first.

Excellent Border Shrubbery

Border shrubbery can have a big impact on any size of garden. However the general rule is that one should avoid creating straight border edges. Experts recommend gentle curves can be more impressive. Curves can have a bigger impact and allow for more visual enjoyment.

Next one should select the right plants- either drifts or clumps. Drifts are elongated collections of plants that rest through certain sections of the border. Clumps consist of circular collections of either a variety or a single large shrub. It is necessary to vary the heights and diameter to promote a good visual effect. Of course the dimensions should be in close proportion to the overall border length.

It is best to select several plants to create the desired effect. Random collection of many shrubs reveals chaos and disorganization. Arrange the shrubs in an irregular shape and blend in the colors. The smaller shrubs may be used as a continuous edging along the front of the bed.

Always place the tall flowers at the back of the bed. In general the plant height you leave should be no more than 2/3rd the width of the border and plants should not be very wide. Try and space the plants and do not squeeze in all plants in one corner.

Some of the best shrubs and plants for borders include the gladiolus, holly hock, and the snap dragons. One may even select bushy annuals and perennials. Try not to use plants with warm colors if you have a small backyard as this will give the illusion of very little space. The smaller the area, the fewer warm colors should be used. However, if you want to create a more traditional garden border that makes use of perennials.  You will need to carefully consider the types of perennials that you wish to use because there are numerous choices. While many plants and flowers will thrive and grow in the southeast, some do much better than others at blooming and flowering throughout the year.

Now that you have the colors and the size, choose the shrubs, the peony is one the best perennials for garden borders. It has wonderful flowers and the plant does not require a lot of maintenance. Peonies have a long life so you will never have to replace the border again.

Sunflower may serve a dual purpose as flowers in the border and as background plants. Annual or perennial flowers of medium height may serve as background plants for a short border planting.

Another favorite for the border is the coreopsis which grows all year round. The only negative is that the coreopsis does multiply fast so you will have to trim them every few years.

The helleborius with its late flowering makes a great choice for the border. The striking red color will go well with green shrubbery. In addition, it will also attract a variety of birds and insects. Finally, be bold and creative. Even if mistakes are made, flowers and shrubs can be moved or taken out altogether.

Water oak (Quercus Nigra) part 2

The water oak thrives in wet lands and is commonly found along ponds, rivers, swamps, shallow banks and estuaries. It also tolerates well drained soil. It grows in a variety of soil including sandy, clay and loam. Because the water oak tends to grow fast, it is often the most common species when there is water.

Unlike other trees, the water oak has a short life of about 50-70 years. The tree is not hardy and cannot tolerate shady conditions. Often the water oak is used to restore wetlands and forest that was previously cleared for agriculture.

Today, many hybrids of the water oak are available including the Southern red oak, blue jack oak, American Turkey oak, blackjack oak and black oak. These hybrids also grow fast but are more durable.

The water oak can rapidly cover moist landscape and is also an important source of food for deer, squirrel, raccoons, turkey and ducks. The wood of the water oak is often used for timber and fuel in the country side

Water oak (Quercus Nigra) part 1

The water oak (Quercus Nigra) is an oak native to most parts of south and eastern USA. The tree usually is found growing in low flat lands and is often up to an altitude of 1500 feet.

The Water oak is a medium sized tree that grows to about 80-100 feet when fully mature. It also had a large trunk with a diameter of 3-4 feet. The young trees have a smooth bark which does become dark grey and scaly as it matures. The leaves are alternate, deciduous and fall off during autumn.

The water oak has spatula shaped leaves which are quite broad at the top and wedged shaped at the base. The water oak is easily identified by its leaves which have a lobe that appears as if a drop of water is hanging from edge of the leaf.

Usually the top surface of the leaf is bluish green and the lower surface is duller. The tree has a globular shape at the top when fully mature.

Virginia Pine part 2

Overall the Virginia pine is a trouble free plant but occasionally does get affected by pests. The chief reason why landscapers like the Virginia pine is that it requires low maintenance, and it grows where no other tree can thrive. It is often used as a cover for infertile land, large arid landscapes, abandoned fields and infertile ranch land. Frequently, the Virginia pine is also referred to as the poverty pine.

The tree does provide food for the white tail deer and also offers ground cover for small mammals like rabbits and squirrels. Because of its soft wood, the Virginia pine is a favorite home for woodpeckers.

The Virginia pine also grows with many species of fungi which has a symbiotic relationship with each other. The fungi absorb nutrients from the tree and pass it on to the inner leaves.

The Virginia pine is easily recognized by its short needles which range from dark to yellowish green. The needles are twisted and are quite stiff. The flowers of the Virginia pine appear in early spring followed by cones; these cones have sharp prickles like many other pines. As the Virginia pine tree matures, the bark does become scaly and reddish brown

Virginia Pine part 1

Virginia Pine is an evergreen conifer seen in many parts of eastern and central parts of North America. It is found growing in the wild all the way from the Appalachian Mountains to SE Ohio and on to Maine. The Virginia pine grows well on sandy soil, rocky surfaces and along open country fields. Sometimes the Virginia pine grows in inhospitable environments thus giving it the name scrub pine. When the Virginia pine grows on such unreceptive terrain, its growth is usually stunted and the shrub appears more like a weed.

When the Virginia pine matures, its wood is often used for lumber or firewood. However, during fall the tree is also used as Christmas tree decoration because the tree can be easily pruned into a nice pyramidal shape. In some parts of the country, the Virginia pine forms a pleasant scenic background of tangled branches and fine consistency of the leaves.

The Virginia pine is a shallow tree reaching heights of 30-40 feet when fully mature. It also tends to grow wide at the base when it grows out in the open. It has an irregular pyramidal shape when young but quickly becomes distorted and globular. Being a member of the pine family, the Virginia pine is also related to the larches, firs, spruces and hemlocks.

Virginia Pine generally grows in soil where no other evergreen or pine will grow. It does require well drained soil which is slightly acidic. It prefers sandy loams or heavy clay soil to thrive. Unlike other shrubs, it tends to thrive when neglected and easily invades the nearby alleys, road side and rural lanes.

It is best suited to zones 4-8