Update on New Collins Road/Graham Blvd Corners

       The BGC corners committee is beginning the task of replacing some of the shrubs at the main entrance to Blackridge.  We hope to preserve the somewhat formal look of the traditional corners while adhering to our principles of selecting low maintenance, drought tolerant, and when possible, native plants.  We also hope to lighten up the look of the corners which now contain mostly heavily sheared yews and euonymus.  

       The guidelines the garden club is following include:·

• Choose plants that are well-suited to the available sun, soil, moisture, and size of the site, and those which are long-lived and disease-resistant, while not being invasive.  You’ll find that many native plants naturally fit these guidelines.
  
• Select anchoring shrubs and trees that maintain an attractive shape and size without any need for shearing.  These shrubs can be evergreen and/or deciduous with four-season interest.  Many newer cultivars of old favorites have been developed in recent years.
• Minimize the use of annuals, and limit annuals to those requiring little water and no deadheading.  Plan for a succession of bloom in your perennials and shrubs to supplement the color show.
  
• Arrange your plants in a less formal, more naturalistic layout.  Use drifts of plants rather than aiming for perfect symmetry.
  
• Phase in increased use of low-growing plants as groundcovers and deemphasize use of purchased mulch.  (But continue the practice of mulching, which is a very eco-friendly activity.  It decreases weeds, preserves water, discourages soil-borne diseases, cools roots, and looks great.) 
  
• Include a variety of plant families, to avoid the pitfalls of a monoculture, such as susceptibility of the plants to the same pests and diseases. 
  
• Incorporate organic matter into the soil, and eliminate or minimize use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
  
• Have some fun and try something different.
  

I will feature some of the new plants we have chosen in future blog posts.  Please give us your feedback here in the comments.