We all have the desire to create a beautiful curb appeal to our homes and are willing to purchase and place certain plant products in our yards and flower beds in order to satisfy our objective.  However, some of you green thumbs out there unknowingly place certain plant species in your yards that potentially could cause harm to your pet.  

A toxicant can be described as a substance that when introduced or applied to the body, it can by its inherent chemical properties, interfere with cellular function.  When an animal encounters any toxic substance, there are general physiological consequences that may result in response to ingestion.  Some of these consequences on a histological scale include the manipulation and alteration of cell membrane integrity.  The cell membrane is composed of a lipid bilayer with various ion channels that tightly regulate specific concentrations of certain materials within the cell, allowing some substances in- while keeping others out.  It is critical to keep this membrane intact; otherwise, there can be devastating physiological consequences.  When an animal ingests toxic material, there may be disruptions in this membrane that will inevitably lead to interference with receptor function as well as fluid and electrolyte movements.  Along with alterations in membrane integrity, cellular adipocytes – or fat cells, may accumulate within the cell which can push certain cellular organelles into the cell periphery and impede cellular function.  Your pet may have altered energy metabolism along with delayed or inactive protein synthesis.  Microscopically, alterations in cell growth patterns including neoplasia – or an abnormal mass of tissue may occur.  With these modifications to the variety of cells in the animal’s body, cell death will begin to occur whether it is uncontrolled cellular necrosis, or pre-programmed cellular apoptosis. 

Physically, you may see numerous abnormalities in your pet as a result of what is going on from the physiological standpoint. Signs of toxicosis may include, but are not limited to vomiting, diarrhea, depression or excitement, dilated pupils, convulsions, ataxia – or uncoordinated movements, hyper salivation – or excessive drooling, and general abdominal pain.

According to the ASPCA and the Animal Poison Control Center, plants were included in the top 10 pet toxins of 2010 (along with human medication, human food, insecticides, rodenticides, chocolate, household toxins, herbicides and outdoor toxins).  The following list is from the ASPCA and is comprised of a variety of common plants that could potentially harm your pet.

1- Sago Palm (indoor plant for hardiness Zone 5 within Ohio)

a. The sago palm is a plant that if ingested by your pet can result in detrimental side effects, such as gastrointestinal    abnormalities, seizures, and liver failure.

2- Lilies (Lilium species)

a. There is quite a variety of the lily species; however, it is the true lilies, Lilium, not the commonly planted ‘Daylily’, Hemerocallis, that is highly toxic to cats.  If a cat were to ingest even a small amount of the plant, it can result in acute kidney failure and possibly death.

b. The white Easter Lily is commonly displayed indoors during the Easter Season. Use caution with indoor cats.

3- Tulips

a. Tulips contain toxins that are specifically in the bulb portion of the plant.  If the bulb is ingested, it can result in irritation to the gastrointestinal tract and the esophagus as well.  More severe cases where a high amount of the bulb is ingested may result in variations in heart rate and respiration.

4- Chrysanthemum

a. If eaten, the Chrysanthemum plant may cause excessive drooling and gastrointestinal upset that could lead to diarrhea.  If a large amount of the plant is eaten, depression may occur, as well as ataxia.

5- Buckeye

a. If our state tree’s wonderful nut is ingested by your pet, you may see signs including vomiting and diarrhea, depression or excitement, and ataxia.

6- Daffodils

a. This flower contains various properties that may cause severe vomiting in your pet.  Other signs of ingestion includes abdominal pain, diarrhea, and in some cases cardiac arrhythmias – or abnormal patterns in the heart rate.

7- Oleander (indoor plant for hardiness Zone 5 within Ohio)

a.If this shrub is ingested by your pet, you may see some physical signs including severe vomiting, hypothermia, bradycardia- or slow heart rate, and in serious cases, death.

8- Autumn Crocus

a. If this plant is ingested, consequences may result in general gastrointestinal upset including blood vomiting, bloody diarrhea, shock and multi-organ damage.  Signs of ingestion of this plant may be seen right away, but also may take a few days to develop.

b. The corm of this plant also has potential dermal toxicity. Do not let children handle the corms of this plant.

