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Landscape Design & Maintenance

I took an objective look at my front yard this week and determined it was sadly lacking in fall color. My four yellow mums in pots flanking the doorway just didn’t bring me quite enough joy. (Yes, I admit it  – I have been doing a Marie Kondo purge) What I really want are huge bursts of riotous color and texture before a long Midwestern winter with its ice, snow and freezing temperatures sets in. 

Fall has officially arrived. Around here, that means getting my garden ready for a long winter’s nap. Of course there are all of the typical fall chores  –  removing dying annuals, planting spring bulbs, cleaning out iris and daylily beds, draining hoses, putting tools away  – but this year there’s going to be a new task on the fall list. From now on, I’m going to be adding mulching to my fall chores. 

Three years ago we struggled with this question:  Dog or Yard?  Dog won; we rescued an 8 year old Cairn Terrier mix who has become my constant, and beloved, companion  --  and who immediately began to destroy my yard. Since a decimated yard wasn't an option for me,  I decided to follow my own advice --  and I can vouch for the fact that it worked! We have both yard AND dog, and we love both. If you missed it the first time, here is a reprint of that 2019 article.  I hope it helps keep you and your dog happy!

I ran across this headline this morning. Honeysuckle Is Evil.  It was quite an attention grabber and I have to admit that I have said the same, and worse, in my quest to get rid of this insidious invader. Someone, long ago I am sure, was told to plant a few starts on the back cliff in an effort to keep the hillside from disappearing into the quarry directly below us. I truly understand the intent, (I wish I could go back and apologize to homeowners for all the English Ivy I planted through the years.) but today I am battling its takeover of my entire yard. 

They’re back! 

Despite bouts of unseasonably cold weather and the never-ending cold rain, my favorite feisty birds, hummingbirds, have returned to my yard. Right now, my garden is in an in-between time  –  early bloomers are finishing up and summer ones haven’t started  –  so the birds are hungrily hovering at the feeders. Soon, they will expect more substance to their diet; they will want to feast on a buffet of flowers.

As soon as I hit the publish button last week I realized that I had forgotten one of my most important goals of the 2022 gardening season  –  to seek out companies that are working hard not only to beautify our environment, but also to protect it. I believe that Embassy Landscape Group, based out of Kansas City, Missouri exemplifies those qualities.

No matter how hard I try, my winter pots never rise above the mediocre level. With a little help from Embassy's Jo Ann Prieto, my pots might just be magnificent this year.

We had an almost perfect fall weekend  --  skies were bright blue, temperatures were in the mid-60’s, and every once in a while a slight breeze would bring in the subtle scent of fall. Like I said, it was almost perfect, except for the non-stop noise pollution from our nearby neighbor's industrial strength leaf blower. As I stood in front of his house considering a non-confrontational way to beg him for a break from the noise, something even worse than the noise caught my attention. His haul of blown leaves was tightly tied up in literally a dozen black plastic bags waiting to be hauled off to the dump.