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Holly Shimizu's Blog
Explore the blog for gardening tips, information about seasonal considerations, native plants, design recommendations, benefits of gardening, helpful books and tools, and much more! Browse articles below, click on the categories to explore by topic, or use the search button to find what you are looking for.
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Tree Canopy in Maryland
Taking care of existing large canopy trees has gained great momentum throughout Montgomery County. Tree Canopy is any area covered by...
The Mighty Oak
"From little acorns grow mighty oaks" Proverb, Geoffrey Chaucer, 1374 The mighty oak has been revered for centuries and is considered...
Bird Plants
Since 1970, 2.9 billion birds have been lost, according to Cornell University. This staggering decline is primarily due to pesticides,...
Plants for Your Edible Landscape
Incorporating certain edible plants into your garden is an easy way to enjoy the benefits of their beauty, harvestability, and health...
Have Fun Creating Container Beauties
A container filled with blooming plants will bring you great joy throughout the summer. The plants you select should be tailored to the...
Some Favorite Trees
Trees that have a long-life span, like oaks, tend to grow more slowly than short-lived trees such as cherries. Please don’t plant a crepe...
Summer Gardening Checklist
Even though summers tend to be hot and muggy, it’s important to find time to work in your garden. Your effort will help keep up with...
Native Perennial Grasses for the Garden
For many years ornamental grasses from Asia and other countries became popular in American gardens. However, once people realized how...
Organic Lawn Care
September is the best time to work on the lawn. In fact, Fall is a better time than in Spring. As the days get shorter and the...
Great Native Perennials
Why am I so devoted to the choice of native plants? Native plants exemplify our distinctive geographical place. Thus, planting them in...
Suggestions for Climbing Plants
Vines fulfill specific needs and provide surprising beauty by growing vertically. They will grow up on fences, trellises, along walls or...
Great Native Trees
Some Great Native Trees for Washington DC Area Gardens Given that most of us have small gardens, I have selected several native trees for...
Native Ferns for Glen Echo Gardens
Native ferns are phenomenal plants for our Glen Echo gardens. Imagine the beauty of a fern glade, a place where the delicate textures,...
Growing Epiphytes – amazing plants
What is an epiphyte? Â The definition of epiphyte is one plant living on another plant that is not parasitic. The Spanish moss hanging...
Highlights in the Winter Garden
A bright feature for a winter garden is the southern magnolia tree (Magnolia grandiflora) which has large shiny leaves and a sturdy...
Roberto Burle Marx and the Wilson Botanical Garden
One of the Gardens I am involved with is the Wilson Botanical Garden, part of the Las Cruces Biological Station, Organization for...
Plant Milkweeds for the Monarchs
Monarch butterflies need our help! These amazing butterflies make an epic multigenerational migration, traveling over 3,000 miles from...
Elegant Shade Plants
Gardening in the shade provides a huge opportunity to create stunning spaces with plants arranged for contrasting texture, foliage,...
A Sampling of Herbal Native Plants
Herbal native plants are easy to appreciate for their beauty and environmental benefits but their value to humans and animals is far...
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