Hardscape Made Easy

At the Spring Fever in The Garden in Winter Garden this year, I met Irwin Grossman, a wonderful, enthusiastic retiree, who wanted me to come see his backyard. He had an impressive rock landscape with dry river bed running through it and couldn't wait to show it off.  I can understand why - it is a backyard worthy of superlatives. It is an incredible amount of stone with Japanese rock garden theme. Mr. Grossman's rockscape appeals to his need for very low water use and maintenance.  Despite all the rocks, liners, artificial turf, and the lack of plants, Mr. Grossman still needs a maintenance schedule to spray herbicides for the tough weeds that invariably emerge.

While for me personally, I would like to see more shade, a water feature like a waterfall or small creek, and more plants to soften the rocks, I can appreciate the homeowner's effort, quality of work and materials, and see the beauty in the planted rugged and smooth stones. Mr. Grossman's landscape theme is called "Safe Haven" and was designed by Mr. Paul Verlander, Landscape Architecture LLC.

"Synthetic Turf Isn't A Sin But It Isn't Beneficial Either"

"Rock Gardens Made Easy"

"Leesburg Couple Rips Up Grass But Is It Florida-friendly?"

Hardscape Made Easy

New Plant Finds

Visiting Apenberry's is always like a treasure hunt! Dave, buyer and  part of the sales staff for the local nursery knows that I'm always on the search for great new plants for my landscape and this weekend I hit the jackpot. 

The Yucca rostara 'Sapphire Blue' is an incredible succulent that has soft and short blue needles and slowly grows into a small 5' tree with no branches, just the globular needles.  Definitely a xeric plant that only needs occasional watering during droughts, this yucca will create a wonderful rock garden container. I used a matte black modern pot and added Blue Spruce stonecrop, Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce',  and Sea Urchin Sedum - Sedum lineare 'Variegatum' along with a paddle plant, Kalanchoe thrysiflora.  I stuck other small succulents strategically between the round and flat stones to fill in and add interest.  Zone 5 - 11.  Full sun, minimum water, good drainage.

Monrovia has a beautiful new frilly Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'MonSan' called Sea of Gold.  Not often you can find 'Northern-looking' variegated ornamentals shrubs here in Central Florida and this one is outstanding.  Golden-yellow foliage that will increase in color with cooler temperatures.  Its perfect for smaller areas with mature size of 3 foot tall by 4 foot wide. Zoned 3 - 9,  this mounding juniper needs full sun and minimum watering during droughts.

Both plants rate high on water conservation, pest-free, and low maintenance.  If you don't live near Apenberry's, go to your local nursery and ask them to order these great treasures for your backyard.