How Do Flowers Get Their Smell?

After a recent inquiry on our Facebook Fan Page about the stinky smell of certain flowers we decided this would be a fun and interesting blog post. Have you ever wondered why some flowers smell so appealing while others make you squish your nose and yes maybe even gag? Spring is here so flowers are in full the swing of things and here is why!

A flower's fragrance is all about reproduction. The fragrance attracts insects and animals, and it tempts them to enter the bloom. When the insect or animal ventures into the bloom, some of that flower's pollen rubs off. When the insect or animal goes into another bloom of the same species, it leaves behind the pollen of the previous flower. The pollen fertilizes the new flower's eggs.

Once the flower is fertilized or pollinated, that flower's fragrance decreases. This allows flowers that have yet to be pollinated to be more attractive to pollinators. The fertilized flower's petals fade and are replaced by the ripening seed pod.

For the pollinators, the flower's fragrance signals food or mimics the pheromones of female insects. By attracting pollinators, the flower's fragrance can increase the pollinators' breeding and foraging efficiency. Some flowers only have scent during the day, but others release their fragrances exclusively at night. Flowers that attract bees, birds and butterflies have a sweet scent while flowers pollinated by beetles and moths have a muskier or fruity odor.(Yum)

So there you have it. Just like people are attracted to different scents for different reasons, so how insects and birds! We thought this was a great question and with everything in bloom it just made since to do a post about it.

Happy Earth Day!!!!

Holden wanted me to remind everyone to take care of our planet, for his sake. He wants to be able to enjoy it for many years to come! It only takes a few minutes to recycle, so start there. We try our very best every day to lower our fuel intake, recycle materials when possible and use recycled or organic products. Start small but remember every effort helps. Like Holden said "Be Green, save our Planet!" Happy Earth Day everyone!

More, More, More!

It is time to turn on your irrigation, sit on the porch and enjoy all the benefits spring and summer have to offer. But then you get your water bill and suddenly summer isn't everything you thought it was. So you cut down on your watering but that makes your grass brown and dormant. Is your grass spoiled? Does it take the water and just keeping asking for more? Kids who are spoiled keep asking for more stuff. And grass that is spoiled by over-watering will also ask for more water.(upping your water bill and lowering your patience) Just like doctors tell you not to spoil your child with overindulgence, a turf scientist will tell you not to spoil your lawn by over watering it in the spring. Since, it is about that time we have compiled, with the help of Colorado State University and the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado, a few things to think about before you turn on your irrigation systems.

Turf scientists at Colorado State University will tell you that grass only grows its feeder roots in the spring. Later on, it will grow more grass blades and in the fall, it will store nutrients for the winter. Which is why we should all winterize our grass with a good fertilizer. Spring is the only time at which it grows roots. Now is when we either make or break our grass. Proper watering habits will train it to grow deep and resilient roots that will be its staying power in the heat of July. Staying power equals less water, which can save you money!

When watered frequently, all those new spring roots will stay in the top inch or so of the soil. Because you aren't giving the water enough time to penetrate the soil, so the water just sits on the top and stays. But if that top area is allowed to dry out while the roots are in growing mode, the roots will grow deeper in search of moisture. That is ideal because deep roots that seek out moisture help to build a healthy and water-wise lawn. Longer less frequent watering is the key. In other words, Don't water everyday for 5 minutes

When the heat of July arrives, you won't need to water the lawn excessively because the roots have grown deep. You will have trained your grass well and saved your wallet some stress too. What could be better then having a gorgeous water-wise lawn and money in your pocket for doing it? You will be saving money, water and your hair.(stress, get it??)

Curb Appeal

First Impressions are usually the last thing people remember when they see your home. Boosting curb appeal doesn't require industrial cranes or a million dollar budget. The cost is actually appealing to some, a few Saturday afternoons.

The first thing you should do is look at your house as a guest would. But yourself into their shoes, cross the street (maybe have your camera in hand) and with a critical eye look. Can you see the front door? Do you have trees or shrubs dwarfing the house, or making it look cluttered? Are your light fixtures outdated? Does it look like the caretaker took a vacation and forgot to come back to weed the flower beds?

Think about what works and doesn't work. Really look, you may have like your landscaping when I was first installed

