Q and A Trees

Julia Jane Boxwood in not a good choice for a south-facing environment. In Colorado broadleaf evergreens such as boxwoods need protection from wind and winter sun. Therefore, planting them in a south-facing or west-facing location is not recommended. Julia Jane Boxwood should be planted in a location that has part shade or shade.

These are some other shrubs you might consider:

Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) -- Several cultivars such as 'Crimson Pygmy' grow 18 - 24" tall, while others such as 'Rose Glow' grow 4 - 6' tall.

Dwarf Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus 'Compactus') -- grows 4 - 6' tall and has beautiful fall color (red).

Prune silver lace vine in late winter or early spring before new growth appears.

You do not need to pull up the landscape fabric and rocks to plant the area. Instead, decide where you want a plant to be planted. Push the rocks aside and make an x-shaped slit in the landscape fabric. This will allow you to fold back the fabric so you can dig a hole for the plant. Be sure to amend the soil with compost when planting. After planting the plant you can trim the landscape fabric so it lays flat and replace the rocks around the plant. For additional color at your wedding I suggest that you plant several containers with flowers to place in groups around the yard.

Prune forsythia right after it blooms in spring. In summer you can trim the top of the shrub if it gets too tall. This will also encourage fullness.

There are two flowering shrubs that do well in moist soil that might do well in the flower bed:

Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa) -- also called Cinquefoil

Spirea (Spiraea x bumalda)

There are many varieties of both of these plants, offering a choice of flower color.

If you want to create a perennial bed, the following plants tolerate moist soil:

New England Aster, Gayfeather, Lupine, Bee Balm, Black-eyed Susan, Pincushion Flower, Goldenrod, and Spike Speedwell.

The best time to trim Burning Bushes is late winter or early spring just before they leaf out.

Most deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves) are usually pruned in late winter or early spring before they leaf out. Maple, birch and walnut trees tend to ooze sap if pruned when dormant, so they are usually pruned in spring after they leaf out. Avoid pruning in late summer. Evergreen trees can be pruned anytime when needed.

Flowering shrubs such as lilacs generally are pruned as soon as they finish blooming. Non-flowering shrubs are pruned in late winter or early spring. Avoid pruning them in late summer.

Early spring is the best time to transplant the holly. Do not transplant it in fall or winter. Because a holly does not drop its leaves it could dry out too much due to its damaged root system and then die.

The root system will be shallow with most feeder roots in the top 12 - 18" of soil. The roots extend over a wide area, in the holly's case about 5 ft. in each direction. It will be impossible to dig up all of the root system!

Before digging up the holly select a site for it on the north or east side of the house where it will be in the shade or partial shade. Dig a large hole. Mix compost into the soil that will be used to fill the hole.

You can trim the purpleleaf sandcherry in late winter, spring and summer. Trim off no more than one third of the shrub at a time.

Boxwoods like a protected location, so they may do fine along your foundation. Other broadleaf evergreen options include Compact Oregon Grape Holly (Mahonia aquifolium 'Compacta') and some cultivars of Euonymus.

According to the ASPCA's list of plants that are toxic to pets, Euonymus alatus is poisonous.

For information on poisonous plants and non-poisonous plants for pets, please see the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website at http://www.aspca.org/. Click on Pet Care. Click on Animal Poison Control Center. Click on Toxic Plants (scroll down below the letters of the alphabet - those links aren't working). Also, you may want to see the list of non-toxic plants.

While Burning Bush is well-suited to the site you described, I recommend that you not use it if you have children and pets. The leaves and berries are poisonous to people and pets.

Having moved here from Florida, you have probably found winter gardens here less than attractive. In order to have something green year round you should include conifers in your yard. Austrian pine, pinyon pine, 'Bakeri' blue spruce and 'Fat Albert' blue spruce are popular trees. Many junipers of every size are readily available for use as shrubs and groundcovers. Mugo pine is a nice shrub and comes in many sizes.

There are very few broadleaf evergreens available. Euonymus and Grape Holly (Mahonia) are available as groundcovers and shrubs.

Ornamental grasses have become very popular here because they provide winter interest.

Silver Lace Vine (Polygonum aubertii) is a very fast grower that tolerates dry conditions once it is established. It has white flowers in late summer that cover the vine.

