Landscape help ...

**LanSite** · 06-13-2002, 01:47 PM

There any plant people here? I need some help figuring out what to plant in place of my fungus laden tree ... I know zip about plants - zero - nada ... One tree is dead, but all the ones just like it are going to get replaced - I need something hearty, easy to care for and resistant (mostly resistant anyway) to disease.

There are two on each corner of the house and two each side of the walk in front ... something bushy, but not enormous, etc ...

recommendations?

**TallGuyLittleCar** · 06-13-2002, 01:53 PM

Texas is brown and burnt.

Actually you should probably ask your local nursery. They will know what trees do well in your climate and your soil type. Then decide wether to buy their tree or home depot's.

Spiders, praying matai, ladybugs, and bats(yeah thats right, i'm building a bat house) make a great alternative to harmfull pesticides.

**iCEBERG2000** · 06-13-2002, 01:56 PM

stone gardens rule.

**LanSite** · 06-13-2002, 01:58 PM

May be ... but not my little scrap of land ~ I'm a watering fool

I have a landscaper coming in to do the work (he's how I found out our tree was dying) ~ he's recommended a few things and said he'll bring around a book later in the week ~ I just wanted some other opinions ~ invariably someone always thinks of something the other hasn't and it turns out to be a wonderful idea ...

A bat house?!

You don't happen to have a dog named Cujo, do you ... ?

**nordberg** · 06-13-2002, 02:35 PM

oooh, i've been gardening for 8 years, but perennials are my specialty not trees.

hardy trees down here (close to the same climate as you) are crape myrtles, cypress, and of course live oaks. bradford pears are good too, but don't live that long. the crape myrtles we planted are doing great!

**LanSite** · 06-13-2002, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by nordberg
oooh, i've been gardening for 8 years, but perennials are my specialty not trees.

hardy trees down here (close to the same climate as you) are crape myrtles, cypress, and of course live oaks. bradford pears are good too, but don't live that long. the crape myrtles we planted are doing great!

Yeah - most people around us have crape myrtles planted and I think they're beautiful, but - everyone has one

I was thinking about some sort of holly bush? (what needs to be replanted now are not really tree trees - I think they're called red tipped photinias?) ... I just don't even know what to look for or where to start - I'm horrible with plants - I killed an aloe vera plant for cryin' out loud!

We used to have one guy do our lawn that was just spectacular - did a wonderful job - we had those little bush lookin' flowers - begonias maybe? <looking at pictures> no - not begonias - little bushy lookin' little thing with little red flowers growin' on it - couldn't have been more than 6" high - and those white flowers with the little red dots in teh center??? maybe I can find a picture of our house, then ... *sigh* I have a black thumb) anyway - planted all around the outline of our house ... since he left, we haven't had any more flowers planted

Goodness - I really have no idea what I'm talkin' about when it comes to planting stuff ...

**gerbick** · 06-13-2002, 03:36 PM

what kind of plant do you want? another tree? a shade tree? high/low maintenance? is your soil acidic, or dry as all get out? or something else?

my father owns a landscaping business, and used to own a nursery too. he's great with that kind of stuff. I'll call him when you answer.

**cyk** · 06-13-2002, 03:52 PM

How about Japanese Maples - they are smallish, red-leaved trees and require very little care

**nordberg** · 06-13-2002, 04:19 PM

i personally don't like hollies - if you are looking for something that doesn't lose it's leaves (like the crape myrtyle does), you could check out the wax myrtle. it grows thick, low, and bushy - and keeps it's leaves.

**nordberg** · 06-13-2002, 04:20 PM

Originally posted by cyk
How about Japanese Maples - they are smallish, red-leaved trees and require very little care

they are beautiful, but grow so slowly that only lannie's grandkids would be able to enjoy their shade

**david petley** · 06-13-2002, 04:46 PM

Lannie,
I can't help with plants (wrong continent) but it may be worth checking your local authorities to find out what type of plants they use and/or recommend for streetside and parks.

Things you need to think about are roots, are they invasive, will they grow into your sewer pipes, send suckers into the neighbours garden. Leaves, do they drop them and you hate cleaning them up, do they, or the sap, cause any allergies.

