Spring is right around the corner, thank goodness after this latest blast of ice and snow (although we may have a little more to endure this week). Early bloomers like the Redbuds have come and gone already and the Pear Trees are fully budding out ready to bloom. Now it's time to prune back ornamental grasses to get them off to a great spring start and ready for their full glory in the summer.
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New Pinterest Board: Best Trees for Spring Color
We might be a little early on this post, but now that the weather is warming up a bit we can start to anticipate the signs of spring being right around the corner. Check out a new Pinterest board that we put together that features some of the best ornamental and blooming trees for springtime. Won't be long will we see these out in the landscape brightening up our gardens. Get out and enjoy the weather this weekend. 70 degrees in February is one of the benefits of living in Texas.
Here's a list of the Best Tree for Spring Color in Dallas:
- Dogwood (Cornus florida) -White flower blooms along with a pink bloom variety as well
- Oklahoma Redbud (Cercis canadensis) - Early flowering with bright pink buds in spring
- Flowering Peach (Prunus persica) Pink blooms
- Purple Leaf Plum (Prunus cerasifera) Dark maroon leaf color with pink blooms
- Mexican Buckeye (Ungnadia specios) - Pink & purple blooms
- Eve's Necklace (Sophora affinis) - Pink flowering blooms
- Flowering Crabapple (Malus spp.) - Different varieties have both pink and white blooms
- Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana) - Early bloomer with delicate, beautiful pink blooms
- Pear Tree (Pyrus calleryana) White blooms in spring. Several of the best varieties are 'Aristocrat', 'Chanticleer' and 'Capital' (Avoid the 'Bradford')
- Texas Whitebud (Cercis canadensis 'Texas Whitebud') - A white blooming version of the Redbud
- Rusty Blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum) Native tree with clusters of white flowers
- Mexican Plum (Prunis mexicana) - A nice show of white flowers in the spring
Super Bowl Field - How They Got Real Grass Inside a Domed Stadium
We're sure everyone was busy watching the unbelieveable finish of the Super Bowl tonight. Ever wonder how they get a full field of lush, real grass inside that domed stadium? Check out this video below or this article from Business Insider to see how they do it. Pretty interesting.
Believe it or not they grow the entire field outside in the Arizona sun and then slide it into the stadium for the game. Here's another link to a time lapse of the field being installed. A pretty impressive feat of architectural engineering and a creative solution to avoid using the same old synthetic turf inside a domed stadium. It's always nice to see a football game played on real turf.
By the way, does anyone remember the days when the Dallas Cowboys used to play in the Super Bowl? There's always hope for next year.
Deciduous Holly with red berries in late January bloom.
Wintertime Blooms and Berries
Looking for a little visual interest for your garden in winter? Here are couple suggestions that are producing some pretty showy colors and berries this time of year.
Deciduous Holly (Ilex decidua)
Also known as Possumhaw or Possumhaw Holly, this deciduous ornamental tree is a great solution to add some winter color to your garden. Although sometimes listed as a shrub, it typically range between 8-15' in height and looks better when shaped as a small tree form. The winter colors are produced by clusters of red berries that produce a vibrant patch of color often in a rather dull time of year. For best berry production, plant a male plant nearby to encourage pollination.
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Cold Nights are on the Way - Frost Protection for Your Plants
It's time to pull out or provide the frost cloths for your plants and cool-season flowers. Here are a few options recommended to provide a little protection for your garden. First and most obvious idea for container plants would be to move them indoors to a porch, garage or covered patio for added protection. Secondly is to use a frost cloth over the top to provide a little warmth as well. You have probably seen this used widely in the nursery industry, on golf courses to protect the putting greens and you have likely seen it around your neighborhood or local shopping centers. Here is a photo of it being used in a nursery. You can order below from Amazon or likely find it on hand at your local garden shop or home improvement store.
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