Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Sunday - February 21, 2016
From: Kennewick, WA
Region: Northwest
Topic: Planting, Shrubs, Trees
Title: Spacing for Dogwoods and Cotoneasters
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
How close should Dogwoods and Cotoneasters be to bricks?ANSWER:
How close Dogwoods (Cornus) and Cotoneaster should be planted to bricks is a difficult question to answer without knowing more details. Dogwoods can be shrubs (Cornus sericea) or trees (Cornus florida) and Cotoneaster (a non-native) can be a dwarf groundcover (Cotoneaster dammeri) or a shrub (Cotoneaster ludicus). So spacing is determined by the ultimate mature spread of the plant. Also, it is unclear whether the bricks in question are forming a walkway or the side of a house. In any case give the plants extra space to grow and for sun and air circulation around the plants.
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