Saturday, March 8, 2014
Water Proofing Your Foundation
Often times you will get a damp feeling in your basement...or even more drastically, there is water seeping in from outside... As foundations settle they may incur cracks along masonry joints or cracks within a poured in place foundation wall.
When such an occurrence happens where you find your basement leaking, you are forced to call up a contractor and have them come in to dig up the foundation walls for proper waterproofing repair. Sometimes things can get messy where the waterproofing repair entails having to rip apart existing landscapes like planting beds of walkways around the home.
If you are living in an older home and considering investing your money into a landscape project, check the conditions of your foundation walls before hand... if a repair is needed in the near future, it may make sense to have that done before you call in someone like myself to design and build your project...
Friday, March 7, 2014
Carolina Jessamine
Gelsemium sempervirens
A fast growing, evergreen, twining vine native to the southeast U.S. ( Arkansas to Virginia and south ) that can reach up to 40 x 20 feet in size. It is great for fences and patio trellises.
The lance-shaped leaves, up to 4 inches in length, are glossy dark green and .
The fragrant, bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers, up to 1.5 inches in length, are borne during early to mid spring. The flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
ALL PARTS OF PLANT ARE POISONOUS TO EAT!
It prefers full sun ( but tolerates partial shade ) on moist, fertile, slightly acidic, well drained soil. It is moderately drought tolerant. It can be cut back hard if it gets overgrown or top heavy. Carolina Jasmine is deer and rabbit resistant.
Hardy north to zone 7 ( 6 if sheltered ) and can be propagated by semi-ripe cuttings or seed. Moderately salt tolerant.
* photo taken on April 18 2010 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on Mar 7 2013 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
Margarita
Much hardier with slightly larger, clear yellow flowers borne during spring, often repeating during autumn.
Fully hardy north to zone 6 and survives as low as -25 F though with at least some winter dieback.
* photo taken on Oct 17 2011 in Howard Co, MD
Gelsemium rankinii ( Swamp Jessamine )
A fast growing, evergreen vine, reaching 20 + feet, that is similar to Carolina Jessamine, except that it flowers during autumn, repeating in mid spring. The abundant flowers are not fragrant but still attract hummingbirds.
The leaves are narrow.
This native of swamps in the southeastern U.S. is hardy zones 7 to 9.
It is tolerant of wet soil and flooding.
Read More..
A fast growing, evergreen, twining vine native to the southeast U.S. ( Arkansas to Virginia and south ) that can reach up to 40 x 20 feet in size. It is great for fences and patio trellises.
The lance-shaped leaves, up to 4 inches in length, are glossy dark green and .
The fragrant, bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers, up to 1.5 inches in length, are borne during early to mid spring. The flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
ALL PARTS OF PLANT ARE POISONOUS TO EAT!
It prefers full sun ( but tolerates partial shade ) on moist, fertile, slightly acidic, well drained soil. It is moderately drought tolerant. It can be cut back hard if it gets overgrown or top heavy. Carolina Jasmine is deer and rabbit resistant.
Hardy north to zone 7 ( 6 if sheltered ) and can be propagated by semi-ripe cuttings or seed. Moderately salt tolerant.
* photo taken on April 18 2010 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on Mar 7 2013 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD
Margarita
Much hardier with slightly larger, clear yellow flowers borne during spring, often repeating during autumn.
Fully hardy north to zone 6 and survives as low as -25 F though with at least some winter dieback.
* photo taken on Oct 17 2011 in Howard Co, MD
Gelsemium rankinii ( Swamp Jessamine )
A fast growing, evergreen vine, reaching 20 + feet, that is similar to Carolina Jessamine, except that it flowers during autumn, repeating in mid spring. The abundant flowers are not fragrant but still attract hummingbirds.
The leaves are narrow.
This native of swamps in the southeastern U.S. is hardy zones 7 to 9.
It is tolerant of wet soil and flooding.
Cyrilla
Cyrilla racemiflora ( Swamp Cyrilla )
A fast growing small tree typically reaching around 20 feet in temperate climates ( larger in tropics ) that is native to streambanks and swamps from eastern Texas to southeastern Virginia; south to the Gulf Coast and central Florida. It is also native to Oaxaca, Mexico; south through Central America to Columbia and northern Brazil; also the Caribbean. It is hardy much further north and may even be native locally in Delaware. It sometimes forms thickets.
Some records include: 20 years - 27 x 20 feet; largest on record - 80 x 30 feet with a trunk diameter of 9 feet; longest lived - 1200 years. Both records recorded in Central America.
The alternately arranged, lance-shaped semi-evergreen leaves, up to 4 x 2 inches , are glossy deep green above, bright green beneath, turning to scarlet or deep red and persisting late in autumn.
The fragrant, white ( rarely pink flowers ) are borne in racemes, up to 6 inches in length, originating from the base of the current years growth during late summer into early autumn. The flowers attract bees and are useful for Honey production.
They are followed by conical, dried, brown fruits, up to 0.1 inches.
The fruits mature during fall and persist well into the following year.
The attractive bark is red-brown.
Hardy zones 7 to 11 in sun to partial shade preferring light acidic, well drained soil with abundant peat moss worked in. Very flood tolerant but also tolerates much drier sites compared to where it occurs in the wild. Generally easy to grow, except on clay.
Propagation is from seed or semi-ripe cutting.
* photos taken on July 17 2010 @ Morris Arboretum, Philly, PA
Scott Arboretum Clone
Similar to regular Cyrilla racemiflora except for having absolutely no winter dieback in Philly where all other clones in open field trials at Scott Arboretum suffered winter damage.
Hardy north to zone 6, maybe even 5.