9- Azalea/Rhododendron

a. Ingestion of this plant species may produce vomiting, hyper salivation, diarrhea, and depression to the central nervous system.  If a high amount of the plant is ingested, there may be cardiovascular consequences that occur that could potentially result in death.

10- Amaryllis (indoor plant for hardiness Zone 5 within Ohio)

a. This plant is regularly found in gardens and if ingested by your pet, could cause vomiting, depression, abdominal pain, hyper salivation and lack of eating as well.

So don’t fear fellow green thumbs! This coming spring, create a masterpiece in your front yard or construct a beautiful bouquet for a loved one, but just remember – those wonderful smells that we have come to love are exponentially amplified and simply irresistible to our furry friends.  Be informed of what you are planting so you and yours, including your pets- can enjoy the natural beauty of plants!

If you want more information on these plants and other possible toxic plant materials, feel free to call Buck & Sons Landscape Service Inc.   If you witness or suspect that your pet has ingested any of the previous substances, please contact your local veterinarian.

By Aaron Buck, student – University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine

Special thanks to Dr. Michael Biehl and The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, as well as the ASPCA for the information throughout this piece.

Animal Poison Control Center. ASPCA. Web. 1 Sept. 2011. <http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/>.

The oldest labyrinth known is that of Crete, which according to Greek mythology was built by a skilled craftsman, Daedalus, to contain the part-man, part-bull Minotaur.  Labyrinths have existed around the world for well over 4,000 years and have long been used to create a calm, contemplative atmosphere.    They have played an important role in many ancient cultures including that of the Greeks, Celts, Mayans, and Native Americans.  It is even speculated by some that the Serpent Mounds created by the Adena Indians right here in Ohio around 500 A.D., were created as a “Needle-and-Thread” form labyrinth.

Later, in the Middle Ages, labyrinths were placed in many churches to symbolize a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  Travel was not quite as easy in those days as it is today, so instead of an actual trip to Jerusalem that could take months and cost a small fortune, many Christians would make a symbolic pilgrimage by walking the path, or even crawling on their knees, while praying.  The oldest Christian labyrinth, constructed in 328 A.D., is a mosaic in the Basilica of San Reparatus near Orleansville, Algeria. Rather than the more familiar spiral pattern we often see today, this labyrinth was a square “Roman-Style” pattern.  This is the pattern that you will soon see taking shape in the Healing Garden.  Traditionally upon entering a labyrinth, you are entering a sacred space and time. Whether you physically walk the path or simply follow it with your eyes, the labyrinth can be used as a path for prayer and meditation.

The sight and sound of the central water feature, the many seating areas, and the soft landscape plantings are all designed to help create a place of calm and peace.  Whether you are awaiting surgery for you or a loved one, anticipating the birth of a child, or working to recover from a physical illness or injury; we know that the visitors of Dublin Methodist Hospital come here with a wide array of hopes, fears, thoughts, and emotions.  While the doctors and staff of Dublin Methodist Hospital work to heal your body, it is our hope that we are creating a space where all patients and visitors can comfortably spend time in peaceful reflection, healing their mind and soul.

As you use your “outdoor room” you may contemplate new ideas and uses for your space.  Concrete pavers allow you to seamlessly incorporate new features such as seat walls, fire pits, built-in grills, and fountains that you may not have thought of (or wanted to pay for) originally.  You can also easily increase the square footage of your patio in order to accommodate these new uses and the increased number of guests who will want to come over to enjoy your beautiful and unique space!  With more flexibility than a wood deck, greater durability than a poured concrete slab, and unsurpassed beauty and charm it is hard to find something not to like about concrete pavers!

Limited Only By Your Imagination

The wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes make concrete pavers one of the most versatile paving materials available today.  This diversity allows for numerous choices in patterns and layouts no matter what style of concrete paver you choose.  Combining more than one style of paver can provide an almost endless number of options that will result in a unique “one of a kind” finished product.  With concrete pavers, you are truly limited only by your imagination!

