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Just to keep it interesting we've added some additional
articles to this issue. Enjoy!

____________________________________________

ProGardenBiz Landscape & Garden Magazine for the
Green Industry

ProGardenBiz is an online landscape & garden magazine for
professional gardeners and landscape contractors doing
maintenance, irrigation, installation, planting, and
waterscapes.

Quote for today: "Millions yearn for immorality who don't know
what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon."
- Susan Ertz

Life's Quips...
A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.

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In this Issue:

- Gardening with Perennials - Designing with Color
- Installing a Water Garden
- Questions from our readers... and answers!
- Factoid
- Are You a Wildflower?
- Locating Affordable Health Insurance
For Businesses and Individuals
- Starting a Landscape or Gardening Business
- Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz

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New this Week in ProGardenBiz:

Equipment Maintenance
Small Engine Advisor
The Yard Doctor
PGMS Salary Survey


You can read these articles at:
htt://www.progardenbiz.com
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Gardening with Perennials
Designing with Color

Article by the National Gardening Association

You can mix and match different colored flowers, from pastels to
bright red, to create the mood and effect that best suits your
garden.

The great thing about flowers is that you really can't go wrong
with them. Even if a perennial bed doesn't turn out exactly like
what you envisioned, chances are it's going to be attractive.
After all, have you ever encountered an ugly flower? And, unlike
the wallpaper or paint color that looked great in the store but
now grates on your nerves, perennial plants can be moved and
rearranged (and even given away) to suit your tastes. It's
easier, and more fun, than re-wallpapering!

Pastels
Soft pink, powder blue, lavender, and peach--these gentle colors
set a mood of tranquility. They are the familiar colors of
cottage gardens--informal gardens that contain a variety of
old-fashioned flowers. Pastel colors look best when viewed from
relatively close up, and they can looked washed out in the harsh
mid-day sun.

Brights
Racy reds, vibrant oranges, magenta, and sunny yellow--these
colors invigorate and energize a garden. Bright colors hold up
well to brilliant sunshine, and attract the eye even from a
distance.

Complementary Colors
Colors that are opposite on the color wheel are described as
complementary. High in contrast, complementary colors add
creative energy and vitality to a garden. Yellow and violet are
complementary colors; as are orange and blue, and green and red.

Harmonious Colors
These are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel;
examples include blue and violet, orange and red, and orange and
yellow. These color combinations tend to be gentler on the eye
than complementary colors. A harmonious color scheme unifies a
garden, while allowing enough range of color that it doesn't
become monotonous.

If you are concerned about your ability to choose colors, a
harmonious color scheme might be a good starting point for you.
Unlike complementary colors, which, if overdone, can seem
jarring and can give a riotous feel to a garden, harmonious
colors are a pretty safe bet. As you gain confidence in your
design eye, you can always add splashes of a complementary color
here and there to liven things up.

Monochromatic Color Scheme
You may have seen gardens composed of all white flowers, and
indeed some of the world's most famous gardens use a
monochromatic color scheme. Instead of relying on different
colored flowers, the gardener creates interest by mixing flowers
of different sizes and shapes, and choosing foliage with
interesting textures and colors. Perhaps you are partial to a
single color such as yellow. You can create varying moods
depending on whether you choose soft pale yellows, bright sunny
yellows, or deep golden yellows. Or you might use a mix of
shades.

See the full version with color plant photos on ProGardenBiz
at: http://www.progardenbiz.com

Article by the National Gardening Association www.garden.org,
www.kidsgardening.com


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Installing a Water Garden


Article by ARA

Installing a water garden can seem like a monumental task, but
it actually can be a fun project you can easily tackle. It is
especially easy if you purchase a kit that includes everything
you need. This is an excellent profit center for a landscape
contractor. Installation can involve moving existing irrigation
sprinklers. Once the pond is established it becomes another
component of the grounds maintenance. There is much more to
landscape maintenance than just mowing.

The first step in creating your water garden waterscape is to
carefully select the site for your pond in a level area...

For the rest of this article see:
http://www.progardenbiz.com/currentissue/Feature2.html

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Q&A
Questions from our readers...

Q. I am hoping that someone can share their tips in keeping the
mulch beds clean of dead leaves and flower buds. At the
beginning of the season, the mulch beds are pretty messy. Even
during the summer, my rose beds get messy with dead rose buds.
Raking is difficult because the rake gets caught in the plants.
Blowing blows the mulch as well as the leaves. Any suggestions
would be welcome.