Other options include American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) which is known for its bright colored berries in fall and Honeysuckle (Lonicera).

The best time to plant the vine is spring. Avoid planting in hot summer weather. Whether a lattice is needed depends upon the vine you select. Some vines attach themselves to walls and need no support. Others require a lattice for support. Because vines come in all sizes, the amount of lattice required depends on the expected size of the vine at maturity.

Englemann Ivy (Parthenocissus quinquefolia var. engelmannii) is a popular vine. It has tendrils that cling to bricks so you don't need a lattice. It has nice fall color and berries that persist into winter.

Common Hops (Humulus lupulus) is a rapid growing vine that you might consider. It requires a sturdy lattice. It can reach a height of 40 feet.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera) is another possible choice. It reaches a height of 30' and also requires a sturdy lattice. Some kinds have fragrant flowers.

The following are some fragrant plants you might consider.

Carol Mackie Daphne (Daphne x burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie') - part shade

Somerset Daphne (Daphne x burkwoodii 'Somerset') - part shade

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) - sun

Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) - sun, small shrub

Spirea - several types available, sun or partial shade, variety of sizes

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) - sun, medium size

Golden Currant (Ribes aureum) - sun or part shade, medium size

Thyme (Thymus) - sun or part shade

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) - shade, part shade, can be invasive

Lavender, some Irises, Daylilies

Roses -- select them when they are in bloom to be sure the plant is fragrant

You can grow ornamental bananas indoors if you can provide the right growing conditions. Citrus trees, such as lemons, oranges, and limes, are popular indoors. All require a warm, bright sunny location.

There are several kinds of Junipers that would do well in a dry, sunny site and stay under 4 feet high. 'Armstrong' and 'Old Gold' grow 3 - 4' tall. 'Broadmoor' and 'Skandia' grow about 2' tall. Some dwarf Mugo Pines such as 'Mops' and 'Slowmound' grow 3 - 4' tall and also do well in dry, sunny sites.

Fragrant deciduous shrubs for moist, shady sites are limited. If the site isn't too heavily shaded a Daphne would be a good choice. 'Carol Mackie,' Burkwood, 'Somerset' and 'Ruby Glow' are options.

The first thing you should do before planting the bed is improve the soil. Buy some bags of compost and spread it over the bed about two inches high. Then mix it into the soil. Also, plan how you will provide water to the area. All plants require regular watering the first year they are planted, even though they may require little watering once established.

Some flowering vines that like sun and survive in slightly dry conditions include Clematis, some varieties of Honeysuckle and Trumpet Vine. Shrub Roses, Dwarf Lilacs and Blue Mist Spirea are flowering shrubs to consider. There are many annuals that perform well in sunny, dry sites. Marigold, Verbena, Zinnia, Cosmos, Lantana and Petunia are good choices.

One of the main reasons lilacs fail to bloom is that they have been pruned at the wrong time. They should be pruned right after they finish blooming. If plants are pruned later in summer, during winter, or before they bloom in spring the flower buds get cut off. Too much fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and not enough sunlight also affect bloom.

The burnt leaves could be caused by too much fertilizer, high levels of salt in the soil (for example, from de-icers), frost damage or bacterial blight.

The Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa) shrub is a good choice for hot, dry, sunny locations and grows 3 - 5' high. It flowers in summer and has attractive seed plumes that provide fall and winter interest. It needs good drainage. I don't know whether it tolerates snow dumps.

Potentilla shrubs grow 2 - 4' high. (Abbotswood grows to 3' high. Jackman grows 3 - 4' high.) They bloom all summer. Potentillas tolerate hot, dry, sunny sites. If branches are damaged by snow dumps just cut them off at ground level or just below the break. Pruning in late winter or early spring keeps bushes looking attractive.

Cotoneaster shrubs come in many sizes -- some too short and others too tall for your site. Cranberry Cotoneaster (C. apiculatus) grows 2 - 3' tall. This shrub has flowers in spring and berries in fall and winter. It has good fall color. I don't know how well it tolerates snow dumps.

