Garden Tips Spring 2007
		Garden Design
		Here it is, the first day of spring and I'm starting to get the gardening bug. Of course, it is too early in Northern Michigan to plant anything, but there is always garden cleanup that can be tended to. The one project I am looking forward to starting soon is removing those "foundation shrubs" from the front of my house. I'm sure you know what I'm referring to, the shrubs that were planted in the front of most houses for years. When ours were planted, they may have looked fine the first few years but by the time we moved in they had outgrown their location and had already been pruned a few times. With the hopes of finally changing this front landscape, I have been reviewing garden plans and researching plants this past winter. While I came up with several possibilities, we have decided to start with a few hollies and decidous shrubs. The rest of the area we will fill in with annuals this first year. While the hollies and decidous shrubs can be pruned, I was careful to choose ones that would fit the area at their mature height and width. Whether your garden project consists of planting a container for the patio or renovating your backyard, the following websites may provide some inspiration.
		Rain Gardens of West Michigan Great Lakes Ecosystem Rain Garden Designs
		Department of Horticulture - Michigan State University Planning and Designing with Annuals (pdf file)
		GardenGate Magazine Create a Hummingbird Haven - Backyard Hummingbird Border
		GardenGate Magazine Side Yard Getaway
		GardenGate Magazine 3 Fabulous Foundation Gardens
		Bordine Nursery Ltd Care Sheets, Perennial Gardens - Mini Sketches
		Fine Gardening Magazine Redesigning the Backyard
		Designscapes, Inc. Garden Design With Annual Flowers
		Applied Ecological Services, Inc. Native Landscape Design