Old World Charm or Bold Modern Style

No matter which style of concrete paver you choose, you can be sure that the end result will be one that adds instant personality to your home.  If “Old World Charm” is your style, choose a tumbled concrete paver to create that “lived in,” vintage feeling.  Since every individual paver is hand placed, each and every project exudes the artistic craftsmanship of the old world.  For those who prefer a clean and modern look, choose from a variety of contemporary style concrete pavers to give your home and landscape a fresh and up to date appearance.  Still others may prefer a natural stone appearance and pavers can provide this look as well.

Benefits of Patio Pavers

• Affordable
• Adds Value to Your Home
• Durable
• Low Maintenance
• Flexible
• Easy to Repair and Modify
• Increase Your Living Space
• Old World Charm and Beauty or Bold Contemporary Style

You must remember that temperature is not the only factor to influence plant growth.  Plants respond heavily to the amount of sunlight provided during a given day.  During the winter months, days are shorter and plants are still receiving less sunlight despite the fact that we have seen high temperatures almost double the norm for this time of year in Columbus, Ohio.  You must also take in to account that although temperatures are warm during the day, the night temperatures are still in the mid 30’s.  In most instances, plants are not as easily tricked by Mother Nature as we might think.

Damage can occur however, to plants when they are planted out of their range of cold hardiness.  Plants are assessed by their acclimation to cold temperatures and hardiness to those areas.  When we plant things that are slightly less hardy for an area, we start to see less flower production and winter injury symptoms.  This is why it is important to install appropriate plants to your area. Even when the weather is out of the ordinary, shrubbery can withstand the slight change.

What can be problematic is if we continue to have warm weather through the winter and into the spring.  If we have a quick drop in freezing temperatures in late March – April and plants have begun to leaf out and fresh buds open we will see a lot of injury to fruiting trees and flowering plants.  Mother Nature is a cruel mistress at times but plants have adapted to her unusual behavior for millions of years.  These slight changes in the weather patterns will not decimate your showy plants but it may harm a few of the colors we have come to appreciate.  Enjoy the weather while it is here, for in Ohio it could snow tomorrow.

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The first plants that come to mind when people think of the winter landscape are Pine Trees (Pinus), Spruce Trees (Picea), and Holly Shrubs (Ilex).  Along with Boxwoods (Buxus), Yews (Taxus), Arborvitaes (Thuja), Junipers (Juniperus), and Falsecypress (especially Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Gold Mop’) these plants are “the old stand-bys” for winter interest.  Evergreen trees and shrubs are an important component of any planting plan because they provide structure and weight to your landscape all year long, and most especially in the winter when your beds would otherwise be empty or “just sticks.”  Often overlooked in the summer, evergreen trees and shrubs actually deliver a nice splash of color during the winter when we primarily see a landscape of browns and grays.  Additionally, these evergreens provide important shelter for the birds that stay up north with us for the winter.  Many groundcovers, such as English Ivy (Hedera helix) and Vinca (Vinca minor), are also evergreen and provide a lush green carpet where there would otherwise be an empty mulch bed.

Although any discussion of winter landscape interest must begin with evergreens, it most definitely does not have to end there.  One winter interest plant that is gaining in popularity is the Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus alba) shrub.  Some cultivars of this plant have spring flowers, variegated foliage, and good fall color; but it is winter when they truly stand out!  As the weather gets colder you will notice the brown branches beginning to turn red, with the newest stems having the most vibrant color.  Varieties of this plant boast colorful stems ranging from bright red to orange-red to coral red.  Another interesting selection is the Red Twig Dogwood’s cousin, the Yellow Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Silver & Gold’).  The bright stems of the Red Twig and Yellow Twig Dogwood especially pop when planted in mass and surrounded by a blanket of fresh snow!

Planting trees and shrubs that maintain their berries throughout the winter is another way to add color to your winter landscape.  The familiar Blue Holly (Ilex x meservae) has a deciduous relative, Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata), that maintains clusters of bright red berries on its bare branches throughout the winter. The Winter King Hawthorn (Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’) is a great ornamental tree that also has red berries during the winter. The berries can be especially striking when viewed against a backdrop of Spruce trees!  A less frequently used landscape plant that retains its berries through much of the winter is Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma).  If you have room for this sucker spreading shrub, you will enjoy the profuse clusters of lavender berries that remain on the branches through at least the first half of winter.  An added bonus to using these plant selections is that you will be providing a valuable food source for birds during a time of year when sustenance can be scarce.

