In Minnesota flagstone (or limestone) can be used to make beautiful, naturalistic retaining walls. The only thing is, the wall can break apart if the limestone is not the right kind for building walls. Different quarries have different grades of limestone, and they can vary greatly greatly in quality. This limestone wall was built by a previous homeowner out of a “local” limestone from a quarry nearby. He probably got the stone for the right price (free)! After a few years, it began to crumble and fall apart and it had lost its structural integrity and was starting to collapse. The reason is that it is a soft limestone, which absorbs moisture. Because of that, the freezing (expansion) and thawing (contraction) action of the ice crystals in the limestone due to our our Minnesota winters caused it to break apart, crumble, and eventually start to collapse.The best material for flagstone walls is found in Wisconsin. Because of shipping costs and the extra labor it takes it to make a good limestone wall, the cost of replacing a wall of this size can be a stretch on the budget.

After we explored different alternatives, the client decided on a block wall with a weathered look, and colored to match the brick on the house. Because of the location, we had to bring in a backhoe to remove the old wall and excavate for the new wall and step system. Because the wall was located next to a well head, the excavator had to be extra careful not to hit the main water line going in to the house.

I added a few curves in the wall to soften the look, and added a planter at the top of the steps.The steps were also made out of the same material.

There is more to building this wall than just stacking the blocks. We had to install an anchoring system behind each wall to prevent the wall from getting pushed out by water pressure (officially called hydrostatic pressure), along with gravel and tile for drainage.
We added steps along the house, along with some planters. A small landing gives an opportunity to change the direction of the steps to lead up to the back yard, and also gives it a more restful look.

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

Designing and landscaping small spaces is one of my favorite things to do. I tend be be somewhat of a private person myself, so I enjoy creating intimate, private spaces. There is something therapeutic about being outside, yet having that feeling that you are still “in your room”. Sort of like relaxing in your den or your favorite chair after a long day. There are a lot of things to consider when landscaping a small space, but I will hit a few of the basics

A well designed space can be the difference between actually enjoying spending time in the space, or just looking at it from your window, wishing you would have spent your money on that new hardwood floor. .

Just like a room in your house, your outdoor room also has walls, a floor, and a ceiling. The walls could be a hedge, your house, a fence, or even a low flagstone wall. The ceiling could be an arbor, the canopy of a large tree, or even the sky. The floor, can be composed of any number of things, including a patio, a walkway, planting beds and even your lawn. Consider how you want to incorporate these elements in to your space to create your outdoor room. In the job we did in photo at the left, the walls are a lattice fence, the house, and a small detached garage. The sky is the canopy of a shade tree, and the floor is combination of a paver patio, a raised planting bed, some lawn, and a flagstone walkway. The raised planting bed could also be considered part of the wall. (Click on photo to enlarge)

Don’t be afraid to consider breaking up your room into into smaller segments. This can create interest and also give you the feeling that it is actually a bit larger by creating depth. Make sure you keep it in scale, however. For instance, don’t use pieces of flagstone in your walkway that are too large, or a plant that that has large leaves instead of one with a finer texture that will look better in a narrow planting bed. In these photos I used a walkway, raised planting beds, and a small patch of lawn to break up the space. The lattice fence screens the area from a neighboring daycare center. The lattice-work creates privacy without feeling too boxed in.

In the lower left photo, the boulder in the foreground and the trunks of the Pagoda Dogwood in the background add a feeling of depth.The Pagoda Dogwood forces your eye to follow the sidewalk around it to the entrance, adding an illusion of a larger area.The wooden steps are actually quite close to where I was standing when I took this picture.

Right: A little serendipity never hurt anybody! In this picture, a small, old stature my client picked up is combined with a birdbath. You can find them hiding on a low stone seat-wall in among the ferns.

The photo at the below is the view of our pond from our bedroom window, and shows what can be done with a problem area. The pond itself is only 11′ by 16′

If you would like help on a landscape design for your home, just give me a call or e-mail me and I will be glad to help.

Posted By Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

This is an updated version of the plant care sheet that I give my customers. Feel free to copy it and keep it in a handy place.

