Color in Design

Greetings from my Gardening Couch! It is Sunday morning and Mark and I went to new church. Part of what of the offering was to ask yourself what can I do to serve. Earlier in the morning I was thinking about the blogging series that has been taking shape. And I thought maybe I should just write, you can just pick plants out and put them in the ground. But, I do not do this when designing, I do not feel it is that casual. I feel it is a personal experience that can inspire, uplift and connect one with the Divine:) Trees and plants offer us oxygen, ( this just being one of the offerings)  we in turn can offer them direct attention and gratitude! Part of my service  is to share my experience with nature, to let others know a beautiful landscape is awesome, and yet direct intent and the desire to be more fully who we truly are and connect to the Divine and our own Divinity through gardening in Possible!!!
Now Color~ I hope you found a few colors that you are highly attracted too and perhaps even took notice of colors you prefer to avoid~ This is great information to have, it will help shape your garden design and give you some insights into your soul.
Eastern philosophy has so much information on color and its potential to affect our consciousness. From Hindu to Chinese to Japanese culture color has significant meaning and purpose. I am going to pull from several philosophies to give you a general view! Very Briefly Chakra's are energy centers  or wheels within the body, there are seven major chakras~ I have been working the Chakra system for several years as means of self awareness with a highly gifted lady,  and they are also a part of Yoga, Hinduism and Eastern Philosophy.
RED~associated with the 1st/Root chakra (Hindu), is grounding, stabilizing, promotes trust and balance and harmony, a warming color, increases ones connection to the earth, stimulates the sensory system, liver stimulant, increases red-blood-cell production
ORANGE~ creativity, play, freedom, abundance,joy, creation, sexuality, connected with the 2nd/Sacral chakra, can assist with healing reproductive organs
YELLOW~Stimulates higher intellectual functioning, clear thinking, balanced personal power, 3rd/Solar Plexus chakra, 3rd charka about your identity and who you truly are,
GREEN~ love, purity, soothes the central nervous system, calming, balances mind, body and spirit, 4th/Heart Chakra, unconditional love,
BLUE~ Cooling effect, increase sensitivity, associated with the throat chakra, speaking one's truth, finding your voice, can help with healing issues with throat, neck, mouth,
INDIGO~ connected with the 6th chakra/third eye chakra, stimulates parathyroid glands, color of devotion, intuition, transcendent vision, purposefulness, seeking after truth.
VIOLET~ Stimulates spleen, helps lift anxiety and depression,7th Chakra/Crown
*some color information came from the book Vibrational Medicine by Richard Gerber, M.D.

My Plant Is Too Big

I hear it all the time, from all kinds of folks. "My tree is to big, I need to cut it back.", or worse, "When should I top my tree, I don't want it to get any bigger." My answer is "NO!"
No, your tree didn't get too big, it grew just the way it's supposed to. Someone apparently didn't plan correctly. Most of the time, the first consideration in the design of a neighborhood, is the QUANTITY of trees in the project. The next is often cost, so a tree, regardless of site suitability, or growth habit, often ends up in the wrong place. This poor guy now encroaches on our homes, streets, business signs, so we torture them. We cut the top out so the tree struggles the rest of it's existence, or we cut them back as if they were boxwoods in a formal English garden.
Seeing a topped tree, you can sense something isn't right. The nice natural form is distorted, unnatural. It weakens the tree by creating water sprouts, weak limbs the tree sends out rapidly to try to recover from the shock of a hard "pruning". Also, trees send out pheromones when stressed that attract insect pests that see a food source to weak to defend itself. This all leads to premature death.
Please be a good steward of the trees on your property, or better yet, in your CARE. They are living breathing friends that provide so many benefits to your and your area, they deserve respect. Always contact an ISA Certified Arborist for advice on your trees' health. You can be assured you are speaking with a knowledgeable professional.
Trees enhance our lives, let's return the favor!

Mark Griffith is a Virginia Certified Horticulturist and a lead designer with Nautilus Garden Designs in Hampton Roads www.nautilusgardendesigns.com

Golden rain and Japanese Beetles

Summer is upon us, the way I can tell, other than the crazy heat, was the sight of blooming Koelreuteria paniculata, or Golden Rain Tree. This pretty little tree has become a favorite of mine quickly. This well behaved tree only gets about 30 feet tall, doesn't have major pest issues, and rewards us with awesome yellow flowers in June and July, followed by cool looking seed pods that resemble the little paper lanterns in old Japan.
Another way to tell is I saw my first Japanese beetles today. These shiny little pests can destroy a garden, or your prettiest viburnum, in a hurry! The mistake most people will make with controlling these guys is getting pheremone traps and putting them next to the garden. This only ATTRACTS them to the garden. Please put these bags AS FAR AWAY from your plants as you can, without sending all the critters to your neighbor's garden!
I thought it was a little early to see the beetles, but the ground warmed up quickly this year. Have fun in the yard! Talk to you soon!!

Mark Griffith is a Virginia Certified Horticulturist and a lead designer with Nautilus Garden Designs in Hampton Roads www.nautilusgardendesigns.com