by Christie Dustman | Aug 7, 2014 | Growth habits, Pruning
After a very long and VERY cold winter, the traditional Mophead Hydrangea is a truly cherished and anticipated symbol of summer in New England gardens. In many of our Fine Gardening client’s gardens this season our crew has encountered Hydrangea macrophylla or the...
by Christie Dustman | Jul 10, 2014 | Design, Garden Design, Growth habits
Do you wish your yard looked like some of your neighbors? Do you feel like they got the GARDEN HANDBOOK and you were absent that day? Well, take it from a long time gardener: getting the right plant for the right place isn’t so easy. There are so many factors to...
by Christie Dustman | May 15, 2014 | Growth habits, Landscape maintenance, Pruning
The show is over…spring blooming shrubs and trees have put on their much appreciated display. With blossoms just passing by, your plant is already planning for spring 2015. It is hard for us humans to remember that this is the right time to prune those same plants. ...
by Christie Dustman | Apr 24, 2014 | Design, Growth habits, Landscape maintenance, Pruning
Gum drops, meatballs and blobs: believe it or not, these are typical shrub shapes commonly found in many suburban neighborhoods. Well-intentioned homeowners and professionals alike regularly shear off each year’s new growth, forcing bushes into visions of...
by Christie Dustman | Jun 10, 2010 | Design, Growth habits
Ok, so I do have a love affair with upright and uptight plants. In smaller gardens, air space needs some volume – so let’s go up. Let’s compare three similar plants today that grow tall and skinny. I started out using Ilex crenata “Sky Pencil”. This is a...