Thank you very much.
Brian

A. Many people like the look of a "clean" garden bed and will
rake everything out leaving only the surface dirt. Although
this looks tidy, it's not the best for your plants. Leaving
leaves and other plant debris provides natural mulch and returns
nutrients to the the soil. To make this look better you can
turn the leaves into the soil or cover lightly with a dark
mulch.

The less you remove from your garden, the less chemicals you
need to add to replenish it.

Q. Hi all....I need your advice since I do not have a green
thumb. I live in Arizona and I am looking to put down Desert
Landscaping. But I need to kill whatever is remaining of the
current lawn. So far I have used a tiller to remove from the
roots up and sprayed various chemicals from Home Depot....even
stuff that was suppose to last a whole year. But the grass just
continued growing 2 days later. Can anyone tell me how I can
kill this lawn? What chemicals can you recommend? I am getting
tired of continuesly working on this lawn. Any help would be
appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

A. I'm not sure what chemicals you have already used, but it
sounds like they were either ineffective products or perhaps
used incorrectly. Please be very careful in using any herbicide
that will sterilize the ground for "a whole year". Even though
you are going to put in desert landscaping you will still be
putting some plants in the ground and such chemicals will kill
your new plants as well.

The best product to use to kill the old lawn is Round-up. Read
the label directions completely. It is important to water well
and have a thriving plant prior to using Round-up. Round-up
works best on healthy plants. If used correctly, Round-up will
definitely solve your problem and it will not hurt any new
plants planted later. For hardy grasses it may require more
than one application spaced a week or so apart.

Also, if you will be putting in decorative rock as part of your
desert landscaping then the plastic ground cover you put down
under the rock will also serve to smother any remaining grass or
weeds and prevent them from coming back (except, perhaps, around
the edges of the plastic).

Q. I planted some lantana last year. Do I prune the plant back -
leave it alone or just cut off what looks like it is dead?

Thanks-
Cat

A. It's not necessary to prune back Lantana, but you can to
control it. Here in California Lantana grows all year and needs
to be trimmed regularly to keep it from over-growing the entire
landscape. Definitely prune back the dead material and then
trim the rest to suit your landscape's appearance.


Have questions? We have answers. Send your questions to editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and will be
answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.

____________________________________________

Factoid: An ant can survive for up to two weeks underwater.

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Are You a Wildflower?

Wildflowers grow from mere dust to reach their full potential.
Wildflowers grow well, even in adverse soil conditions.
Wildflowers don't require late nights at the office to grow.
Wildflowers grow thick and stick together.
Wildflowers grow strong and tall.
Wildflowers display their brilliant personalities for all to
see.
Wildflowers withstand drought and grow all the more beautiful
when watered.
Wildflowers withstand frost and hale.
Wildflowers last late in the season, when other flowers have
given up.
Are you a wildflower?

This article by David Leonhardt (The Happy Guy) first appeared
in the free ezine: Your Daily Dose of Happiness. Subscribe at
http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html, or
visit the home page at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com
____________________________________________

Locating Affordable Health Insurance
For Businesses and Individuals


Finding health insurance, as a business owner, can be
difficult and is usually expensive. But it doesn't have to
"break the bank". Below is a list of valuable insurance
resources and great places to start your research.
Disclaimer: It is the reader's sole responsibility to abide
by all pertinent jurisdiction laws and regulations
pertaining to their business and health. Each person is
responsible and liable for the outcome of acting on any of
the suggestions included in this article. You're on your own
to research and/or purchase the program that is appropriate
for you.

Memberships
Many business organizations include group health insurance
as a member benefit. And many individuals and business
owners join an organization specifically for the membership
benefits. So first, review the benefits of organizations you
belong to or that are located in your community. The list
below may help you get started.

- The National Association for the Self-Employed,
www.nase.org.
- International Computer Consultants Organization
www.icca.org/.
- Public Relations Association www.prsa.org.
- Fraternal companies and organizations such as Modern Woodmen
of America, Knights of Columbus, Sons of Norway
http://dmoz.org/Society/Organizations/Fraternal/Benefit_Societies/
- List Of Organizations
http://coachmaria.com/articles/networktosuccess.html.

State Programs
Some states, Washington for example, provide basic health to
lower income residents and many new business owners fit this
category. For additional information, contact your State
Insurance Department.

State Department of Insurance (DOI)
Locate your states DOI web site and find the area within the
agency that health insurance falls under. Request a list of
registered insurance companies and ask about complaints that
have been filed against them. Many insurers offer insurance
in a state where they are not registered. If anything goes
wrong, you have no recourse.

