NEW RIVER, ROANOKE, AND SHENANDOAH VALLEYS;SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, LYNCHBURG, CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND BEYOND

Our Favorite Landscape Plants

Banish These Bad Guys!

Setting Goals

A NEWSLETTER OF VALLEY LANDSCAPING | SUMMER 2019

VALLEYRoots

Journey WellDAPHNE'S DIRT DIARY BY DAPHNE WILLIAMS, SALES AND MARKETING COORDINATOR

While watching Bryant University’s Graduation online recently with my daughter, I realized just how important goals are. Most of the speakersand award recipients attributed their successes to goal setting. The definition of goal is "an observable and measurable end

result having one or more objectives to be achieved with a fixed timeframe". Direction, deadlines, focus, something to look forward to, vision,holding yourself accountable, etc. are all necessary in propelling us forward through life. We don’t reach excellence just by chance. Our choices, oursuccesses (and failures), our hard work and perseverance, our attitudes, all play a part in our life’s journey. If nothing else, goals help us believe in orlearn something new about ourselves.

Not all of us are graduating from school this year, but our journeys are important at all phases of our lives. Without focus, our potential nevermaterializes. If you think about it, a goal is the first step in every journey. We can only hope that we all journey well.

1. Hydrangeas - any and all of them - nothing beatstheir flower power! Newer hydrangea varieties bloomon new wood or on a combination of new and oldwood, so you don’t have to worry about pruning awayyour buds or losing them to late cold spells. Try ‘Bobo’,‘Limetta’, ‘Tiny Tuff Stuff’, or ‘Summer Crush’.

2. Allium ‘Millenium’. This is an ornamental onion, butdon’t let that make you cry. These gorgeous gardensuperstars bloom later, longer, and more profusely thanother alliums, and they can tolerate almost any gardenenvironment. They’re deer resistant, too - a big plus inour area!

3. Fringetree. From the Latin meaning “snow” and“flower,” Chionanthus virginicus is known commonly asFringetree or Old Man’s Beard. No other tree can matchthe white flowers of this native tree when in bloom.Preferring a sunny spot with moderate water, this is aslow growing tree - but the show is worth the wait!

4. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘TheBlues’). This native grass boasts bluish blades in thespring and summer, which transform to a copperyorange in the fall. It’s stunning when massed.

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PLANTS WE LOVE

You may hear us raving about the colors of fall in a few months or extolling the virtues of spring after a long winter, but for now we will proclaim summer to be ourfavorite time of year at Valley Landscaping! The truth is, all of the seasons are great and we like them all for the variety of projects and experiences they offer.We’ve recently enjoyed the awakening of life among animals and plants (and even humans!) that the spring has brought us, and now we are brimming withanticipation at the vibrance and variety of colors the summertime promises. If you’re looking for a pop of color or burst of interest in your landscape this year, wesuggest the following options. We can even go beyond making suggestions to actually designing a stunning landscape, choosing the right plants for the growingconditions at your site, ordering and selecting the perfect plants, and professionally installing them for you. Just give us a call at (540) 382-6710 or check out ourgallery of projects at valleylandscapingva.com for inspiration and assistance!

VALLEY Roots | Summer 2019 | valleylandscapingva.com

Tree pruning and removalStump grinding

Hazardous take-downsEmergency after-hours service

(540) 382-0788valleytree.com

VALLEY TREEThe Height of Excellence

Emerald Ash Borerdamage causes ashbark to loosen, split,and fall off. Maze-likeboring galleries can beseen on the wood.

A healthy ash treeexhibits an oppositebranching pattern withcomposite leaves andrough gray bark.

The destructive,yellow-coloredboxwood leafminerlarvae feed on the softtissue between theupper and lower layersof boxwood leaves.

Leafminer damageappears as irregularswelling, blistering,and/or leafdiscoloration.

