May 2007 – The Whispering Crane Institute

His Koi are Missing

From the 1st line of the story: A Tracy man came home from vacation to discover 150 to 200 small koi fish vanished from a backyard pond. By James Utt. 150-200 . . . 150-200! how can anyone think it’s a good idea to keep that many fish in something so small? What is he… Continue reading His Koi are Missing

Memorial Day . . .

[Section 13 in Arlington National Cemetery.]

Vote for the Worst of the Worst-Shrub.

Okay, here is the list to this date. I only took nominees from the comments, I did not take any from e-mail. I figure if you are going to bash a shrub-bash it in public. There are 10 shrubs listed some by botanical, some by common, and a couple listed by-the whole entire species e.g.… Continue reading Vote for the Worst of the Worst-Shrub.

Tree Houses . . . that are Super

For the cool price of $250,000 you can have this little beauty built for you in your own backyard. though for that much money you may want to put it in your front yard. Heck . . . it may be the house in the yard. The photo comes from a story in Business Week,… Continue reading Tree Houses . . . that are Super

Housekeeping Note

There is now so much spam being caught by th Akismet filter, that I will no longer be going through there to look for comments that were snagged by the filter. If you don’t see your comment by the next day . . . it’s been swallowed, and gone into the deep, dark bowels of… Continue reading Housekeeping Note

Shrubs We do Not Like (2)

It appears by lack of response that unlikable trees are more interesting to discuss. So Based on the few entries, I would guess it is time to move on. In the next week or so we will move on to trees and shrubs we do like to have, and use in the landscape. We Designers… Continue reading Shrubs We do Not Like (2)

Shrubs We do Not Like:

Berms and boulders as part of the Landscape

Based on the hugely popular “Trees we do not like“, and “Vote for the Worst of the Worst-Trees” it is now time to bring you . . . [Now that’s a “Shrubbery“, or see below] Shrubs we do Not Like: I have written about a few of these culprits in the past week or so,… Continue reading Shrubs We do Not Like:

Wormsloe Plantation, Savannah Georgia

A brief interlude from bad , bad, terrible shrubs, to something of greatness, and a beauty that I am incapable of describing: [The larger image will blow you away, by steverob50] This is my favorite tree all-time, hands down regardless of situation, and this may be one of the most stunning photograph of Quercus virginia,… Continue reading Wormsloe Plantation, Savannah Georgia

Juniperus chinensis ‘Hetzii’

Welcome back to another one from ‘murderer’s row‘ as we count down to Shrubs We do Not Like. We are talking about Juniper c. ‘Hetzii’, or as I learned the common name Hetzi Juniper. This Juniper is a shrub I can promise you I will never plant-ever, no matter what. Form, shape, size, habit, needles,… Continue reading Juniperus chinensis ‘Hetzii’