Why I spent all of last summer watering trees......

[treeskin]

I spent most of yesterday at work pulling together information about the tree trail, kind of a final report, since the project is **finally** nearing completion. I hope.

Anyway, some statistics about the landscape projects we've done since I started this job amused me:

From 2000 - 2002, we've planted 336 trees on campus, representing 56 species or varieties. In the same time period, we've planted 643 shrubs, representing 24 species or varieties. And these are just the projects I was directly involved in; I've not kept track of plantings on inner campus.

Out of the numbers above, I have personally planted (in smaller renovation projects) about 35 trees, and probably 75 shrubs. Forgot to write down how many species. And, I've planted about 10,000 bulbs since I started here, about 2/3 were crocus, daffodils, and dwarf iris that are naturalized through various landscape beds.

Comments

Balcony garden selections

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Hmm.....rosemary is always good; heat and drought and pot tolerant. Either a Genovese-type basil (large leaves, good for pesto), or 'Lesbos' basil (don't laugh, it's a Greek cultivar, but it's fast growing and *very* heat tolerant). Chiltipin peppers do well in pots. Sweet marjoram, if you've got a deep pot. Cilantro's okay in pots, but you'll have to seed in in the pot several times to have it all summer (it's easy, and grows fast). Lemongrass, but it can get big (3-4' tall, if you've got a big enough pot). But it's pretty.

I dunno...what are you wanting to cook?

Ornamentals--sun tolerant coleus are reliable and widely available. And there's one called 'Black Dragon'. Vinca has a wide color range, good heat and drought tolerance. Um....spike dracenas, any of the 'Wave' series petunias, purslanes (actually edible and ornamental).

Have any colors or textures in mind?

Just for the record, everything I've mentioned here so far is available *cheap* at the JCCC plant sale, the first Friday in May, 10 am - 5 pm. (hint!)

Re: Balcony garden selections

[draco-kc.livejournal.com]

Right now, I think that basil is probably the only herb I really want to grow this season. I'm just not doing enough cooking these days to justify growing many other herbs. The last time I grew herbs, I found a really attractive oregono, as well, but I don't know if I'd really make use of it. It was so dense, though, it would have made a fun ground cover, though. As far as other edibles go, it might be fun to grow a variety of hot pepper, especially given my predeliction for same.

As far as ornamentals go, it'd probably be a bit of a mix. While, ideally, I'd like a few things that would bloom at various points throughout the growing season for visual interest and color, realistically I probably need to think more in terms of interesting foliage for eye candy, given my space limitations.

Re: Balcony garden selections (dissertation)

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

Okay. that simplifies things a bit.

A Genoevese-type basil for pesto.

Because I'm onery, I'd do something like 'Pretty in Purple' pepper....little tiny hot peppers (purple maturing to red), and showy purple foliage. It's also a smaller plant, 12-15" tall. It's intended as a ornamental variety, but it happens to be a decent tobasco-type pepper. There's also a tasty, mild dwarf chili pepper out called 'Chilly Chili'. Regular green foliage, but a nice show of red peppers for snacking on.

For color and interest on the balcony, you go with annuals. Most bloom all season if you keep them watered. And, this is one of the times you want to retain moisture, so either use a glazed ceramic pot, or go with plastic.

Sun tolerant coleus for foliage.

Yellow and black-leafed sweet potato vines ('Marguerite' and 'Blackie' respectively)--fairly large, drapey vines, very heat and drought tolerant, does want a deep pot.

For vertical interest, add some spike dracenas or New Zealand Flax (both readily available). (Basically, these look like a very vertical clump of grass, some have stripes on the leaves, some are just green.)

'Mr Majestic' marigold, and the 'Janie' series of marigolds are container-sized and reliable.

Any of the 'Wave' series petunias are superb, free-flowering, heat tolerant, spreading. Good for hiding the bottom of the pot. Um....purple, hot pink, lt pink, and a lavender now, I think. 'Purple Wave' is my favorite purple petunia--it doesn't fade in the sun.

Rose moss and purslanes....the hotter it gets, the more they bloom. Pretty wide color range, all warm tones.

There are some nice annual salvias out there, really showy reds and blues, but they tend to be either really good, or they suck, nothing in between.

Oooo, forgot another neat texture thing....Mexican hair grass. It's a short (about 15") clump grass, very fine texture, very pettable.

Dwarf cannas will do okay in pots.

If you want more variety, go to someplace like Earl May, or even Walmart(although I wouldn't buy plants at Walfart anymore, they don't take care of them), and look for the 'Proven Winners' brand--these plants were bred in Europe for container performance. There's a pretty good mix of flower and foliage plants by that brand.

That enough to get you started? (You forgot that this sort of question hits the automatic play button....)