Insurance Brokers
Check your phone book for Insurance Brokers who will provide
you with health insurance resources they've used. Check a
few brokers in your area since they may deal with different
companies.

Other Companies
There are many companies, who provide, as part of their
overall services, a health plan. Some I found while
researching are:
www.affordableservices.com
www.uicisolutions.com/
www.libertyplusplans.com/
www.affordableservices.com
www.farmbureau.com
www.healthinsurance.com/

Department Stores, etc.
Check your department store and wholesale store memberships.
In some states, Costco , www.costco.com offers health
insurance. So check every potential membership you possess.

Ask Your Doctors
Do you have a doctor(s) you really respect? If so, ask your
doctors what policies they accept and start your research
there.

Spouses and Domestic Partnerships
In some states you may qualify as a "domestic partners" and
therefore share in health coverage. In some companies, even
in states where you might not qualify as a domestic partner,
you maybe eligible for insurance coverage. Your spouse may
have coverage for you, too. Check it all out.

Friends
Ask your friends and colleagues what companies they use.
This is a great way to find out which companies to stay away
from and which to explore.

Bonus
Every few years, conduct a check of the health services and
prices available in your area. Why pay more than you have
to? And remember... always check with your state's DOI
before purchasing insurance from a company - off or on-line.

© 2002 Maria’s Place. Maria Marsala, owner. Helping
professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives elevate their
careers, business and lives though coaching, consulting
and courses. Join 2000 e-zine readers and
receive access to more than 100 articles and reports.
Visit http://CoachMaria.com

____________________________________________

Starting a Landscape or Gardening Business:
ProGardenBiz, a landscape and garden magazine for the Green
Industry is your online resource for starting and operating a
business as a landscape contractor or landscape and lawn
maintenance gardener. Related fields covered by ProGardenBiz
are irrigation installation and maintenance, sprinklers -
repair and maintenance, waterscapes, water features, and ponds.
You will also find information on plants, plant identification,
trees and tree maintenance, and many other topics that span the
Green Industry.

If the answers you seek are not readily found, then drop us an
email at: editor@progardenbiz. Your questions are welcome and
will be answered by email and appear in our "Letters" or "Ask?"
columns.
_______________________________________

Contents Of the Current Issue of ProGardenBiz
http://www.progardenbiz.com
Volume 1, Issue 2
Feature Articles

-Irrigation Time Savers
-Install a Water Garden
-Don't Get Ripped Off
-Creative Railroad Ties
-Innovative Irrigation Tool: The Chain Saw!
-I Survived the Landscape Industry Trade Show
_______________________________________

You can post questions, comments, thoughts, ideas and more to
our email discussion group at: pgbdiscussion@yahoogroups.com

I look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you,

Steve Fleming
Publisher
ProGardenBiz

Once Upon a Time... A Gardener's Daydream
The Gardener, the Salsa, and a Day at the Ranch
Article by Rich Showalter
Copyright © 2003 by ProGardenBiz
ProGardenBiz, an online magazine
http://www.progardenbiz.com

This is a tale of a landscape contractor and his quiet getaway
in the mountains. Now, I'm no gardener myself, but I swear that
this is the true tale as related to me as we relaxed on the
front porch on one of those long, summer days spent with a cool
one and watching our neighbors mow their lawns.

Rachel Louise Carson authored the book "Silent Spring" alerting
mankind (which includes you gardeners and landscapers) to the
long term destructive results of certain pesticides and toxic
chemicals. From my own personnel experience and observation, I
wish to add one more insidious ingredient to the expanding list
of dangerous substances polluting our gardens. It is called
"salsa picante" or "salsa muy caliente" (Hot sauce to you
gringos).

Long, one of the favorite lunch choices of many a landscape
contractor and gardener, you may want to read on... there is
more to that salsa then you've been told.

An obscure legend suggests that the Aztec God of Fire captured
the essence of salsa from the bowels of a raging volcano when
a high priest prayed for a cure to cleanse the Aztec people of
plague sweeping the land. The priest placed a single drop of
salsa in the food bowl of every inhabitant. The plague vanished
from the land and so did the Aztecs!

From personal experience, I know better than to touch the stuff
(as you will soon see), but my landscape crew often indulges.
I've related this story to them on many a landscape job, but
they laugh it off, much like Boy Scouts around the campfire
hearing the scary tall tales. Unfortunately, this tale is
true...

