Variegated Tapioca - Not What You think It Is!

This tropical member of the family Euphorbiaceae can grow to be a large shrub or small tree in the tropics, but is useful in Texas as a festive summer annual or patio plant. One gallon plants can easily grow to be handsome 4 feet to 6 feet rounded mounds in a single growing season so young plants should be spaced 4 to 6 feet apart. Plants are initially upright growers becoming wider as the season progresses. The rubbery textured bold leaves can reach up to 8 inches long and are lobed. New growth is a handsome reddish pink and the lobes mature to sport white, creamy white, to yellow-green variegated splotches that follow the main veins.

You don't have to worry about variegated tapioca "going out of bloom". Instead, the plants offer foliage as colorful as most flowers with the added advantage of providing a show all summer. Note the scientific name of this selection is 'Variegata' because of its variegated leaves. The common Tapioca which is native to South America (Brazil and Paraguay) has green leaves. Often this variegated form will have a green sprout or shoot appear. Any green shoots or foliage should be removed immediately or it will become dominant over the variegated foliage. The normal, green form of this plant will also grow much faster and larger than the variegated form. The 'Variegata' screams "fiesta" in the summer landscape and it is one of the few variegated plants on which the foliage will not be damaged by intense, direct summer sunlight. Plants work great as centerpieces where taller plants are needed in the center of circular plantings or as backgrounds for lower growing annual bedding plants. Perhaps the premier use of this variegated plant is as a patio or dooryard container specimen where it thrives despite the reflected heat from concrete or pavement

Another brick in the wall

From the traditional, to the not so traditional.

Cgreen builds walls. Whether you are looking for a formal brick or stone wall, as part of your outdoor space, or you are looking for something a little different, Cgreen has the expertise.

If you do not know what you want, let Cgreen design it for you.

Walls in your lanscape can be used to create special spaces and intimacy in outdoor spaces.

Walls can be used as borders and seating that can help form spectacular gardens.

Walls can create different themes in the landscape, from "Southwestern" to "Old Word European".

Let Cgreen design and create wonderful outdoor spaces for you!

Who likes puzzles?

 The Cgreen team loves putting together puzzles. Sometimes we even get make the pieces.
This time of year lots of folks are thinking more about hardscape than landscape. Cgreen is a very capable hardscape company.
 Installing a quality flagstone patio requires an inate ability to visualize, create and assemble intricate puzzles.
First we pour a 4", reinforced concrete base. We then assemble the puzzle pieces after which the pieces are mortared in place using a mix containing bonding agents that secure the flagstoone in place. Lastly the the joints are filled with mortar.

 This is a great way to create beautiful, usable spaces that not only you will enjoy, but will add value to your home.

What a cool speciman plant for your landscape!

Actually a shrub, but can be maintained as a tree through judicious pruning.

Cotinus gets its common names, smoke bush or smoke tree, from its panicles of spent flowers that appear like puffs of smoke around the plant. It is easy to see why Great Plant Picks chose this shrub for their 2005 list. As summer draws near, the leaves turn purple, almost black, a nice contrast to the red veins and edging of the leaf margins. C. 'Royal Purple' has leaves which change color throughout the seasons, starting out in spring sporting its new fresh attire of maroon-red. In fall, its fashion statement appears in shades of scarlet. However, in order to insure you get the most intense color display, select your tree when it turns color in autumn. Keep watering and fertilizing to a minimum, for best fall color.
When used with tin and alum mordants, the smoke tree's wood and bark chips give a clear yellow dye that's been in use since the Middle Ages. Using different mordants gives more hues, such as pink and an orange-tan. When mixed with indigo, the dye becomes a beautiful green.
Coppice the shrub for vigorous shoot growth and larger leaves. You will sacrifice the flowers with this practice, so you will have to decide if you want it to smoke, or sport wonderful leaves. This is one time where "to smoke" is politically correct in the Pacific Northwest, although the tree still has to smoke outdoors. If left as a tree, practice only minimal pruning, or you will wind up with leggy, unsightly branches. I am growing mine into a tree form, as its optimum height will stay this side of shy of power lines, which it grows beneath. Smokin'!

The time is now to start planning for the back yard of your dreams in spring!

This particular project is not all that complicated
and yet the planning and design involved numerous
consultations and revisions taking 3 months to finalize.

It was well worth the effort.
In the end this client was provided with exactly what they wanted

We may not see as much green in the winter, however root systems continue to grow. It is important to continue with your maintenance program through out the winter months.

Winter is also an excellant time to plant new woody ornamental shrubs and trees. These plants will begin to establish themselves, even before spring, and be ready to take on the summer heat.

Winter is the best time of year to prune trees. Crepe Myrtles should be pruned judiciously. Please do not commit Crepe Murder by over pruning. Just clean out the smaller stems from the trunks and remove unwanted shoots sprouting from the ground.

Everybody knows you can still have color in your landscape in the winter. In sunny areas plant Pansies, Viola, Snapdragons and Kale.

In shady areas think about Cyclamen and even consider Camillias for evergreen color.