Saturday, September 22, 2012

Perennial Flowering Vines, Bush Hedges, and Fern Plants

Perennial Flowering Vines, Bush Hedges, and Fern Plants


Gardeners grow two types of plants basically, annuals and perennial plants. The each year plant grows from a seed; flowering follows and the mom plant dies after the new crop of seed has matured. The perennial plant does not have a life span that is sLight to one year unless it is grown out of zone. For instance, the tulip bulb is a perennial plant when grown in the Netherlands, but in much of the United States, the tulip bulbs decline and won't flower again in many States, so that tulips are planted thereafter as an annual-not to return the following year. The environmental factors of heat and humidity limit the planting and growing of tulip bulbs in much of the United States as a perennial plant.

Perennial Flowering Vines, Bush Hedges, and Fern Plants

Perennial Flowering Vines, Bush Hedges, and Fern Plants

Perennial Flowering Vines, Bush Hedges, and Fern Plants


Perennial Flowering Vines, Bush Hedges, and Fern Plants



Perennial Flowering Vines, Bush Hedges, and Fern Plants

Elephant ear bulbs can be grown as a perennial plant in warmer climates where the elephant ear bulbs grows in size each year to form huge clumps. Elephant ear bulbs when planted in Northern States like New York will not survive covering temperatures of snow and ice and must be grown as an each year unless the elephant ear bulbs are dug up and stored inside the house.

From these perennial bulb examples, it can be demonstrated how important temperature factors are in plant survival. Other factors of the environment are important, such as Light intensity. Yucca plants and agave plants thrive in hot, dry, sunny conditions, and if whether of these plants are grown in low Light, the decline begins that finally results in plant death.

Desert plants such as agave plants, yucca plants, and aloe plants can survive in the dry sands of the deserts and heat, drought, and intense sunLight that other plants could not tolerate. The yucca, agave, and aloe plants could not survive tropical jungle humidities and shade.

Fern plants are very adaptable to almost any environment imaginable, from rocky heights on arctic-like mountain tops, to the heavy shade of tropical rainforests, ferns thrive. As a nursery plant, ferns are grown as bedding plants in sun or shade or as delicate indoor potted fern plants such as the lacy maidenhair fern, Adiantum peruvianium, and the foxtail fern, Asparagus meyerii.

Groundcover perennial plants are important in controlling erosion and in reducing soil evaporation. Some groundcover plants form clumps and others, like ivy, form vines that can rapidly grow to cover uphill bare spots or cover walls and buildings. Ivy grows rampantly once established and is favorite to use in planters and hanging baskets. Iron plant, Aspidistra lurida, grows well as a shade plant and some aspidistra forms are covered with white dots on the waxy green leaves; others are variegated with white stripes, Aspidistra elatior 'Variegata.' Palm grass, Curculigo capitulata, grows very well as a shade plant near pools. Dwarf mondo grass, Ophiopogon japonicus nana, is an perfect liriope-type groundcover that aggressively crowds out weeds and grows in green or white forms for scenery contrasts. The creeping fig vine, Ficus repens, rapidly covers walls and can cover ground areas that are barren. Ficus repens, fig vine, can rapidly send out leafy shoots that grow a foot per week. Liriope groundcover perennial plants are among the most popularly grown because they are colorful, dense, clean growing and grow in many sizes. The most favorite liriope cultivars are Liriope muscari 'Big Blue;' Liriope muscari 'Royal Purple;' Liriope muscari 'Super Green Giant;' and Liriope muscari 'Variegata.

Flowering bush hydrangea perennials are native plants to the United States, and many new hydrangea cultivars have been industrialized in keen colors of red, blue, white, purple, and pink. Hydrangea bushes shed their leaves while the winter, but spring back to life in the spring, covered with flowers.

Flowering vine perennials are grown to cover fences, trellises, and walls-some with evergreen foliage, others with flowers with a bonus of many colors, including red, coral, blue, purple, pink, white, and yellow. Carolina jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens, covers the entire vine with keen yellow flowers, which are fragrant and fast growing. Confederate jasmine, Trachelospemum jasminoides, flowers with yellow or white blooms, perfumed like other sweet jasmine vine perennials. Bleeding heart vine, Clerodendron thomsoniae, flowers keen red, heart-shaped blooms and climbs as a vine rapidly for privacy screens. Coral vines, Antigonon leptopus, are famous in the South for heart-shaped leaves and brittle delicate flower clusters of pink or white. Coral vines are known locally in Florida as the Tallahassee vine.