Another good resource is any local gardening group (you must have some garden lovers there somewhere)or nurseries, and good plants for gardens are always those that grow/grew naturally in your region.

Something that needs little care is always good for black thumbs, and a local sculptor may help you there. Pick a tree and get them to build a 1:1 scale model in concrete

cheers,
david p.

**david petley** · 06-13-2002, 05:12 PM

lan,
here are a few links for you to investigate -

http://dallas.tamu.edu/native/
http://www.texaspalms.com/
http://austin.about.com/cs/trees/
http://www-horticulture.tamu.edu/pla.../smltrees.html
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/o...scientific.htm
http://www.birdcrossstitch.com/garde...Gardening.html
http://www.neilsperry.com/mag_index.html

david p.

**david petley** · 06-13-2002, 05:22 PM

here is a couple more -
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/txgard/
this one is a forum

http://www.dallasarboretum.org/whats_in_bloom.html
tells what blooms when in Dallas.

dp

**tonytryout** · 06-13-2002, 07:29 PM

I used to work in a garden centre yes, I don't use the computer all my life

and a lot of customers asked similar questions.

What you could do is to visit your local garden centre, check out their plants and see how they are doing. Then ask any questions to the gardeners. These people work with plants everyday rain, snow, sleet, freezing-temp, hot sun. believe me, I went through that!

Like what David said in his previous message -- do you want trees or shurbs, plants to be planted into the ground or in big pots and how big your landscape is. A tree with big and long roots can cause damage to fences or god-forbid to your house or the neighbour's.

**vampstko** · 06-13-2002, 09:08 PM

catus lots of catus

**LanSite** · 06-13-2002, 09:21 PM

Oookay - Well, wth knew trying to figure out which danged bush to plant would be so taxing on my poor brain

Here's what I have (left side on the end is dead - front right is dying, but the guy said it's prob. salvageable)

I want to put something in there that would look nice - I don't particularly care for trees, so I guess it's gonna have to be shrub things ... I want something that's green all the time and I don't want it to look 'messy' (leaves falling everywhere, etc) ... Gerbs, it's TX ya know <shrugs> I think our soil tends to be dry

(no idea acidity, etc - zippo, zero) ... Nords ~ How come you don't like hollies? Just think they're ugly or some growth related thing? ... Mr P thanks for the links - I'll check them out (I love going to the Dallas Arboretum, btw) ~ My MIL is a plant fanatic - she wants us to plant *everything* - but I like the minimum amount of foliage that we currently have ... You think I could get the sculpture painted holly green???

I've even driven around our neighborhood and so far, the only thing I see I really like is a magnolia tree - but I don't want a tree ...

And many of you are saying "go to you local garden center" ... Should I not trust what my landscaper is telling me (I've looked at some of his other clients' homes and they're all beautifully landscaped, he's been in business a long time, etc etc)? Will going through a book not be good enough or is going to the local nursery just the best way to get a feel for what I might like?

<bangs head on desk>

lmao Vapms - if I thought it would look decent - I'd do it!

**tonytryout** · 06-14-2002, 01:32 PM

Originally posted by LanSite
And many of you are saying "go to you local garden center" ... Should I not trust what my landscaper is telling me (I've looked at some of his other clients' homes and they're all beautifully landscaped, he's been in business a long time, etc etc)? Will going through a book not be good enough or is going to the local nursery just the best way to get a feel for what I might like?

Sorry, I did not mean to ask you not to trust the landscaper or anything like that. Think garden centre as a "live portfolio" and look for something that you like. When you next see your landscaper, ask him/her whether the plants in your "list" would work well or not.

nad

**LanSite** · 06-14-2002, 07:19 PM

Originally posted by tonytryout
Sorry, I did not mean to ask you not to trust the landscaper or anything like that. Think garden centre as a "live portfolio" and look for something that you like. When you next see your landscaper, ask him/her whether the plants in your "list" would work well or not.

nad

Thanks, Tony - I thought that was what you meant, but wanted to be sure. I spoke with teh guy today who mows our lawn and he said any of the holly bushes would be okay, but don't look at 'em to be fast growers and they don't require any extra watering ... I forgot to ask about the root system, though ...

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