Field is entering mulching season. If you’ve gone more than a couple years without supplementing your mulch/compost and need some help, please give us a call (612) 789-9381. Here are a couple notes from our lead gardener, Carolyn, about mulches.

 *******Studies have confirmed that mulch helps with water retention around your plantings. Soil temperatures are buffered with the application of mulch resulting in less ‘heaving’ in our freeze and thaw cycles here in Minnesota. Mulching the garden can inhibit weed germination or suppress weed growth. Mulch beds to stop overwintered fungus from spreading and to freshen the appearance of the garden Hardwood mulch: Generally speaking, these mulches enhance the appearance of your garden. They are usually easy to apply and are good insulators against hot and cold temperatures. Cedar, cypress, and pine bark mulches are the most popularo Cedar§ Pro – Doesn’t break down as easily§ Pro – Doesn’t wash away in heavy rains§ Pro – Looks nice§ Con – Doesn’t return nutrients to the soilo Cypress§ Most popular§ Pro – Good color retention§ Con – Wiping out natural wetlands in Florida where it is foundo Pine Bark§ Pro – A by-product of the forest industry§ Pro – Good color retention§ Pro – Doesn’t settle quickly§ Con – Can wash away in heavy rains Pine Straw Mulch· Pro – Good color retention· Pro – Lets water and oxygen move easily· Con – Possible loss of nutrients· Con – Settles quickly Partially Composted Leaves· Pro – Excellent insulator· Pro – Adds nutrients to soil when breaks down· Con – Leaves must be finely shredded to allow oxygen and water to move easily Straw and Hay· Pro – Excellent insulator· Pro – Lets water and oxygen move easily· Con – Hay has lots of weed seeds, straw does not Cocoa bean mulch· Pro – Nice brown color· Pro – Great frangrance· Con – Toxic to pets· Con – Expensive· Con – Can get moldy Sources: About.com and my [Carolyn's] brain

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As part of Earth Day, Field volunteered time to do some neighborhood clean-up. Unfortunately, our efforts were somewhat stymied because the park we were assigned to clean-up was nabbed by other garbage-pickers due to a large turn-out last weekend. So we sufficed with walking around the neighborhood cleaning up litter on the streets. We collected about 10 bags of garbage.Collecting garbage makes you ponder the “littering events.” Did it come from a tipped garbage can or someone casting a cup from a car? Somethings, like beer bottles and Taco Bell cups are easy to explain. But there were things hard to explain – a pile of fruit in the back alley, whole plastic bags of assorted litter, tens of clothes hangers. This might be an idea for an indie film.

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April is a great time in the garden because everyday is different, and you can’t fail to be blown away by how fast everything grows. Take note of the persistent seed heads, budding and flowering trees and the tiny burgeoning perennial shoots.I was slow to cut back my black-eyed susan this spring, and yesterday migrating goldfinches spent hours pecking away at the ripe seeds. Here’s a list of possible tasks in the garden for this unbelievable season:• Remove dead foliage and stems from perennials to the mulch taking care not to damage any new growth• Divide perennials when new growth is 3-4” high that bloom in mid-summer or later, such as asters, daylilies, and sedum• Pull out any weeds from your garden – pay special attention to “weed trees”• Add compost if planting into an existing garden• Mulch beds to stop overwintered fungus from spreading and to freshen the appearance of the garden• Remove tree wrap from deciduous trees and burlap from evergreens• Fertilize trees“In the Garden” task-lists are compiled by Field lead gardener, Carolyn Johnson