The butterfly bush is sweetly scented and easy to grow as a perennial bush or hedge. Butterflies swarm on the flowers in summer and fall seasons that are tough and can literally become established underneath pine trees in thickets, some are documented to have persisted for over 40 years in one place. important flowering butterfly bushes flower in red, pink, purple, white, and yellow. The important cultivars grown are Buddleia lindeyana, Buddleia davidii 'Bonnie,' Buddleia davidii 'Pink Delight,' and Budlleia davidii 'White Profusion.

Ornamental grasses have secured an important place in the scenery garden. As a bedding plant, ornamental grasses such as black fountain grass, Egyptian papyrus, lemon grass, Pink Muhly grass, Red fountain grass, Umbrella grass, Tricolor society garlic, Northern sea oats, Pampas grass, Cortaderia selloana, and Japanese silver grass have found valuable placement in office building landscapes.

Angel trumpet plants (Datura) are very desirable to grow in warm climates. The trumpet flowers open as fragrant one foot blooms, drooping as the as the day progresses. Flowers of many datura, angel trumpet plants, cover the shrub all summer and fall in a blaze of color: red, pink, white, yellow, orange, purple, etc. These datura (angel trumpet) plants are easily hybridized into many keen keen color combinations, known technically as 'Brugmansia' x 'candida.

Perennial Flowering Vines, Bush Hedges, and Fern Plants

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Friday, September 14, 2012

China's famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

China's famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain


The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a small mountain range in Yunnan province just north of Lijiang city. Towering over the head waters of the Yangtze River, the mountains are paramount for their startling views and are part of a high altitude nature reserve. If you are in Lijiang, a trip to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is very recommended.

China's famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

China's famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

China's famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain


China's famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain



China's famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Size & scope

The mountain range is 35 kilometers long, 20 kilometers wide and the top peak in the range is Shanzidou which as a height of 5596 meters. All together there are 13 peaks in the range. The nature reserve is on the southern and eastern sides of the range and the Yangtze River and the Leaping Tiger Gorge the river runs straight through are on the western side.

The mountain is often covered in clouds with just the peaks being visible. The snow covered peaks above the clouds look as if a jade dragon lying on the clouds so the mountain has been known as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The mountain range is in the heart of the Naxi minority's homeland and is an import part of their religion.

The Legend of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

In ancient times, two twins Haba Snow mountain and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain lived in the area and panned for gold in the Golden Sand (Yangtze) River. One day an evil demon started to terrorize the river. The twins fought the demon and Haba died in the ensuing fight and Jade Dragon wore out 13 swords to defeat the demon.

After the fight Jade Dragon Jade Dragon stood guard over the local population with his 13 swords. Over time the two brothers turned into snow covered mountains and the 13 swords became the 13 peaks.

Grounds & Attractions

Ganhaizi Meadow - The meadow was originally a lake created by erosion from glacial ice. The lake dried up over the years to create a flat open area or meadow now known as Ganhaizi which means dry lake. The meadow is used for the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain tourist town and label office.

Glacier Park - This area is the most popular area in the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain reserve and has an altitude of 4,500 meters. Glacier Park is reached by cable car that has a line 2986 meters long. The park is below the Shanzidou Peak and the glacier itself is the most southern glacier in China.

If you go to Glacier Park be aware that you are likely to perceive altitude sickness. Oxygen canisters can be bought in Lijiang and in Glacier Park to help you deal with the effects of high altitude and oxygen deprivation.

Spruce Meadow - This area of the nature reserve has an altitude of 3,200 meters and is much less crowded than Glacier Park. Spruce Meadow is alpine grassland and surrounded by spruce trees and flower shrubs. It is the place where young Naxi lovers were said to go to commit suicide to leave arranged marriages.

Yak Meadow - Yak Meadow has an altitude of 3,650 meters and is also accessed by cable car. This part of the nature reserve is one of the most isolated and the least frequented by tourist and also the largest meadow on the mountain. The meadow is used by farmers for grazing their yaks and has a lovely minute Tibetan temple. Yak Meadow is one of the best places for hiking and has marvellous views.

Blue Moon Valley - This valley is formed from the melting snow that runs of the mountains and holds four lakes, the Tingtao lake, the Lanyue lake, Jingtian lake and the Yue lake. The lakes in the valley are an wonderful shade of green/blue and walking around the valley is one of the best hikes in the nature reserve. The head of the valley is one of the main tourist sites where you can ride on yaks and have your picture taken retention an eagle.

Getting There

The entrance to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is 15 kilometers from Lijiang and there is no group transport to the entrance. The best way reach the entrance is catch one of the many inexpressive buses around Lijiang that go to the reserve or join a tour.