Evergreens: Evergreens that grow continuously can be pruned or sheared anytime during the growing season (except late August, which can increase the risk of winter-burn). Plants in this category include: Junipers, Yews, Arborvitae, and Hemlock. If this is started early and done on a regular (2 times a year) basis, your plants will retain excellent form. Pine and Spruce normally put on a single flush of growth, then stop. If you are trying to maintain them at a specific size, (such as Mugo Pine), prune back 1/3 to 1/2 of the new growth (called candles) in early spring. Pruning of evergreen trees will be minimal, especially once they are established. Left photo: Dwarf Mugo Pine

Shrubs: Timing the pruning of flowering shrubs will depend on when they form their flower buds. Early-Spring flowering shrubs, (those that bloom on previous years wood, such as Azalea, Forsythia) shold be pruned immediately after flowering. This allows new flower buds to form for the following Spring. Mid-Spring-to-Summer flowering shrubs, (those that bloom on current year’s wood, such as Gold Flame Spirea, Hydrangea and Potentilla) should be pruned in early Spring and cut back 1/3 to 1/2 to keep them full. Shrubs not grown for their flowers can be pruned anytime, but an early Spring pruning before leaf-out allows the new growth to cover up the pruning cuts. Overgrown shrubs can be renewed by cutting 1/3 of the older branches to the ground (such as Red twig Dogwoods). Right photo: Endless Summer Hydrangea

Trees: Pruning can be done any time, but early spring is probably the best time. Look for crossing branches, diseased or dead wood, weak branch unions, suckers and water-sprouts,and overall aesthetic shape. EXCEPTIONS: Don’t prune Oaks (especially the Red oak genus) or Elms between early/mid April and July 1st. The risk of Oak Wilt and Dutch Elm disease is much greater at these times. Others to watch are Hawthorne, Mountain ash and apple trees, all three which can be susceptible to fire blight, especially if planted in a poorly drained soil. It would be a good idea to sterilize your pruning tool with a 10% chlorox solution between cuts.
Don’t worry if, when you prune your maple or birch, it starts bleeding (oozing sap). It may be unsightly, but it will not harm the tree.You can avoid this by waiting to prune until the leaves are full size. Don’t try to stop it with tree pruning paint. It won’t work!
Unless absolutely necessary, be careful not to top your tree. Topping will result in a flush of new growth and in the long run will be more unsightly than if you had done nothing.
Above photo: Prairie Fire Crab.

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landsvcaping, Northfield, MN

For more detailed info I recommend the following websites: The first is an excellent fact sheet put out by the University of Minnesota. The second resource is put out by the federal government that is a liitle more detailed with more pictures.

With the picnic and outdoor cooking season here, it might be time to try something different in your culinary endeavors! I thought the following article might be of interest to the Northfield community. I ran across this Yard and Garden brief about edible flowers written by Ginny Coyle of the University of Minnesota Extension Service. She gives some good tips and provides a lists of flowers along with comments on each flower variety. I hope you find it helpful. Happy gardening (and cooking)!

Current interest in herb growing and adventurous cooking has led to increased use of edible flowers. Floral ingredients add flavor, texture, color and excitement to many recipes. The addition of vibrant nasturtiums or pansies can transform an ordinary salad.

There are several things to keep in mind however when cooking or garnishing with flowers:

• Be sure the flowers are not toxic and are safe to eat.
• Remember that “edible” does not always mean “palatable.”
• Take care that the plants were not previously treated with pesticides.

To ensure that your plants are pesticide-free, grow them yourself from seed or buy organically grown plants. Edible flowers may also be found in the produce department at some grocery stores.

It will be easier to care for culinary flowers if they are grown in containers. If you are vigilant, you can eliminate the need for chemical applications. Common insect problems such as slugs or spittlebugs can be controlled by handpicking. Aphids and mites may be washed off with water from your hose.

Precautions: Many plants create toxins to discourage animal or insect damage. The same toxic chemicals can also injure humans. Never experiment by eating plant parts unless you are sure they are harmless. Often only a particular part of the plant is edible. For example, rhubarb stems may be eaten, but not its leaves, roots or flowers.

