With the spring season almost upon us, our minds turn to nature and our landscapes. As we're outside more, we want our landscaping to be as welcoming as the insides of our homes. But where do you turn when you have questions about your plants, trees, shrubs, or turf? There are many great resources available that provide tips, seminars, and classes for our area. Below, I've listed a few:
- Ever visited your town website? Often your city will have committees dedicated to helping you beautify your surroundings. For example, the town of Matthews is holding a workshop called, "A Homeowner's Guide to Successful Tree Care" on March 29th and April 2nd, 2011. It is sponsored by the Town of Matthews Appearance & Tree Advisory Committee. For more information, check out the town website at: http://www.matthewsnc.com/ . Similarly, the town of Mooresville is currently running a Street Side Garden Contest. You can get information about how to enter this contest on their website: http://www.ci.mooresville.nc.us/portal/node/626 . Access your town's website to see what is available to you.
- The NC Cooperative Extension offers a Master Gardener Hotline. Volunteers are available to answer your gardening questions weekdays from 9am until 12 noon beginning March 1st at 704-336-4011. (CharMeck GetGoing Guide – Spring 2011 – www.parkandrec.com)
- The NC State University Cooperative Extension provides a wealth of information about a variety of topics, as well as offering workshops and seminars all over the state of North Carolina. For more information on events, access their website at: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/ and then click Events. You can also access the NC Cooperative Extension newsletter or sign up for tweets.
- Local College Resources: Many colleges and universities offer resources on their websites concerning landscaping issues. Colleges who offer horticulture degrees can be particularly helpful. In our area, UNCC has a botanical garden. UNCC Botanical Gardens website offers information on native plants and plant care. They also offer workshops. You can access their site at: http://gardens.uncc.edu/ for more information.
- Landscaping magazine websites often have e-mail lists to send tips, information, and ideas for your lawn and garden. One that comes to mind is the Better Homes and Gardens site. It has everything from a plant encyclopedia, to information on container gardening, to customizable garden plans. The Better Homes and Gardens website can be accessed at http://www.bhg.com/ . Then click on Gardening. If you have a favorite magazine, check their website. You may be surprised at the information available to you.
A Google search can bring up videos, articles, and information on just about any gardening topic you have an interest in. Just keep in mind that you want to make sure that the information is pertinent to your region and that it is from a reputable source. At AA Tex Lawn, we have tips on our website under the News and Resources tab or you can view our past blog articles for information on specific topics. AA Tex Lawn is slowly building our own database to make your landscaping efforts more successful. Visit our site at www.aatexlawn.com. Thanks!
The AA Tex Lawn Team
