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Backyard cuttings
By Times staff, wires
Published August 4, 2007
A rose for remembrance Its deep-orange to coral-orange blossoms measure as much as 5 inches across, and it has a light, spicy fragrance. This is the Lady Bird hybrid tea rose, named last fall by Jackson & Perkins in honor of Lady Bird Johnson, the former first lady who died July 11. Ten percent of the rose's net sales is donated to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. On the Web: www.jacksonand perkins.com. New dressing for bedraggled boxes What to plant in late-summer window boxes? Country Living magazine offers these suggestions in its August issue. For the sunny side of the street, lantanas, marguerite daisies, purslane, petunias and periwinkle-vinca. In the shade, choose coleus, caladium, begonias, ferns, impatiens. Humorous guide to plant health Can My Petunia Be Saved? by Tamson Yeh (Cool Springs Press, $19.99) is a lighthearted look at the conditions that affect plant health. The author, a horticulturist, is serious about providing good information to stave off disease and damage and diagnose and treat problems. But you have to love an author who starts a discussion of Volutella - a fungus that causes pachysandra blight - by saying, "I swear I should have been named this." A little help for your herbs No space outside for an herb garden? Or poor light? Specialty suppliers offer large assortments of lighting fixtures and a wide choice of light sources. They include Inside Sun, www.insidesun.com or (317) 345-1369, and ACF Greenhouses, www.littlegreenhouse.com or toll-free 1-888-888-9050. More design-conscious models are at www.orchidlight.com, toll-free 1-800-261-3101. Herbs also need good ventilation to fend off fungus, and those grown indoors seldom look or taste as good as those grown outdoors. A different green for your garden Gas-powered yard equipment is responsible for 5 percent of the nation's air pollution in the summer, the National Wildlife Federation reports. Battle global warming in the garden with these tips: - Use a cordless electric or push mower on small lawns. - In shady or sloped areas, plant native, low-growing plants that need no mowing. - Shrink your lawn by creating a rock garden, a native wildflower meadow, or islands of native plants, or planting ground cover instead of grass. Find more tips for reducing global warming in your garden at www.nwf.org/gardenersguide. Compiled by Homes and Garden editor Judy Stark from staff and wire reports
[Last modified August 2, 2007, 15:58:58]
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