If it is flowers that you long to see in the winter, your choices may be limited, but there are a handful of options available to you.  A popular practice in recent years has been to plant annual beds with Kale or, the somewhat paradoxically named, Hardy Pansies in the winter.  Kale is a crinkly leafed relative of Cabbage, Broccoli, and Cauliflower.  Although edible, the landscape varieties of Kale have been selected for their texture and purple or white color, rather than for their taste!  Pansies are low growing biennials that are available in a wide range of colors.  Hardy enough to survive winters in Zone 4, Pansies are your best choice if a multitude of colorful flowers is your goal.  One more winter flowering plant that should not be overlooked is the Vernal Witch-hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) shrub.  During the warm days of January, and February you may notice these plants unfurling small clusters of orange or yellow spider-like petals.  Much like us humans on cold days, you may also notice that these petals curl back up when the temperature drops.  This survival technique helps the flowers to persist until March or April.

Interesting textures are another way that you can add interest to you winter landscape.  The exfoliating bark of Oakleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia), Paperbark Maples (Acer griseum), and London Planetrees (Platanus x acerifolia) can be very eye catching at a time when there are fewer colors around to distract from this unusual feature.  The exposed white bark of the London Plantree can be especially striking on a night illuminated by a full moon!  The dried flower heads of Hydrangea shrubs and seed heads of a variety of Ornamental Grasses add another attractive texture to the winter scenery.  An additional interesting plant selection is Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’).  The distinctive twisty curlicue branches of this shrub make it a unique standout year-round, but especially in the winter when the leaves have dropped and the branching pattern is on full display.

Winter may not be the most colorful time of year, but your “Great Outdoors” need not be drab and boring.  The strategic use of a few plants that provide a burst of color or interesting texture can make your landscape really pop and stand out from the rest.  A few splashes of interest can be a reminder that spring is just around the corner, and that may be just what you need to help you endure the rest of the winter!

Giant Allium

White Tulips

Please don’t make your fall bulbs lonely. Bulbs are best enjoyed in groupings of at least five to seven bulbs per singular display. More bulbs per a given planting bed area, the more spectacular your display will be in the spring. Maximize the eye-catching effect of color with mass plantings rather than a few bulbs planted here and there. Even if you choose to plant only one variety of the same type and bulb color, you will achieve a much better satisfaction in your display if your plant en masse.

Dutch Iris

Which side is up? Bulbs typically have some dried roots appearing at the base of the bulb. This, of course, is the “down” part of the bulb. If you are uncertain with side is “up”, plant your bulbs on their sides and they will sort it out on their own with no problem.

Daffodils & Tulips

Typically bulbs will perform fine without much fertilization. However, the informed gardener or one that wants to make her spring flowering investment really pay dividends, will add phosphorous to the root zone of the bulbs during the planting process. All plants require phosphorous for healthy roots and flowers. Bulbs in particular grow with more vigor with the added phosphorous nutrient. Since phosphorous does not move too readily in the soil strata, placing this nutrient down around the root zone really helps the fall bulbs develop a good thick root system. An excellent source of phosphorous for planting is bone meal.

So make an investment in yourself and your landscape this fall. In the spring, you’ll enjoy envious onlookers and a grin on your face from ear to ear. Fall truly is for planting!

Unfortunately we are now seeing several young and mature evergreen trees, mostly spruce and pine, that appear to be dying at an alarming rate. The trees exhibit yellowing, distortion and dieback of terminal growth with a generalized wilting condition.  In some cases, more extensive injury causes needle browning on older growth and complete tree death is occurring. At first many arborists, horticulturist, landscape technicians and extension specialist thought that this condition may have been caused by some unusual environmental factors. As time has passed, and notes have been compared, it is looking like the problem may be linked to something caused by man.

