The Landscaper

It is Tuesday and we managed to get the new seasonal plantings in.
The main focus has been the Smith building and I received a thumbs up from Mr Centeno today. That was a good feeling.
It was brought to my attention that the next priority will be "Galveston" Hmmmm????

It is Monday and time for some color change out.
Out with the old and in with the new.
No pictures tonight........ but there will be some posted soon.
We will have the before and after shots of the Smith building.
The focus is the courtyard and entrance of the building, so we are changing out 20 containers to start.

Moving right along on this Thursday. We went out on a limb.



























It was time to start trimming the trees damaged from Ike.




























We noticed lots of men in uniform walking around.
It felt like a military base.

Well.....
we started the Smith building. Just cleaning the beds and adding mulch.
Tomorrow we will be trimming all the broken and damaged tree limbs.
They have lots of trees.





















It was about 4:30 in the afternoon and these CRAZY clouds started moving in.
It was magnificent to watch the formations and how quickly the sky changed in color and shape.


































My customer seems really happy so far :)

Well, it is Tuesday and it is already night time. WOW!!!

I have everything in line to start a new project venture tomorrow.
New clients, "commercial" clients.
It will be more challenging since I am used to strictly residential projects.

Looking forward to seeing what a difference I will make.

Tomorrow is simply cleaning all the grounds and flower beds, then adding new mulch to 5 buildings.
It will take me about a week to complete.

Next will be changing out all the plants and seasonal color for Fall/Winter.

Going to bed early tonight so I can get my Landscaping rest!

(i will have photos of the project tomorrow!)

I am new to this old world of blogging, so please bare with me.

Having no idea what to expect, I am really hoping to meet like-minded individuals through this blog & by taking this opportunity to help teach others about anything from how to plant native and habitat attracting plants, that in turn, help the environment.

Within this blog I will be introducing some of my favorite plants - and there is no time like the present to mention my first.


"Curcuma Australisica" Ginger, for the plant of the week.

A spring and fall bloomer, likes a humid climate and a partial sun environment.




And a shout out to my friends Deb Smail & Dawn Houser for believing in me and giving me the inspiration to start this new blog.


Happy Gardening!

Poisionous to your PETS Did you know the Sago Palm can Kill your Dog or Cat?

Over the Christmas holiday a friend and I spent some time at the Katy Freeway "Animal Emergency Clinic." AKA: Veterinary Emergency Referral Group Inc. Her Pug "Abigail" was not feeling well. During our wait we observed a couple that had brought their dog in after chewing on a Sago Palm Pod. After 4 hours of emergency treatment, due to radical kidney failure, the dog did not survive. This devastating event could have been prevented if the couple had been aware of how poisonous Sago Palms really are. Since that experience, I have made it my mission to find out more about poisonous plants in our residential landscapes. I have compiled a list of the 11 most common, some will probably surprise you.

>Lilies : (most varieties) Various members of the Lilium Genus, Easter Lilies, Tiger Lilies, Stargazer Lilies, and some species of Day Lilies.

>Castor Bean : (Ricinus communis) This plant grows anywhere from 3 to 14 feet tall. Is Red/Purple in color and develops large maple leaf like foliage. It just takes one single bean to kill an animal. (FYI: 3 chewed and ingested seeds will kill an adult human)

>Sago Palm : (Cycas revolute) This lovely palm is very common in the city of Houston and can be a great accent for a front or back yard. Unfortunately, dogs have been known to play football with the pod of the Sago Palm. Be aware that the pods contain little seeds and just one or two seeds, if ingested; can cause sever clinical signs and death.

>Rhododendron, Azalea : (Rhododendron spp) On this beauty, the plant as a whole is toxic and can cause anything from diarrhea to cardiac arrhythmias to seizures.

>Japanese Yew : (yew Taxus) All parts of this plant are extremely toxic. Yews can start out shrub like and eventually turn into tree form. Do not let your pet chew on the branches of this plant, as for this one works fast and furious. Yews have been known to kill a dog before any signs begin.

>Autumn Crocus: (Colchicum autumnale) also dangerous/deadly to pet birds.

>Foxglove: (Digitalis purpurea) deadly.

>Aloe Vera: (aloe vera) extreme sickness & deadly.

>Lily of the Valley: (Convalaria majalis) deadly.

>Oleander: (Nerium oleander) deadly to all animals.

>Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: (Brunfelsia australis) extreme sickness & potential death.

I want to personally thank Dr. Laurie Noaker and her kind staff at the Veterinary Emergency Referral Group Inc. (713) 932-9589 for their work and continuous efforts in making us more aware of the everyday dangers that could harm our loved ones.

For more information visit the ASPCA website (Animal Poison Control Center) http://www.apcc.aspca.org or contact Portia at Leyendecker Landscape for a poisonous plant consultation or any other gardening needs. 713-426-0649

Below are informative links on additional toxic plants for dogs & cats.

Dogs
Cats

this blog post is a test.
on blogger.com
to see the ease of a personal blog.
one day while working in the garden -
i spied this lovely dragonfly.
it was as if he posed just for me.

adding habitat attracting plants is very easy.
& extremely easy to maintain, since they are
more than likely native to your area.

i live and work in zone 9.

for more about me and my services please visit:
www.leyendeckerlandscape.com