Here’s the best landscaping tip of the year

▪ As promised, the biggest landscape tip of the year: Use more flowering shrubs with interesting leaf colors. Not only are flowering shrubs low care, but they add lots of color and texture to the landscape and garden. Try abelia, sprirea, loropetalum, roses and shrubs with interest. Want more information? Give me a call.

▪ Spring is here, and this year I want you to have the garden you have always dreamed of! It’s easy if you know how. During the next few weeks, I’ll give you ideas, designs and plants that really work in Middle Georgia.

▪ Wait one more week to buy summer annuals.

▪ Try Grancy Graybeard, aka chionanthus vagrancies. This is a native Southeastern small tree/large shrub. It has fragrant, white fringe flowers, and is blooming now in gardens and landscapes. It can be somewhat difficult to find, so if you see it, buy it. Plant in full sun to part shade. I love it!

▪ Now is the time to control imported fire ants. Use the “bait type” products, which foraging ants will feed to the queen, resulting in permanent elimination of the treated mound.

▪ Try growing morning glories again. Soak the seed overnight before planting. These annual vines like morning sun and afternoon shade.

▪ This year, try planting annuals such as zinnia and cleome among the perennials.

▪ As flowers fade on azaleas, pruning can begin. These shrubs must be pruned limb by limb. Do not shear them with the hedge trimmer.

▪ Before planting a bed or a garden, you must first design it. Borrow ideas from books and magazines, or hire a professional landscaper designer.

This story was originally published March 28, 2017 at 6:57 AM with the headline "Here’s the best landscaping tip of the year."