DuPont introduced a new herbicide broadleaf weed herbicide used in turf areas, called Imprelis, which has been used on sites where these symptoms are seen. Root absorption and translocation of Imprelis to new growth would explain these symptoms. Injury may not be noticed for several weeks after application. Heavy spring rains may have been a contributing factor in delivering the herbicide deeper into the soil thus causing more problems for trees.

Although it is not definitive yet as to whether or not Imprelis is the culprit of this calamity of dying evergreen trees around the country, The Ohio State University’s June ‘Buckeye Yard & Garden Line” newsletter states the common denominator in all samples of affected trees seems to be from lawn applications that used the herbicide Imprelis.

Link to OSU BYGL Newsletter.

Below are images of trees suspected of Imprelis herbicide damage.

 If you think that your trees have been affected, contact your professional lawn service provider and ask if Imprelis has been used on your property. You should have been given a record of what was applied to your turf areas as well.

Buck & Sons Landscape Service, Inc. customers can rest assured that we have not used this new product on any of their properties. If you have concerns or questions, we’re here to help.

Unfortunately, if we do find ourselves knee deep in undesirable vegetation, the best method of eradication is by mechanical means.  No, this does not mean fire up the trusty weed-whip and whack away, beating your trees and shrubs mercilessly in the process!  This means that we must physically pull or dig out the deeply rooted weeds by hand.  Many varieties of weeds, such as the dandelion, can completely re-establish themselves from a small portion of root left below ground, so make sure to get as much of the plant and roots out as possible.  An assortment of hand tools are available that can help make this task a little less back-breaking including slicing hoes, winged weeders, hand cultivators, and hand rakes.

Any way you slice it, weeding is hard work!  A better plan is to try to prevent as many of those weeds as we can from popping up in the first place.  In our war against weeds, we have two great defensive weapons at our disposal; pre-emergent herbicide and mulch.  Pre-emergent herbicide works as our guardian at the gate.  Proper use of these products, such as Preen, is a completely safe way to create a thin herbicidal layer that inhibits or halts the germination and growth of weeds when they hit it.  If pre-emergent herbicides are the gate keeper, then a layer of mulch is the gate itself.  Mulch not only makes our beds look uniform and attractive, it also stabilizes root zone temperatures, helps retain moisture, and plays a vital role in the control of weeds.  A good mulch layer can prevent weed seeds in the soil from receiving the light that they need to begin germinating.  While weeds can and do germinate on the surface of the mulch, to continue to grow, these weeds will need to make contact with the soil.  If we have a good two to three inch layer of mulch, these weeds will most likely wither and dry out before the roots can penetrate the level of the soil.  A well timed pre-emergent herbicide application along with a layer of quality organic mulch can go a long way towards preventing weed growth in planting beds.

Spring activities, sports, and holiday preparations can easily steal all of our attention until we wake up one morning, take a look at the yard, and realize that we are WAY beyond the point of PRE-emergent herbicides.  Have no fear!  Enter the POST-emergent herbicide!  The most common post-emergent herbicide is Round-Up which contains the active ingredient glyphosate.  Since the patent expired in 2000, many other herbicides are now on the market containing the same active ingredient.  Glyphosate is a NON-SELECTIVE herbicide.  This is important to remember because it means that it will kill anything you spray it on, regardless of how could your intentions!  Do not spray when it is windy and always use in accordance with the directions.  When applied appropriately, Round-Up is a great product because there are no residual effects to the surrounding soil.  You can kill a dandelion right next to a tomato plant with no damage to the tomato as long as you avoid spraying the leaves.

As long as you armed with the correct cultural practices, the right gardening tools, and appropriate herbicides you should have little trouble controlling the 2011 battle against weeds.  Just remember, if you find yourself overwhelmed as you face down an invading armada of weeds, you can always call in a seasoned landscape maintenance company to bring on reinforcements!

