There are many homeowners who aspire to have an award-winning landscape. The trouble is, not every yard is a perfect canvas for plantings.In most cases, there are one or more spots in a landscape that can provetroublesome and require different strategies.

One such strategy is using suc -culents and rocks to contend with the weak areas of the yard. A rock garden accented with succulent plants can help make the most of dry patches or areas of steep inclines where planting lawn or other foliage is difficult. Other areas of the yard may be marred bytree roots or sandy soil. Providing remedies for these areas can be as simple as arranging low-maintenance plants and decorative rocks.

Succulents are plants that thrivewith minimal care and water. Theystore water in their leaves (cacti are a subset of succulents). Because they are drought-tolerant, succulents work well in sandy soil or areas that tend to be dry. They also produce shallow roots, which helps them thrive even in poor soil.

Many succulents are perennial plants, meaning they will come back year after year. They also work well in containers, which can be moved and rearranged to create different looks all around the yard.

Troublesome Landscapes?

Try These Ideas

To accent succulents in the garden,homeowners can enhance them withrocks and other decorative items.Rocks will help improve water flow and prevent run-off of soil.

Oftentimes, gardeners can take aclipping of a succulent plant and replant it somewhere else. This makes succulents an affordable addition tothe yard because they can typicallyspread and prosper easily.

Here are some popular succulentsthat can adapt to many landscapes.

• Hens and chicks: These spreading plants are low-growing green leaves that form rosettes. Each rosette can grow around 5 inches wide.

• Autumn Joy: This succulentemerges in very early spring and develops into a dense, cabbage-shaped plant. Late in summer the suc -culent will sprout stalks of pink-shaded flowers, which will darken to a russet hue as the autumn approaches.A perennial, this plant requires almost no upkeep.

• Yellow Ice Plant:A late-blooming,flowering succulent that features yel -low blooms against dark foliage. The foliage turns red in the winter.

• Agave: A large succulent with blade-like foliage. It enjoys full sunbut thrives in partial shade as well.

• Jade: The tree-like variety Crassulaovata can grow up to 6 feet tall. It pre -fers full sun and drying out between watering.

• Aloe: This healing plant is a suc -culent that can be a welcome addition to the landscape.

Troublesome areas in the landscape can be remedied with beautiful, low-maintenance succulent plants.

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36 Friday, April 29, 2011CITIZEN’S NEWS

SpringGarden Time

S pring H ome I mprovement

Few things are anticipated more in spring than the arrival of new leaves on the trees and budding flowers in the garden. A landscape awash with fresh colors can brighten the spirit and makeanyone want to head outdoors.

There are many different plants that begin to show their colors in the spring.A number of perennials, annuals and trees begin to flower or show new sprouts come the springtime. Here are some plants that can be planted for springtime enjoyment.

AnnualsLooking for first signs of color? Look

no further than these wonderful annuals.

• Alyssum: Starting in April, this cascading bounty of tiny flowers offers a sweet aroma that attracts butterflies.

• Dianthus: These vivid flowers also attract butterflies and are often a cottage garden staple.

• Gypsophila: Also known as baby’s breath, these delicate flowers can serve as filler in any landscape. Pink and white varieties are available.

• Impatiens: One of the best-known plants for the garden, these annuals come in scores of colors and can generally tolerate full sun to full shade.

• Larkspur: Belonging to the buttercup family, these flowers bloom in shades of white to violet.

• Pansy: These flowers are some of the earliest spring bloomers, arriving alongside spring bulbs like tulips.

• Petunias: Petunias put on a show of color through the entire season, making them a popular bedding flower.

Perennials

These plants will come back year after year and offer spring shows.

• Cherry blossom: The flowers that sprout on cherry trees are some of the first signs of spring. Their pink or white buds are often a spectacle, so much so that towns and cities hold cherry blossom festivals.

• Columbine: These beautiful blooms attract butterflies and can be a nice part of a garden bed.

• Jacob’s ladder: Variegated foliage that is dappled with violet-colored flowers can add a sweet smell and visual interest to the garden.

• Primrose: These flowers come in avariety of shades, making them versatile in any garden. They also tend to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

• Sweet violet: These fragrant flowers are edible as well as attractive. These plants can self-plant, so unless a gardener wants them to spread, theyshould be kept contained.

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CITIZEN’S NEWSFriday, April 29, 2011 37