I suggest you take the whole 7 inexpressive bus which you can catch at a small bus stop just to the right of the Old Town's northern gate. The cost of the whole 7 bus if it is full is 15rmb. For tours you can see many fellowships in the Old Town that advertise tours and buses to the reserve. The price of tours varies and most prices can be reduced with a minute bargaining.

Tickets

Entry into the reserve is not cheap and a unblemished trip to the top of Glacier Park will cost 375rmb. This is the most expensive site or attraction in China that I know of.

The entrance fee for the reserve is 105rmb with an 80rmb Lijiang Old City protection fee. The 80rmb label is used for both the Black Dragon Pool and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain reserve so don't throw it away. There is a 20rmb fee for using the reserve's eco kindly buses and a 170rmb label for the Glacier Park cable car. The Yak Meadow cable car label is 60rmb.

Tips and Advice

Visiting Jade Dragon Snow Mountain when it is covered in cloud is disappointing and expensive. A good way avoid this is to have a look at the mountains in the morning from Lijiang before you set off. If the mountains are clear and cloud free, you should have a great day there. If the mountains are covered by heavy cloud, find something else to do for the day such as a bike ride in the country.

China's famous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

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Thursday, September 6, 2012

Landscaping - How to Order Topsoil

Landscaping - How to Order Topsoil


Topsoil comes by the yard in 10 wheel dump trucks. There is no large company that hauls topsoil. Nearly all carriers are local to the geographic area and will fee for the dirt based on how far away they must carry the load. For this reason, it's best to get dirt that is mined close to your home or business.

Landscaping - How to Order Topsoil

Landscaping - How to Order Topsoil

Landscaping - How to Order Topsoil


Landscaping - How to Order Topsoil



Landscaping - How to Order Topsoil

Mathematics

First, hypothesize the cubic quadrilateral footage of topsoil you need (length * width * depth). Don't forget to convert the depth into a decimal or fraction. For example, if the depth were two inches you would take 2 and divide by 12 to get .16 or 2/12. The topsoil comes in yards. One cubic foot is equal to 27 quadrilateral feet ( 3 * 3 * 3). Therefore, divide your previous acknowledge by 27 to get yards. The formula will look like this:

(Length * Width * Depth) / 27 to get the cubic yards needed.

But I Ordered Twelve Yards!!

Most trucks have the capacity to carry twelve yards of dirt. However, the fact is that you will never get the 12 yards you ordered. For one thing, dirt is very heavy and puts the truck over the legal weight limit. The other thing is that if the truck were packed in effect full it could fall out and create liability problems for the trucking company. In addition, it's not practical to ageement the dirt tightly. Some dirt is in effect fluffier than other dirt.

How much dirt will you in effect get? normally it will be around 8 yards. Since everybody calls an 8 yard load 12 yards everybody is forced to "lie" about how much they are delivering. Many truckers don't even know they aren't bringing a full 12 yard load. Don't be surprised when you see a minute pile of dirt from a huge truck. Dirt is just in effect heavy to carry.

Quality Counts - Ask Questions

All topsoil is not created equal. Associates have different definitions of what topsoil is. To some companies, it's just dirt without rocks; any kind of dirt. To others, it's a good organic soil with or without clumps. Some Associates consider topsoil to be a screened goods with soil amendments. It pays to see what is being delivered before it comes.

Black Soil

Good topsoil is black and has been screened. It will be Light and fluffy; which is perfect for grading. The ideal topsoil will have compost, mulch, or organic matter mixed with it. Usually, this is a superior topsoil. It will only cost a minute bit more money. If you have a landscaper, let him/her know you are willing to pay the extra for the best topsoil.

How to Find a Good Company

Your local nursery will know who carries good topsoil. Most nurseries fee extra for the topsoil. Your best bet is to order it directly from the dirt mine. Nurseries are a good alternative if you are finding for a very small number of dirt.

Another way to find good topsoil is to go to a new subdivision and see what is being delivered. normally by talking to people you can find out who delivered what soil. If in doubt, you might ask a landscaper in the area.

How Deep Does The Topsoil Need to Be?

Generally, two inches is sufficient topsoil. There are factors to increase the need for more depth. Rocky fill dirt or raised flower beds will wish more dirt to be ordered.

Pricing

0.00 is an average price for a load of topsoil. Fill dirt is about half the price of topsoil. If you need a lot of extra dirt, you can use fill dirt on the bottom and topsoil on the top to save money.

Landscaping - How to Order Topsoil

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