April Showers bring May flowers… if it rains
I recently returned from the California Spring Trials representing the HGTV HOME Plant Collection at scenic Edna Valley Vineyards.
Traveling from San Luis Obispo to Santa Paula one day, MapQuest took me on the scenic route through the Los Padres National Forest and past Lake Cachuma. I saw first-hand the drought devastation as the lake is at less than 40% of capacity.
According to USA Today, 40 states will have water shortages in the next decade. After watching a piece on the local SLO news, it inspired me to see how I could conserve more water, in particular when it comes to gardening and my landscape. Check out the Think H20 website and revisit our July 2014 enews where we discussed Smart Irrigation Month, for conservation tips so that we can all start to make a difference, one drop at a time; let’s make Earth Day every day!
Water Wise Nativar
Our colleague Bobbie Schwartz of Bobbie’s Green Thumb says, “Tough as nails! Every landscape designer dreams of a plant that can withstand drought and shade but also performs beautifully in sun and average moisture, is available in different sizes and shapes, and has more than one season of interest.
“To my delight, the LCN Selections cultivars of Cornus racemosa fit this wish list. I probably use Cornus Geauga® the most because so many urban and suburban lots have narrow spaces yet height is needed to create privacy or screening.”
Geauga® Gray Dogwood
Cornus racemosa ‘Geazam’
Besides being a water wise plant, we love Geauga as it naturally forms an easy to maintain, dense and compact, fast growing hedge that does not require pruning unless a more formal appearance is desired.