If you know one part of a plant is safe to eat, do not assume that all parts will be. Check a reliable reference such as those listed at the end of this Brief or the AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, published by the American Medical Association.

The source of flowers to be eaten is also very important. Garden center plants may have been treated with systemic pesticides to prevent insect damage or diseases. Older gardening books may not address previous chemical applications or may just suggest washing the flowers. Current recommendations are that flowers never be eaten unless the plant was grown “organically.”

Serving suggestions: The word “edible” means you may safely consume the flower. Unfortunately it does not always mean the flavor is appealing. Some flowers (eg. lavender) have a bitter or astringent taste and are best used as a garnish.

When seasoning with edible flowers, taste test and try to match the flavor to the recipe. Sweet or floral scented blossoms can be used to decorate desserts or garnish cold drinks. Peppery nasturiums, cucumber- flavored burnet and chive blossoms add interest to salads.

Blossoms should be harvested the day they’ll be used; try to pick no more than one day early. Wash the fresh flowers gently and set them aside to dry. Refrigerate them in plastic sandwich bags until you use them.

Remove interior flower parts such as stamens and styles of larger flowers (i.e. squash or tulips). These are tart tasting in some flowers. The white part at the base of hollyhocks (the calyx) is bitter and should also be removed. When serving flowers fresh, add them to your dish just before serving.

Flower The flowers are edible on all of these plants.	Scientific name	Additional comments
Alpine Strawberry	Fragaria alpina	Leaves often used in tea
Anise Hyssop	Agastache foeniculum
Apple or Plum	Malus species
Beebalm	Monarda didyma	Taste may differ by cultivar; avoid ‘Panorama’ as the taste is too astringent
Begonia	Begonia x tuberhybrida
Borage	Borage officinalis	Leaves also
Calendula	Calendula officinalis
Chamomile	Matricaria recutita	Flowers have an apple scent and flavor
Chives	Allium schoenoprasum	Blossoms and stems
Daylilies	Hemerocallis species	Buds are good stir-fried
Dill	Anethum graveolens	Flowers, seeds and foliage
English Daisy	Bellis perennis
Gladiolus	Gladiolus species
Hollyhocks	Alcea rosea
Honeysuckle	Lonicera species
Lavender	Lavandula angustifoliaor officinalis	Bitter taste to flowers, but wonderfully scented. Neither is fully hardy in Minnesota, but either may be grown as an annual.
Lemon Balm	Melissa officinalis	Leaves and flowers are scented.
Lilac	Syringa species
Marjoram	Origanum majorana	Leaves are often dried, but can also be served fresh.
Mint	Mentha species	Leaves can be used fresh or dried.
Mustard	Brassica juncea	Leaves and young seed pods can be eaten.
Nasturtium	Tropaeloum majus	Both flowers and leaves have a peppery taste, so use sparingly.
Pansy	Viola species
Petunia	Petunia x hybrida or species
Pinks	Dianthus species
Rose	Rosa species	Use petals.
Scarlet Runner Beans	Phaseolus coccineus	Bean pods toughen as they age, so make use of young pods as well as flowers. Please note: Sweet Pea flowers are not edible.
Sage	Salvia elegans	Leaves fresh or dried.
Squash	Curcurbita species	Flowers can be stuffed or fried. If female blossoms are picked, however, the fruit will not develop.
Tulip	Tulipa species	Use petals.

Last season I told you about a project we were doing in Northfield called Walls, Steps Systems and More. Here’s some photos of the finished project! What a difference this job made to their front yard!

The bluestone Patio is up next to the house and is the
highest point of the front yard, with great view of St.Olaf college and the St Olaf practice fields. Cobblestone is 1 -1/2 thick and is laid in an ashlar pattern

A nice accent that our clients added was a stone bench.
We had some stone left over, so what better way to use
it that to make something useful!

This entry system was designed by the always excellent Spencer Jones and installed by Grove Landscaping

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN