Double features: multi-tasking plants offer beauty plus privacy, protection, or plain old peace and quiet.Shakespeare may have said that a rose is still if called by another name, but he may have missed the mark entirely when it comes to understanding dual-purpose plants. A rose, like so many other plants, may in fact be chosen and grown because it serves more than one function in the landscape. In this fast-changing world where development frequently encroaches upon nature, gardeners are looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. purposeful plants that offer benefits beyond beauty. A dual-purpose plant is one that can offer practical solutions for privacy, noise control, or security. After Hurricane Katrina  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. , another plant purpose--resiliency or strength--has
been brought to the forefront as gardeners enter an unprecedented season
of replanting along the coast.
Homeowners looking for ways to hide the neighbor's unsightly shed or hoping to add privacy to their property may wish to consider natural options before resorting to fencing. "Besides wanting annual color and seasonal plants, I would say that the number one request is for screening plants," says Cory Castle, manager of The Garden Center in Oxford. Leyland cypress Leyland cypress see cupressocyparis leylandii. remains a popular choice for this purpose for several reasons. "Leyland cypress is used as a natural screen or windbreak windbreak a physical obstruction to the passage of the wind, usually in the form of a line or copse of tall bushes or low trees or a porous fence. Of very great importance in temperate climates and periods of cold, wet, windy weather. because it grows extremely fast and is evergreen," Castle says. It can grow as much as 15 feet in five years and has an attractive shape, he adds. "Irish Mint" is a new Leyland cypress variety that offers a light green color and a stronger-than-standard root system while still providing the dense growth perfect for hedges. In the wake of Katrina, Mississippians have learned lessons that will help with future garden choices. Doug De Luca of De Luca's Landscape and Irrigation irrigation, in agriculture, artificial watering of the land. Although used chiefly in regions with annual rainfall of less than 20 in. (51 cm), it is also used in wetter areas to grow certain crops, e.g., rice. in Ocean Springs shares interesting observations about which plants withstood the storm and which ones, surprisingly, did not. "If you live along the coast and are trying to replant re·plant v. To reattach an organ, limb, or other body part surgically to the original site. n. An organ, limb, or body part that has been replanted. , we've found that the Leyland cypresses, nandinas, viburnums, and ligustrums weathered remarkably well," De Luca says. The area's popular azaleas, gardenias, and ornamental grasses couldn't withstand the effects of the storm, he notes, though many camellias did hold up. Another good choice for screening is elaeagnus, which has leathery leath·er·y adj. Having the texture or appearance of leather: a leathery face. leath  er·i·ness n. ,
silver leaves and is well-suited for tough growing conditions such as in
highway medians. Some have even called it "the plant to hide a
school bus," laughs Castle, who recommends the "Ebbingei"
variety.
Tough but potentially unruly to the point that it has earned the nickname "Ugly-Agnes," elaeagnus is a fast grower that produces white, fragrant blooms in the fall and even bears fruit. "I've heard older people say that you can make jam from the berries, although I've never personally tried it," says Castle. Elaeagnus may actually be a triple-purpose plant, because De Luca notes that it also serves to refract refract /re·fract/ (re-frakt´) 1. to cause to deviate. 2. to ascertain errors of ocular refraction. re·fract v. 1. or block loud noises. "If these shrubs are allowed to grow as they are naturally intended, the natural heavy umbrella shape makes a great sound barrier." If it's a smaller screen you seek, look to the loropetalum, which Castle recommends for hiding shorter eyesores such as garbage can areas. With its deep maroon color and hot pink flowers, this shrub provides good coverage and a shot of color not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color in the landscape. The variety called "Zhuzhou" is one of the most popular with Mississippians. Hollies also make wonderful screens and are a favorite selection of Mississippi State University Mississippi State University, at Mississippi State, near Starkville; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1878 as an agricultural and mechanical college, opened 1880. From 1932 to 1958 it was known as Mississippi State College. horticulturist and author Norman Winter, who notes that they offer both privacy and security. The sharp, prickly leaves remain unchanged through the year and are unaffected by cold snaps. For red holly hybrids, Winter recommends "Cardinal," "Festive," and "Robin." Castle steers his customers towards "Compacta" holly when trying to screen lower areas, as it reaches a height of up to four feet. If security is more of a concern than privacy, gardeners only need to remember two words when choosing plants to help keep homes safe: prickly and thorny. Potentially painful shrubs provide both visual and physical deterrents to intruders when set under a house's ground-floor windows or around the perimeter of a backyard. The police force in Essex, England, recently encouraged homeowners to plant such natural barriers in an operation code-named "Burglaris Disembowelis." "One of our best lower-growing shrubs is 'Carissa' holly," says Castle. But even "Carissa" isn't as thorny as "Needlepoint needlepoint: see lace. needlepoint Type of embroidery in which the stitches are counted and worked with a needle over the threads, or mesh, of a canvas foundation. It was known as canvas work until the early 19th century. " holly, which, when used as a foundation planting, would dissuade