One Friday night not long ago found us rolling toward the
family diggins in the mountains near Julian, CA. After a hard
week of building, planting gardens, and irrigating lawns, I
was ready for a relaxing weekend at the ranch... building,
planting gardens, and irrigating lawns. After two years the
house and surrounding landscaping were nearly half done.

We were almost there when my wife Gerry, the blanket burglar,
wanted some Mexican food. She should have married a Mexican
chef (or gardener in my case) because her craving for the
stuff is almost insatiable.

I said, "No."

She replied, "I will invite mother to spend another month."

I said, "Oh."

"Screeeech."

Poor old Cricket, our midget female drip-dry dachshund, was darn
near catapulted through the window by a 90 degree turn into
"Pancho's Taco Y Salsa" stand.

Pancho asked me, in broken English, how much hot sauce I wanted
for the beef and bean burrito. I told him a half dozen of those
little plastic tubs would be fine. They look like miniature
"maintenance free" batteries made of the same materials.

The expression on his face can only be compared to a war movie
where the pilot of an enemy plane dives out of the sun on the
helpless victim. He put on a pair of heavy leather gauntlets,
welder's helmet, and reached for a pair of long, steel tongs.
A lead lined steel box was set in the concrete floor with a
radiation alert label on the lid. He reached in with the tongs
and removed six tubs; neatly dropping them into my bucket, as
I jumped back to avoid flying sparks.

On the way out, I glanced over my shoulder at Pancho who was
stenciling a new miniature American Flag on a board hanging from
the wall. This guy was an ace many times over, judging from the
number of flags that covered the board.

I pointed the old Chevy pick-up for the mountains again with my
window rolled all the way down, as Gerry, the masochist, tears
streaming from the cherry red eyes, happily munched on her
burrito. Cricket had buried herself in a pink asbestos blanket,
knowing that a careless spark striking her fur coat could
transform her into a crispy critter in a flash.

What happened next was my fault. Normally, after arriving at the
ranch, I bury any unused salsa tubs in the open field, six feet
under and 100 yards from any living plant or critter. It's the
closest thing to a toxic waste dump in these here parts. I
should have known better because despite many years as a
landscape contractor I have never been able to get a lawn, a
tree, or any kind of plant or flower to grow on that spot. I
hope the critters who make their home here will forgive me
someday.

When I first saw Snuffy and Stumpy together they reminded me of
Laurel and Hardy. They are a pair of grey field mice who are
roommates sharing the bottom file drawer located in the garden
shed. Snuffy was so named because he has hay fever all year
long; and Stumpy for obvious reasons – lost his tail in a
hunting accident. He was being hunted by Russell the rattler at
the time, who misjudged the opening that Stumpy was squeezing
through. Old Russ was pretty sore, having broken his nose and
fracturing a tooth with nothing to show for it except an inch
of Stumpy's fat tail.

After we settled in and before the pick-up was cold, Snuffy, led
by Stumpy, made a thorough inspection of the cab looking for
tidbits and scraps of food.

Stumpy was the first to spot the eerie pulsating light emanating
from the glovebox. Upon inspection, he came across a single tub
of salsa that I had forgotten to bury. Being somewhat of a
selfish glutton, he tore open a corner of the tub and gulped
down the whole thing.

Too late, he realized he must have gotten into what the humans
call "a stash." Gasping for air, he could not imagine human or
beast snorting and shooting this stuff into their bodies. By
now, Stumpy was deaf and blind. Little Snuffy took his friend
by the whiskers leading him toward the garden shed. With only
25 feet to go, Stumpy gave up the ghost, rolling on his back
with his little fat feet pointing toward the moon, that great
orb of cheese where he would rest for eternity.

Snuffy dashed for safety when he heard Russell, who had been
attracted by all the noise, coming out from under our old
riding lawn mower. He rattled to himself with unexpected
pleasure as he realized his good fortune. Dessert and settling
an old score in one gulp!

Russell would be missed around the ranch. He had just entered
his ninth season, helping us to keep the varmit population in
check and scaring the wits out of trespassers by hissing and
shaking his tail at them.

Over the years he survived a blizzard of caliber .223, .38,
.308, 11 buck, .45, rocks, bottles, bulldozers, lawnmowers,
dunebuggies, and dirt bikes, but it was the sauce, disguised
in a FAT MOUSE BURRITO, that finally got him! He was the best
security snake I ever had.