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Rick Darke is the keynote speaker at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts “Art In Bloom.” The event, which invites floral designers to pair their work in relation to art works at the museum, takes place from April 30th to May 3rd. Always try to get there early when the floral arrangements are freshest.Rick Darke is my absolute favorite garden personality. I have seen him speak twice and always leave inspired and engaged. Darke cuts through the noise of the debates around environmentalism, sustainability and the design of beautiful, natural spaces with candor and matter-of-factness.At one talk I asked him, since his designs often include lots of tall grasses, whether his clients express safety concerns about the grasses. He paused and said simply that he wouldn’t work with anyone who expressed that concern.  To clarify he said that we each need to put our foot down against the “fear-of-everything” thinking that is gripping our society, especially when the concerns don’t hold up to firm reason.If you haven’t read his books – go get one at the library or local bookstore. His “Ornamental Grasses for Livable Landscapes” and “The American Woodland Garden” are intelligent, multi-faceted feasts for both the eye and brain. The books feature his careful and studied photography, so they are great to leaf through. But, while most garden books are all pictures and little substance, his text his completely unexpected, personal and full of unique morsels of thought that could only come from a lively and incisive mind.Like his books, his presentations are always full of surprises. He has a speaking style that resists easy definitions and solutions, and builds slowly from unexpected starting points to uncommon conclusions.

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Well, its official: spring has arrived. We were able to get a crew out on Thursday and two crews out on Friday starting on garden clean-ups. Its exciting to start a new season. We have a GREAT group of employees and, as always, great clients who provide us the opportunity to beautify their landscapes and gardens.

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I thought the worst conifer burn I would see was when a client threw an old Christmas tree on her fire-pit last summer. But the amount of burn we are seeing on garden conifers this spring is rivaling that blaze. And it isn’t just yews, Alberta spruce and newly planted trees. We are seeing it on Scotch and Mugo pines and even on low growing junipers. One client has a beautiful arching stand of Juniper ‘Saybrook Gold’ that is probably 10 years old…. torched.What can you do to protect your prize conifers? Well… do you want the short answer or the long answer? The short answer is that wrapping with burlap works. We just pulled burlap off a ‘Golden’ Black Spruce (Picea mariana ‘Golden’) and it looked fresh as can be (last year it had a lot of burn due to reflection off the adjacent building).The long answer would question the importance of the winter landscape and what the conifer is accomplishing in the design of the space. Is it there for winter interest? Screening? Specimen or accent? How jarring is it to see a  tree mummy out your window? This is probably a personal judgment and depends on how the tree was wrapped.  One thing is for sure — the Minnesota climate is not very friendly to conifers.

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We are currently scheduling spring garden clean-ups. If you would like us to come out and cut down last year’s perennials, lift out mucky old leaves, remove winter protection or get a water-feature started, please give us a call. If the weather holds out we’ll be out getting to work soon.Call us at (612) 789-9381 to schedule.

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Do you ever wonder what happens to all those recycled plastic Evian and Coke bottles? How about using them to create products for your backyard? Each year there are more and more offerings for recycled products and many are even made locally. One product on our radar is the Vast Paver. This paver is made from 95% recycled products and the company is based in Minnesota.Another cool product is the furniture from Loll Designs: “Outdoor Furniture for the Modern Lollygagger.” Based in Duluth, Loll’s chairs, loungers, rockers and tables are all made from recycled plastic and manufactured here in Minnesota!

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If you are looking for a transplendent garden excursion any time of year, take a trip out to Noerenberg Gardens on Lake Minnetonka. In this crown jewel of the Three Rivers Park System, head gardener Arla Carmichiel has put together what we think is the best public mixed perennial garden in Minnesota. The late summer garden is especially rewarding – every time I visit, I notice new combinations.

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The MNLA awarded Field a Grand Honor Award in the category of Commercial Management at the 2008 MNLA Awards Night in February. The MNLA website displays the awards and a handful of pictures. The award was given for the work we’ve done over the past four years at the corporation Beckman Coulter. Beckman was our first client and tipped the scales on whether we were going to start a company, so the award is especially meaningful.We need to thank the management at Beckman for the incredible value they put on the everyday work experience of their employees. The multi-building site has a memorial rose garden where employees stroll during lunch time and take calls under rose bedecked arbors, a dramatic waterfall outside a main entrance, and perennial gardens surrounding every building that we fill with seasonal color. It is not only a great place for Beckman employees, it is also one of our favorite places to work, because of the wonderful flowers and wildlife (butterflies, sphinx moths, snakes, hummingbirds) the gardens entice.

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