RELATED SPECIES
Cyrilla arida
Similar to Cyrilla racemiflora but dwarf in all its parts, reaching a maximum size of only 6 x 6 feet. Some records include: 7 years - 4 x 4 feet. It is evergreen in mild climates.
Hardy zones 8 to 10 ( 7 on protected sites ) on sandy, well drained soil.
Cyrilla parvifolia ( Littleleaf Cyrilla )
A large shrub or rarely a small tree native only to swamps in southern Georgia and northern Florida, where it is rare. Some record include: largest on record - 33 x 30 feet with a trunk diameter of 1.5 feet.
The leaves are much smaller, only up to 1.5 inches in length.
The flowers are also borne in much shorter racemes, only up to 2.5 inches in length.
Hardy zones 8 to 9 on sandy, well drained soil.
Cliftonia monophylla ( Titi )
Also called Buckwheat Tree. A very ornamental, moderate growing, evergreen, small tree reaching around 20 feet that is native to swamps in the southeastern U.S. from eastern Louisiana to South Carolina; south to the Gulf Coast and northern Florida. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 2 feet; 5 years - 5 x 5 feet ( avg ); largest on record - 60 x 40 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 feet. It often forms thickets in the wild.
The alternately arranged, smooth edged, evergreen leaves, up to 4 x 1 inches, are glossy deep green above, pale green beneath ( without the conspicuous veins beneath that are seen on Cyrilla racemiflora ).
The fragrant white flowers are borne during in erect slender racemes during early spring before the new foliage emerges.
They are followed by very persistant 4-winged fruits, up to 0.3 inches, that are borne in narrow clusters.
The bark is red-brown.
Hardy zones 7 to 9.
Som
Read More..
A fast growing small tree typically reaching around 20 feet in temperate climates ( larger in tropics ) that is native to streambanks and swamps from eastern Texas to southeastern Virginia; south to the Gulf Coast and central Florida. It is also native to Oaxaca, Mexico; south through Central America to Columbia and northern Brazil; also the Caribbean. It is hardy much further north and may even be native locally in Delaware. It sometimes forms thickets.
Some records include: 20 years - 27 x 20 feet; largest on record - 80 x 30 feet with a trunk diameter of 9 feet; longest lived - 1200 years. Both records recorded in Central America.
The alternately arranged, lance-shaped semi-evergreen leaves, up to 4 x 2 inches , are glossy deep green above, bright green beneath, turning to scarlet or deep red and persisting late in autumn.
The fragrant, white ( rarely pink flowers ) are borne in racemes, up to 6 inches in length, originating from the base of the current years growth during late summer into early autumn. The flowers attract bees and are useful for Honey production.
They are followed by conical, dried, brown fruits, up to 0.1 inches.
The fruits mature during fall and persist well into the following year.
The attractive bark is red-brown.
Hardy zones 7 to 11 in sun to partial shade preferring light acidic, well drained soil with abundant peat moss worked in. Very flood tolerant but also tolerates much drier sites compared to where it occurs in the wild. Generally easy to grow, except on clay.
Propagation is from seed or semi-ripe cutting.
* photos taken on July 17 2010 @ Morris Arboretum, Philly, PA
Scott Arboretum Clone
Similar to regular Cyrilla racemiflora except for having absolutely no winter dieback in Philly where all other clones in open field trials at Scott Arboretum suffered winter damage.
Hardy north to zone 6, maybe even 5.
RELATED SPECIES
Cyrilla arida
Similar to Cyrilla racemiflora but dwarf in all its parts, reaching a maximum size of only 6 x 6 feet. Some records include: 7 years - 4 x 4 feet. It is evergreen in mild climates.
Hardy zones 8 to 10 ( 7 on protected sites ) on sandy, well drained soil.
Cyrilla parvifolia ( Littleleaf Cyrilla )
A large shrub or rarely a small tree native only to swamps in southern Georgia and northern Florida, where it is rare. Some record include: largest on record - 33 x 30 feet with a trunk diameter of 1.5 feet.
The leaves are much smaller, only up to 1.5 inches in length.
The flowers are also borne in much shorter racemes, only up to 2.5 inches in length.
Hardy zones 8 to 9 on sandy, well drained soil.
Cliftonia monophylla ( Titi )
Also called Buckwheat Tree. A very ornamental, moderate growing, evergreen, small tree reaching around 20 feet that is native to swamps in the southeastern U.S. from eastern Louisiana to South Carolina; south to the Gulf Coast and northern Florida. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 2 feet; 5 years - 5 x 5 feet ( avg ); largest on record - 60 x 40 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 feet. It often forms thickets in the wild.
The alternately arranged, smooth edged, evergreen leaves, up to 4 x 1 inches, are glossy deep green above, pale green beneath ( without the conspicuous veins beneath that are seen on Cyrilla racemiflora ).
The fragrant white flowers are borne during in erect slender racemes during early spring before the new foliage emerges.
They are followed by very persistant 4-winged fruits, up to 0.3 inches, that are borne in narrow clusters.
The bark is red-brown.
Hardy zones 7 to 9.
Som
Model Homes Columbia MD 3
Before & During
After
* photo taken on June 17 2011
* photos taken on Aug 24 2011
* photos taken on Mar 26 2012
* photo taken on April 9 2012
* photos taken on June 7 2012
* photos taken on Apr 11 2013
* photos taken on May 8 2013
* photos taken on June 22 2013
Read More..
After
* photo taken on June 17 2011
* photos taken on Aug 24 2011
* photos taken on Mar 26 2012
* photo taken on April 9 2012
* photos taken on June 7 2012
* photos taken on Apr 11 2013
* photos taken on May 8 2013
* photos taken on June 22 2013
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