Guara is a perennial that grows 2 - 3' high. It flowers in summer and fall. It has a deep tap root that helps it tolerate drought. It likes full sun. It would withstand snow dumps but would provide no winter interest. There are several perennials, such as Yarrow and Purple Coneflower, that could do well in a hot, dry, sunny site, but they tend to provide no winter interest because they die back. This feature, however, does allow them to survive snow dumps. Also, few are 3 - 5' tall. It will take awhile for whatever you plant to fill in. You can take advantage of that time to plant some smaller perennials, annuals or bulbs in the beds to make them look less bare and to provide color.

Unfortunately, there are few evergreen plants that can be used for hedges in Colorado. Most shrubs lose their leaves in winter. Some deciduous plants that can be used for a hedge include

Nanking Cherry (Prunus tomentosa)

Hedge Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster lucidus)

Cheyenne Privet (Ligustrum vulgare 'Cheyenne')

New Mexico Privet (Forestiera neomexicana)

For an informal mid-sized evergreen hedge you could use Tammy Savin Juniper (Juniperus sabina 'Tamariscifolia').

Finding cold-hardy plants that stay green through winter is a challenge. One choice is the Creeping Junipers (Juniperus horizontalis), which are very xeric when established. Popular varieties include 'Bar Harbor,' 'Blue Chip,' 'Hughes,' and 'Wiltoni'/'Blue Rug.' Savin Junipers (Juniperus sabina) such as 'Broadmoor' and 'Buffalo', are slightly taller plants that would work well.

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) has beautiful flowers in early spring and stays an attractive green mat the rest of the year. Shear it after it flowers to keep the plant compact. Another good groundcover is Creeping Grape Holly (Mahonia repens), which does best with a bit of shade. Where you have a partially shady area such as under a tree, use Periwinkle (Vinca minor), a really attractive groundcover that gets blue flowers in spring.

Some of the hardy yuccas would provide vertical interest: Adam's Needle (Y. filamentosa), Banana (Y. baccata) and Soapweed (Y. glauca).

A popular trend is the use of ornamental grasses, ranging in height from 2' - 12.' They turn straw colored in late fall and are very attractive throughout winter. Cut them back in late winter. Consider using Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Dwarf Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides), Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) and Hardy Pampas Grass (Saccharum ravennae).

All plants, including xeric ones, need regular watering while they are becoming established -- a year for shrubs and groundcovers named above. You can reduce watering the second year.

The following are some fruit producing plants that are hardy to an 8000 ft. elevation. As one might expect, the list is short. The higher the elevation, the fewer the number of plants that can be grown successfully.

Red Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) -- 'Boyne' cultivar

Red Currants (Ribes sativum) -- 'Red Lake' and 'Wilder' cultivars

Gooseberries (Ribes grossularia) -- 'Pixwell' and 'Welcome' cultivars

Jostaberries (Ribes nidigrolaria)

Unfortunately, there are few small shrubs, other than junipers, that stay green all year in Colorado. Junipers require sun to look their best, which means they aren't well suited for the north side of a house. The following plants are small, stay green year round and do well in part shade. Perhaps one of them will suit your needs.

Korean Boxwood (Buxus microphylla, var. koreana)

Creeping Grape Holly (Mahonia repens)

Wintercreeper (Euonymus) -- the following types stay low

E. fortunei 'Emerald Gaity'

E. f. 'Emerald 'n Gold'

Purple-leaf Wintercreeper (E. f. 'Coloratus')

One of the sources I've used for information on growing cacti at higher elevations is High Country Gardens in Santa Fe, NM. You can visit their website at www.highcountrygardens.com. There are three articles on the site that you might want to read. Click on "Free E-Zine" to find these:

May 2003 "Xeriscaping with Cold-Hardy Cacti"

April 2000 "Cold-Hardy Cactus -- Part 1"

May 2000 "Cold-Hardy Cactus -- Part 2"

They also carry several books on cactus gardening such as "Growing Winter Hardy Cacti" and "Growing Classic Cacti." Due to the altitude, not all types of cacti perform well here. These sources should provide information on ones that will.

Fall is not a good time to prune deciduous shrubs such as red-twig dogwood. The plant is going into dormancy. Pruning will disrupt this process by encouraging new growth that could be damaged in winter. Wait until late winter or early spring to prune the red-twig dogwood. At that time you should cut off one third of the older canes at ground level. The older canes will lack the bright red color of younger canes.

You should also wait until late winter or early spring to trim back the butterfly bush. Cut back all of its canes to just a few inches above ground level.