Elmer, the golden eagle, couldn't believe his good fortune
either when he spied Russell from 2,000 feet. They had grown
up together, but were mortal enemies knowing that someday one
or the other would eventually succumb to fangs or talons.

Elmer was suspicious because by this time of the morning Russell
should be resting under a rock or in the wood pile at the back
of the garden. Elmer, who fancied himself as a hot shot flyer,
cut power and lowered his flaps as he circled above the cold,
hard body of Russell who was stretched out stiff and rigid on
the lawn, looking like a three foot long rolled taco.

Elmer wasn't as sharp or as aggressive since he lost the
territorial dispute with the Sheriff's ASTREA helicopter last
spring. Most of his feathers have grown back, but he still has
dizzy spells from time to time. Ah, but that is a story in
itself for another time.

Elmer suddenly swooped, throwing caution to the wind, making a
fast snatch and grab on the rolled taco that once was a very
handsome red Diamondback buzz tail.

Twenty minutes later, while cruising at 5,000 feet, Elmer's
eyes began to cross and a fire suddenly erupted in his tail
section when he began to feel the full effects of the
combination plate lace salsa.

The end came swiftly, as he spun into the lawn near the garden
shed. At the last possible second he managed to spread his wings
enabling him to crash land near the riding lawn mower. He tore
up 30 yards of grass, leaves, and mud before coming to a halt
upside down.

The impact saved Elmer's life. The force of it knocked the air,
Stumpy, Russell, and salsa right out of him.

When Elmer regained consciousness, he managed to hobble over to
the pond, with the aid of a broken tree branch under one wing,
to put out the fire in his beak.

Coy, the coyote, at first thought he had seen a meteorite
because he had never seen an eagle up close before. He could
eat anything, and often did just to survive, but this bird
looked and smelled bad. "Yucka!"

Elmer threatened to brain him with his tree branch crutch if he
came one paw closer. Coy decided he wasn't THAT hungry anyway.
He did an about face, scratching dirt and grass from the lawn
all over Elmer like any sensible animal covering up a mess,
before trotting off across the lawn.

Elmer eventually recovered to become a reborn vegetarian and
anti-helicopter activist.

Mother nature (aided by my gardening skills) required a full
season to purge the lawn and garden of the awful evidence that
claimed two critters and nearly a third. Gerry wanted to move
the half-completed house to another site, to avoid the large,
blackened and charred area of dead ground that was now part of
our front lawn. I stood firm, though. Two years of construction
workers tramping back and forth over our landscaping was enough.
Besides, the half-life on salsa is fairly short.

Meanwhile, yup, back at the ranch, Snuffy adopted a new
roommate, Augie and they moved into the newly completed
greenhouse. Gerry insisted that the dead area be covered over
and the greenhouse was just the thing to bring life back to that
part of the landscape. Augie's sort of a clutze so they
compliment each other. Rastus, Russell's cousin, moved into the
garden to take over Russell's old job; and Pancho's was closed.

The Fire Chief told Pancho they would let the old stand burn to
the ground next time, after putting down the sixth incendiary
fire in as many months. On top of that, the insurance company
tore up Pancho's policy; and the Environmental Protection
Agency launched an investigation. It was too much for Pancho
who returned to the land of his ancestors, the Aztecs.

And our house? Well, even though we managed to cover up the
damage of the salsa environmental attack with a brand new
greenhouse and refurbished lawn (ain't sod great!), the house
is still unfinished. Not to worry, though, our ranch is a work
in progress that takes me away from the hubbub of my landscape
business... so I can get involved in the hubbub of doing the
same landscape and construction work for myself that I do for
others all week long.

Well, that's the tale. My neighbor is indeed a real landscape
contractor with a large grounds maintenance company. I've been
to his ranch a few times and can confirm that the place exists
as described, greenhouse, lawn, grounds, unfinished house and
all. But as he related this story to me, on that hot, summer
day, he had a strange twinkle in his eye. So, is it true? I
can't say for sure, but after a chance meeting with Rastus by
the riding lawn mower, I'm willing to believe it.

__________________________________________

About the Author:

Rich Showalter is a Contributing Writer for ProGardenBiz
Magazine, an online magazine for professional gardeners and
landscape contractors. Once Upon a Time... A Gardener's
Daydream is a regular feature in ProGardenBiz Magazine. Visit
ProGardenBiz to find out how you can get a
free subscription, start-up guidance, business ideas and
inspiration at http://www.progardenbiz.com.
__________________________________________

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