Fortunately for all of us, the landscape industry has a solution that can lift our spirits as we pull into the driveway of a beautifully illuminated house.  No, I am not talking about a year long Clark Griswold light display; I am talking about low-voltage lighting.  Low-voltage lighting is one of the most overlooked and underutilized tools for bringing curb appeal to your home and the all important WOW factor to your landscape.  A simple low-voltage lighting system can accent important architectural features of your home and highlight your plantings.  Your landscape investment no longer needs to be invisible for half of the day, it can bring you value 24/7.  The light and shadow combinations bring added beauty during a time of day when your landscape might otherwise be unnoticed.  Additionally, the wide array of fixture styles that are available means that you are sure to find one that perfectly compliments your existing home.

Obviously the aesthetic factor is a major benefit of installing low-voltage lighting, but there are many other reasons to consider as well.  Lighting can improve the safety and security of your home.  Potential criminals are much less likely to attempt to hide in a well lit landscape than a dark one.  Path lights can highlight changes of direction along your front walkway so that visitors can safely navigate their way from the driveway to your front door.  A well designed lighting plan will also make your home appear warmer and more inviting to your guests than a home with a solitary front porch light.

Although I began by talking about the winter benefits of outdoor lighting, low-voltage systems can also be a positive addition in the summertime by extending the time you can stay outdoors.  Lighting on your patio and in the landscape can help you to continue enjoying your great outdoors long after the sun has set.  Another great feature of low-voltage lighting is just how easy it can be.  A simple transformer box (which will plug into any standard outlet), light fixtures, wire, and a creative mind are all you need to get started.  You can add analog or digital timers to your system so that the lights will automatically turn on and off at a time set by you.  A photocell can make things even easier by turning your lights on at dusk and off again at dawn.  Low-voltage lighting can even be green!  Many of the newest systems operate with LED lights that use much less electricity and save you the hassle of changing bulbs for years.

Low-voltage lighting is one of the fastest growing areas in the landscape industry and with so many great benefits it is easy to see why!  So as you drive home tonight, in the dark, take a look at some of the homes along your way that already have landscape lighting.  Imagine how great your home could look too.  After all, no one likes coming home to a dark house! – by Pete Marsh, Lead Designer Buck & Sons Landscape, M.S. Landscape Architecture.

One of the very best places to begin for a business or contractor referral is with family, friends or neighbors for solid recommendations. These are people that you know and trust in giving you an honest opinion of their experiences. Most every business will tell you that their best advertising is by word-of-mouth. Hopefully it is all good because just one disgruntled customer can tell multiple people about their bad experience. For some reason bad word-of-mouth experiences can become more viral than good word-of-mouth experiences. This human behavior falls under the same heading as people being quicker to complain than to praise. Be sure to ask for and to check references.

What if you can find no one that can give you a reliable business referral? As the famous line goes, ‘Who you gonna call?’ One place to begin is with professional trade organizations. Although no one at a trade organization can recommend one company over another, they can tell you if the company in question is a member in good standing. Most reliable companies will be members of one or more trade or industry related organizations. An online search should give you a good listing of trade organizations for any specific industry. This can be on a local level, state level and even national level trade organizations.

Businesses that want to be recognized within certain municipalities will be members of their local area chamber of commerce. Ask your potential business\contractor if they are a member of at least one chamber of commerce. A phone call to their member chamber of commerce could also provide information on whether or not this entity is in good standing. Don’t expect a referral but only names of participating member businesses within the chamber.

Possibly the absolute best, unbiased and fact based information that you can unearth on any given business is the Better Business Bureau. Unlike popular web based “lists” that can be convoluted with unvalidated comments, a contractor does not have to pay to be listed or to be evaluated, whether good or bad, within the BBB. You are reported on unbiased facts only. Basically the Better Business Bureau exists to ensure integrity, performance and trust of businesses in how they relate to us, the consumer.  Visit the BBB website and discover for yourself their mission statement and their values in their commitment to a better and ethical marketplace.  http://www.bbb.org/us/BBB-Mission/ Best wishes in finding your best and most reliable choice for your business\contractor needs!

Buck & Sons Landscape Service, Inc. is an A+ Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau of Ohio. http://www.bbb.org/centralohio/business-reviews/landscape-contractors/buck-and-sons-landscape-service-in-hilliard-oh-437