At the beginning of the year, I shared with you that I’d been studying to become a certified arborist. It was a challenging course, and your encouragement meant a lot to me, so I’m happy to report the outcome: I’m an ISA Certified Arborist® The designation recognizes my formal horticulture education and my practical, field..
Like Velcro®, Jacuzzi® and Kleenex®, the term Pollinator Pathway®is actually a registered brand name. It refers to a civic project founded in 2007 by “design thinker” Sarah Bergmann. Its now-famous pilot enterprise was the creation of a mile-long, 12-foot-wide system of connected greenspaces planted with the intention of helping native plant pollinators move through the..
Last October—October 2nd to be exact—we had a little blog chat about pruning. Remember? I was on my annual crusade against general, indiscriminate pruning in late fall, and I promised if you put away the shears and loppers then, the time would come in the spring when it would be okay to bring them out..
My dentist was keeping me in the dark. It wasn’t his dental practice, per se. It was his gardening practices. He had allowed the garden in front of his office to become so unruly and overgrown that the bushes and trees completely blocked the windows—and virtually all the natural light. I offered him a deal: ..
Aah…Beautiful autumn in Northeast Georgia. As I’m out and about these days, I’m thinking about how so much of the splendid fall color we see is from the big native trees…in the big-picture landscapes. You know, national forest lands and public parks, undeveloped rural acreage along the highways and mature, old-growth neighborhoods (not the people,..
Are you familiar with the Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)? I hope so, because that means the tireless work of a whole lot of North Georgia volunteers is paying off in increased awareness of the tree’s beauty and value—and of the plight that is threatening its survival. If you’ve hiked the slopes, ridges and ravines of..
Avid gardeners and piddlers, alike, know there are plenty of chores to busy ourselves with in the autumn months—in case we’re not busy enough already. You know, tidying up, maintaining tools, organizing and planning. But today, I’m going to focus on what I believe are the two most important things you should be doing right..
The hemlock plays an important ecological role in our eastern forests. It is considered a foundational species which means a hemlock forest creates and defines an entire ecological community within itself. They are known as the ‘redwood of the east’ and like a redwood forest, a hemlock forest has an ecological system which is..
Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum is one of our most beautiful native trees and a stand out in an ornamental landscape design. This small tree preforms well in cultivation and offers multi seasonal beauty so it’s difficult to understand why they aren’t used in home gardens more often. They are low maintenance, adaptable, have no serious..
When homeowners consider adding a small tree to a landscape design they are most likely going to consider size and flowering. However, in order to create a high impact design, there is more to selecting a tree than these two qualifications. You should also think of the canopy shape, environmental needs and multi seasonal interest...
Art of Stone is an award winning landscape design service recognized by the Urban Ag Council of Georgia.
Stonemason Jason Brosche is a recipient of the Master Craftsmen Award.
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