At Garden View Landscape Maintenance we trim large shrubs that bloom from the end of their new growth this month. We cut back Oleander (left) very far so that it does not need trimming again for most of the year. (When you trim Oleander you cut off all the flowers). For the same reason we usually trim mature Bougainvilleas (right) very hard late in the month (after chance of frost has past). Our customers are sometimes shocked at the temporarily sparse looking plant but the prolonged bloom is worth it.

If you have not trimmed your Salvias (left) yet it is a good time to do it.

Prune old flower heads off Hydrangeas (right). Remove the upper third of each stem, but not any lower for the largest blooms this spring. The best blooms come from growth from last years healthy stems. To get the largest blooms reduce the number of flower stems. Otherwise you will get many blooms of smaller size.

Prune Tagetes lucida - Mexican Marigold (left) this time of month. Generally we cut in half.

Pittosporum tobira (right) takes well to trimming this month as well. This is a good plant to trim inside out and let a little light inside.


Artemisia 'Powis Castle' (left) should be pruned now.

Cut back Coreopsis (right)





Cut back Fuchsia (left)



Also cut back Verbina - groundcover (right)

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The recent storms in our area caused unprecedented damage to our structures, utilities, and landscapes. Assessing why certain trees were damaged while others survived is a worthwhile endeavor; not only to protect the aesthetics of the trees, but also the property around them.

Numerous studies indicate proper tree maintenance is crucial to reducing damage during very high winds. But although we love our trees, most of us are experiencing budgeting issues and tree pruning or investing in quality tree pruning is often not at the top of our priority list.

Here are some issues that can make your trees susceptible to wind damage and how to prevent it. Some are common sense and other more technical. Damage may be caused by one or a combination of factors (not all listed here).

-Wrong tree in the wrong place
For most of us it is too late. We have large trees planted long ago in a small space, or a heavy rooting tree next to concrete, etc. Certain trees are more susceptible to wind damage. How we deal with maintaining the "wrong tree" is important and all the following issues become more critical.

-Top heavy trees
Common sense tells us that this is strictly leverage. Trees with a lower center of gravity are less likely to break than those with a higher center of gravity. Reducing the length of certain branches helps create a lower center of gravity on those branches and might help contribute to their survival in windstorms. Reducing the entire crown size should also reduce damage potential.

Balance, structure, and trunk taper contribute to helping healthy trees be resilient to winds. To maintain resilient trunks, at least one-half of the foliage should be in the lower two-thirds of the tree. The lowest limb should originate in the bottom one-third of the tree's height.

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We are so excited about our two new varieties of flowering trees for spring!

"Okame" is one of the most striking and desired flowering cherries. It's an upright branching, oval shaped tree. Its foliage is a finely textured attractive dark green, changing to shades of yellow-orange to orange-red in the fall. When in bloom, it is covered with a profuse display of red flowers. It blooms early and long, and does well in mild winters but is still cold hardy.

"Snow Fountain" is a beautiful weeping cherry. In spring, gracefully cascading branches are covered with single white flowers giving the appearance of a fountain of snow. Lush green summer foliage turns to lovely hues of orange and gold in autumn. The tree only grows 6-12 ft.

This spring Garden View Nursery will also have the popular Cooke's Purple Wisteria in 5 and 15 gallon containers.