A NEWSLETTER OF VALLEY LANDSCAPING | (540) 382-6710

Mosquitoes and Ticks andWasps, Oh My!With the delight of summer colors and beautifuloutdoor weather also come the annoyances ofsummer pests. Whether you're bothered by ants,stinging insects, ticks, or mosquitoes, here are ourtop recommendations for managing pest exposureof any kind:

• Remove all sources of standing water in youryard. Even the smallest reservoirs like trash canlids, discarded food containers, or downspoutscan provide habitat for insect eggs. Empty birdbaths and pet dishes at least twice weekly andreplace with fresh water.

• Install tight-fitting screens on windows anddoors and seal any cracks or other potentialentry points to keep insects from enteringyour home.

• Check bushes and trees near your home forinsect nests and remove or treat as necessary,then trim and clear branches away from thesides of your home.

• Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socksoutdoors. Use insect repellent on exposed skinand thin clothing.

• Avoid wooded, shrubby, or overgrown areas thatmay harbor ticks. Remove debris and brush piles(prime tick habitat) and keep your lawn mowed.When you do venture out, avoid brushing againstvegetation where opportunistic ticks like to linger,and always perform full-body tick checks when youcome back inside.

Protect Your ValuableBoxwoodsA landscape staple since the 16th century, thecommon boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is underattack on many fronts by various pests anddiseases. The boxwood leafminer, boxwood mite,and boxwood psyllid all find this landscape favoriteto be a cozy and tasty home. While the less-destructive psyllid causes only aesthetic damage,unchecked leafminer and mite infestations causedefoliation and eventually the death of theirdefenseless hosts. And unfortunately, theboxwood can be susceptible to fungal diseasesand decline as well.

All of these challenges don’t deter us at ValleyLandscaping from using and protecting boxwoodsin our clients’ landscapes, though! For existingplantings, we offer chemical treatments to boostthe plants’ health and curb infestations. For newinstallations, we recommend disease- and pest-resistant boxwood cultivars such as B. microphylla‘Golden Dream’, B. harlanpdii, B sinica var.insularism ‘Nana’ and B microphylla var. japonica‘Green Beauty. If you suspect a boxwood pest ordisease afflicting your shrubs, or if you arecurious about the new pest- and disease-resistant boxwood options, contact us at (540)382-6710 or info@valleylandscapingva.com forprofessional recommendations.

Take Action Against ThisInvaderBeautiful but destructive, the Emerald Ash Borerhas quickly wreaked havoc on ash trees across thecountry and right here in Virginia. The larvae’sboring galleries disrupt the flow of water andnutrients to the leaves, eventually killing their hosttree. Visible symptoms include thinning or dyingof the tree crown, suckers at the base of the tree,splitting bark, D-shaped exit holes, andwoodpecker activity. Unfortunately, often by thetime landowners notice significant damage andcall us, the EAB activity is too extensive to treat andthe infested tree must come down. The insectdamage usually leaves branches too brittle anddangerous for arborists to climb, and tree removalrequires the use of our more expensive buckettruck equipment.

To reduce the spread of this nasty pest andpotentially save yourself from expensive treeremoval fees, learn to identify a healthy ash treeand recognize the early signs of insect activity.Refrain from moving firewood and participate inpretreatment programs if possible. If you suspectan infestation in your landscape, contact ValleyTree immediately at (540) 382-0788 and speak toour ISA Certified Arborist® for help handlinginfestations in your own neighborhood.

PESTS WE DON'T

RECOGNIZE THESE SIGNS OF PEST INFESTATION

FIND US WHEREVER YOU ARE

Out and aboutProudly serving the New River, Roanoke, and ShenandoahValleys; Smith Mountain Lake, Lynchburg, Charlottesville,and beyond

In our officeHeadquarters - New River Valley

750 Den Hill Road ● Christiansburg, VA 24073

Roanoke Valley Branch

1715 Murry Road ● Roanoke, VA 24018

Shenandoah Valley Branch

25 East Side Highway ●Waynesboro, VA 22980

On the phone(540) 382-6710 ● (844) 276-LAWN (5296)FAX: (540) 382-5992

On the Webvalleylandscapingva.cominfo@valleylandscapingva.com

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