even the most determined intruder. As an added bonus, the holly is known for its strength, De Luca says. "Almost every member of the holly family did well after the storm, including the Bufford hollies and the 'Needlepoint,'" he says. "I would strongly recommend planting those along the coast." De Luca's experience has also shown him that shrubs with shiny or glossy leaves such as cleyera or ligustrum Noun 1. Ligustrum - genus of Old World shrubs: privet genus Ligustrum dicot genus, magnoliopsid genus - genus of flowering plants having two cotyledons (embryonic leaves) in the seed which usually appear at germination block unwanted light. "This is just a theory, but if you're living on a street corner where headlights are always shining through the night, these heavy, glossy leaves seem to refract light, making them good choices for minimizing light intrusion." For sheer height, tulip tulip [Pers.,=turban], any plant of the large genus Tulipa, hardy, bulbous-rooted members of the family Liliaceae (lily family), indigenous to north temperate regions of the Old World from the Mediterranean to Japan and growing most abundantly on the steppes poplars and pines are fast-growing, but growers note that tulip poplars tend to be short-lived. The Eastern red cedar, native to Mississippi, provides dense, evergreen coverage. De Luca, who has been overwhelmingly busy helping homeowners repair their landscapes after Katrina, says Mississippians now have a new chance to plant trees that have been typically overlooked. "Willows have been underused for a long time, and they have multiple benefits. They prevent soil erosion but also create beautiful lines between properties." Whether it's a graceful group of willows or a dense mixture of evergreen and deciduous plants, keep in mind when planting a hedge or screen that clumping shrubs together and mixing varieties will result in a more natural landscape than will simply lining up multiple plants of one specimen in a row. Not only does this design add more interest to the garden, it also makes future gaps--when one specimen dies--less noticeable. Coastal residents looking to add privacy or hedging should also consider oleander oleander: see dogbane. oleander Any of the ornamental evergreen shrubs of the genus Nerium (dogbane family), which have poisonous milky juice. Numerous varieties of flower colour in the common oleander, or rosebay (N. , Indian hawthorn, and pittosporum pittosporum Any of various evergreen shrubs or trees, mainly from Australia and New Zealand, that make up the genus Pittosporum (family Pittosporaceae), commonly known as Australian laurel. They are planted especially as ornamentals in warm regions. , says De Luca. For something a little showier, homeowners all over the state may want to plant the popular "Knock Out" roses in mass. Both De Luca and Castle also say they believe jasmine, a good erosion-control ground cover, has been unfortunately underused. "Any of the asiatic jasmines are a good choice," says De Luca. As cities expand and homeowners search for green options to beautify their landscape, Shelly Johnstone, deputy director of planning for the city of Hernando and official urban forester, recommends that gardeners take note of certain design issues before planting. "When choosing screening trees, be aware of those trees that 'self-prune' as they grow, losing their lower limbs and thus losing the desired density or screening effect. A pine is a good example of this kind of tree, whereas a tree such as a Leyland cypress doesn't have this growing habit and continues to screen well." Johnstone also recommends taking note of the whole environment, including power lines. "When planting large trees for shade or better air quality, consider how tall and wide they will become, and give them room to grow. Avoid planting them near power lines, where they might likely be trimmed back in an unnatural way." Johnstone also recommends that if a homeowner wants to maximize solar energy during colder months, choosing a deciduous tree that loses its leaves and lets in more sunlight is better than an evergreen. As the Mississippi landscape moves into another season and as coastal residents ponder new possibilities, dual-purpose plants bring a whole new perspective to the garden by adding function and strength that will complement their beauty for generations to come. take trees Favorite Split Personality Plants FAST-GROWING SCREENS: * Leyland cypress * Ligustrum * Pittosporum STORM HEROES: * Camellia camellia (kəmēl`yə) [for G. J. Kamel, a Moravian Jesuit missionary], any plant of the genus Camellia in the tea family, evergreen shrubs or small trees native to Asia but now cultivated extensively in warm climates and in * Holly * Viburnum viburnum: see honeysuckle. viburnum Any of about 200 shrubs and small trees that make up the genus Viburnum in the honeysuckle family, native to temperate and subtropical Eurasia and North America. COLORFUL PRIVACY SCREENS: * "Knock out" rose * Loropetalum * Nandina Nandina domestica (Heavenly bamboo or Sacred bamboo), is a suckering shrub in the Barberry family, Berberidaceae; it is a monotypic genus, with this species as its only member. It is native to eastern Asia from the Himalaya east to Japan. EROSION CONTROLLERS: * Jasmine * Shrub dogwood dogwood or cornel (kôr`nəl), shrub or tree of the genus Cornus, chiefly of north temperate and tropical mountain regions, characteristically having an inconspicuous flower surrounded by large, showy bracts which * Willow TALL SCREENS: * Eastern red cedar * Magnolia * Tulip poplar SECURITY STARS: * Climbing or shrub rose * Mahonia ma·ho·ni·a n. The Oregon grape. [New Latin Mahonia, genus name, after Bernard McMahon (c. 1775-1816), Irish-born American botanist.] Noun 1. * Pyracantha pyracantha (pĭr'əkăn`thə) or firethorn, any hardwood evergreen shrub of the genus Pyracantha of the family Rosaceae (rose family). For more information about choosing trees in an urban setting, visit www.mfc.state.ms.us. |
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