1. General Maintenance is the number 1 way to improve curb appeal. Mow and edge about once every two weeks. Spread a layer of mulch over your garden beds in the fall or spring to keep weeds down. Weed anything that pops up in the beds or grass areas. Prune shrubs about once a year if needed. Prune flowering ones AFTER they bloom and evergreens in the spring after new growth appears.
2. Caution Wet Paint. One of the best things you could do for curb appeal is a fresh coat of paint. Now while we personally can't help you with this, we certainly recommend it. You can either hire it out or do it yourself in about 3 weekends. Hey while your at it consider freshening up your steps, front door, arbors or any other painted surface!
3. Can you see the front door from the street? The front entrance should be the first thing a person sees when they pull up to your house. If you can't see the front entrance, trim back trees or bushes so you can. Make sure the entrance is clean and free of spider webs. Pay attention to the door and steps. Red seems to be an eye catching color for the front door. (Remember that weekend painting project?) Try some seasonal color with a few containers of annual flowers. Red roses planted at the base of your steps or hanging baskets will also help to draw the eye to the entrance.
4. Don't dwarf a small cottage. A good sense of scale brings harmony to the front of the house. Don't dwarf a house with huge trees and shrubs just like you don't want to make a huge house look tiny with a miniature tree. Examine the scale of your house and how it is working for/against your home. Remove things that are too large for the space or are too close to our home. Also, make sure that you consider scale when you are adding anything new to your landscape. For example, select plants that wont eventual block the doors or windows. Your landscape will look better if you start out with less in the beginning and allow it to fill in before adding anything new.
5. Get rid of the shag carpeted steps and lava lamp. Updating a few key elements will go a long way. While your amber-colored light fixture MIGHT come back into style eventually, it's not "hip" right now. Find a fixture that complements the house. Thin, wrought iron railings also scream 1970. Try painting them or even replacing them with wood railings. Things that you wouldn't think date a house can, junipers anyone? Some of these plants just need a good pruning, but as for those junipers, get rid of them! Really, your house will thank you for it later.
6. Add some hardscapes. Hardscapes such as paths, porches and arbors add value and appeal to your home. If you have a bigger budget think about adding more hardscapes and revamping the existing. Maybe add an arbor over your paver patio, or a paver patio under your arbor. Arbors look especially nice across a gate or entryway with roses or vines growing up and around it. Paths are also easy to add. Consider building one that leads up to the front door from the street if you don't have one already.
7. Add some color. Shrub and flower beds add color to your front yard while being easier to maintain (less expensive too) if you choose drought tolerant plants, than turf grass. Place beds where you want to draw attention, such as along the front of the house. Add a good mix of deciduous and evergreen plants, for different interests at different times of the year. Make sure you have something blooming at all times.
8. Illuminate your yard with lights. Show off all your new and updated landscape with some accent lighting. Improving lighting can be as simples as cleaning existing fixtures or upgrading to illuminate a few key points of the yard. This not only provides you with a few extra hours to enjoy your newly upgraded yard but can also be used for added security. Using a timer and low-wattage lights will allow you to save on your electric bill also.
   
9. Trees shade the house in the summer and add lots of curb appeal. Select a small, slow growing trees that will top out around 25 feet such as Spring Snow Crabapple or an Ornamental Pear Tree. Avoid anything that will drop a lot of litter this can leave a mess for you to clean up and will cancel out any curb appeal.
10. Don't forget the finishing touches. Add flower baskets, decorative house numbers, and/or ornamental lamps. Statues, benches or shutters to your windows are also good ideas. Just don't over do it. Too many items can actually hurt your curb appeal.

Get Longer life from Outdoor Furniture

From big outdoor parties to a low key family dinner you want to be able to enjoy your patio furniture all summer and then some. Right? Make sure you follow these simple steps to get a longer life from your furniture.

• Darker colors will fade more in the sun. So either purchase a lighter color or keep the dark furniture in the shade.
• To clean cushions and seat areas use a soft brush, mild soap and warm water. And NEVER bleach.
• To shield your patio table from leaves, dust and falling debris, affix a decorate umbrella. But make sure that you remove the umbrella during a severe storm so save the umbrella and your neighbors fence. You could always build a covered patio or pergola to help protect your seating area and provide shade. (hint, hint!)
  
• During inclement weather, store furniture in a covered area to prevent wood and fabric from molding and metal from rusting. If you must leave it outside, cover your tarp or other water proof material. This means storing or covering during our harsh winters.
• Seal teak furniture with teak oil and other wood furniture with a polyurethane based wax.
  

First time Gardener?

So these days everyone is all about saving money, right? So why not save yourself some money, with a little extra time spent outdoors and plant a vegetable garden!? It is spring officially so let the gardening begin. We have complied some steps to help you create a great garden.

1-Don't be intimidated if you have never planted a garden and start out simple with one or two plants. This will also allow you to feel like you are doing less work and help you to continue to enjoy your garden.

2-Make sure when you are choosing your location it is one in full sun. Six hours or more a day is ideal for a garden to grow to its full potential. If you don't have this much sunlight you may reconsider your chosen spot.

3- Do you have dogs? You might want to consider a fence. Any wildlife that frequents your backyard may want to stop and get a snack, or use the facilities, which can do damage to your precious crops. Consider a small decorative fence or if you are on a budget think about chicken wire. It is inexpensive and also comes in a variety of sizes.

4-Pay attention to the gardens fertilizer and watering needs. This will make or break you. Make sure you have some way of measuring the water amount the garden will be getting. You can use an old coffee can to measure the rain and/or your sprinkling system is giving the garden.

5- Grow vegetables that you LIKE. This is very important when choosing what to plant. You will be more apt to spend time in the garden if you are looking forward to what you will be eating.

6- Amend your soil! Colorado soil is not as garden friendly as soil in other states. It is high in pH and it is either too compact or not compact enough. The result in either case is that many garden plants may not be healthy and the nutrients needed for growth are bound up in the soil.

7- Make it pretty. Add signs with the plants names and varieties on them. Find, or make, decor to put in your garden. Maybe that turtle or rock sculpture you have been eying at your local garden center. Either way this goes back to helping you to enjoy working and spending time in your garden. So go ahead and make it pretty, yes men you too!

So Get out there and get dirty!If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment, we are more than happy to help. You can leave a comment, call or send us an email, whatever works best for you.

(Some of these tips were adapted from Lee Reich writer for The Coloradoan Newspaper. )

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