The local businesses that have donated to the event reads like the “Who is Who” of the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Some of these local businesses are:

• Conner Prairie Interactive History Park
• The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
• Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
• Church Brothers
• Indianapolis Zoo
• Indianapolis Museum of Art
• Indianapolis Business Journal
• A Taste of Indiana
• Anytime Fitness
• Classic Cleaners
• Curves
• Emily Volgelgesang
• Footlocker
• Greenwalt CPA’s
• Jiffy Lube
• Joe’s Grille
• John Deere Landscapes
• Kroger
• QuickShred
• Sahm’s Bar and Grill
• Scotty’s Brewhouse
• Shadeland Flower Shop
• Stone Center
• The Grill
• The Wine Guy
• Tiffany Lawn & Garden Supply
• Trader Joes
• Vera Bradley

The celebration starts at 5 pm and will continue to 9 pm. Friends, family, clients, suppliers, and the public is invited.

Complete with live entertainment, food, beer, wine, games and prizes, the 50th Anniversary guests will enjoy of a unique presentation of the signature landscapes created by Mark M. Holeman Inc. The 50th Year Anniversary Celebration is free.

Since its founding in 1962, Mark M. Holeman,Inc. has created countless distinctive landscapes and with them has established a reputation for excellence. Knowing that a landscape is never finished, the firm prides itself on the many lasting relationships it has forged with its clients and their evolving landscapes.

Mark M. Holeman, Inc. is a full service landscape firm that for more than 50 years has been providing design, construction and maintenance expertise to residential, commercial and institutional clients throughout central Indiana.

Click here to register 

Celebrating 50 Years of Creating Timeless Landscapes in Indianapolis

Please, be our guest to the…

Mark M. Holeman, Inc.

50th Anniversary Celebration

on June 1st, 2012 5pm to 9pm

at Mark M. Holeman, Inc. 7871 Hague Road – Indianapolis, Indiana

• Music by Built for Comfort

• Food by Black Diamond BBQ and Catering

• Charity auction benefiting Little Red Door Cancer Agency

• Drinks, games, and prizes for children and adults

RSVP: 317.849.3120 – Trent Spence or Click Here

Rain Gardens! That seems to be a hot topic now in the landscape world. Exactly what is it and why should we be so interested in having one for ourselves?

There is much interest today in protecting our world. One thing each of us can do to help a little is to build a rain garden on our property. Simply speaking, a rain garden is a dished out area of a yard that allows rain water from gutters and downspouts, sidewalks, driveways, swales and other run-off to collect and store.  While the water is stored it is given ample time to be absorbed by the soil as sediment and pollution are absorbed by plant roots. It does not have to be a large area; most are very modest in size.  The actual size can be determined by simple calculations relating to the size of surface area drained.

The idea is for the soil to absorb and clean water and keep it from running off into storm sewers along with the pollutants and sediment. The rain garden is a tool to help keep streams and lakes clean. As water passes across yards it collects fertilizers, animal waste, and other materials. As it flows across streets and parking lots a rain garden can collect and filter de-icing salts, oil, and other chemicals.  Since most of our drinking water comes from our waterways it has to be treated and filtered before we can drink it. This is an expensive process. Helping to reduce the runoff with a rain garden on our property is just one thing we can do to help clean up our waterways.

To enable a rain garden to work, the soil needs to be porous so water can be absorbed.  A simple porosity test should be performed. Some soils may need to be amended. Plants that have deep penetrating roots are also needed for a functioning rain garden.  Plant selection is an area that needs to be thought out carefully.

Plant water needs are critical in the planning stage. Plants that prefer moist soil should be planted in the deepest areas of the garden and those that prefer drier soil should be planted on the upper edges. Also, consider the amount of sunlight the area receives. Select plants considering their light requirements.

A well planted rain garden is a very beautiful thing to see and adds interest to the yard. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife are naturally attracted as well.

When planning for a rain garden it’s always best to consult your experts. At Mark M. Holeman, Inc. we can help you with every detail. We work with nurseries that grow native and exotic plants for this use.  We can create the look you want in the proper location with the correct plants to make your rain garden a delight. Call us when you are interested and let’s see how we can work together to make it happen.

A few weeks ago we enjoyed some beautiful eighty degree, sunny days. After not having much of a winter at all, it felt as if we were rolling right into summer. This warm weather has fooled plant material and us as well. People have the ability to realize that this weather phenomenon was fleeting at best. But plants have no reasoning abilities and they were tricked for sure. 

Everything started to grow as if it was really time to emerge from dormancy. Perennials sprouted new foliage, bulbs shot up, flowers and leaves of shrubs and trees emerged. It appeared as if everything was bursting into bloom at once. We had dogwoods, redbuds, lilacs, tulips, daffodils, azaleas, forsythia, magnolias, and hellebores all blooming at the same time. Although it was a joy to look at it, the spring flower display period was severely shortened. And the display was a month early.

Now, lately, we have had at least three nights of freeze warnings and subsequent hard frosts. What was hurt and what wasn’t? How badly were plants injured?

The tender perennials were definitely dealt a blow, severely damaged tender foliage wilted. Mophead hydrangeas suffered leaf burn, but the flower buds seemed unhurt. Foliage on Japanese maples was also burned, but the tender stems seemed undamaged. New growth on yews, boxwood, and magnolias suffered a great deal. Flowers on some viburnums were destroyed. Just today I saw young leaves on oak trees an unfortunate crispy brown. Again, though, I haven’t noticed any stem damage. I think we fared pretty well and were very lucky it didn’t get much colder than it actually did. The winds also helped keep the frost down.

I’m sure the damage was different in different places. Micro-climates and plant locations are important factors in determining frost locations and plant damage.

What to do now? My short answer is “not much.” The burnt foliage will wither away and fall off. New leaves will emerge. If my assumption that new stems were undamaged is correct then the plants will fully leaf out and recover well. If the symptoms of stem damage do appear later on during the growing season then some judicious pruning will be necessary. If that is the case then prune back to healthy stems and/or buds.

It appears that some of our spring blooming plants are still going to perform. Rhododendrons are just now breaking bud, they will be delightful. The warm winter resulted in an abundance of healthy flower buds. The later blooming hydrangeas will perform as well. The mild winter was kind to last season’s stems. And, of course, the summer perennials will still put on their show.

So, not to panic, clean up some of the injured plants and look forward to a great growing season. Since experiencing our mild winter and crazy spring, and contemplating all the weird weather that’s been going on the past few years, it appears that there is no normal at all. It also reinforces the theory that when landscaping, always try to put the right plant in the right place. At least that gives the gardener a fighting chance.

A wooded lot is an attractive feature for many prospective home buyers, and those who currently live on wooded sites know the value of the privacy it affords and the beauty of the changing colors of the trees each fall.  But more often than not these areas are simply left as they are and viewed from afar.  While the natural beauty and function of woods is great, these areas are actually ripe for improvement.   Woodland gardens are an opportunity to take an underused area and transform it just as you would any other outdoor space. 

While these sites do have some limitations, they present some interesting opportunities as well.  Groupings of mature trees create a latent sense of enclosure with natural pathways and unique viewsheds.  Dappled sunlight through the foliage adds to the atmosphere.  Unexpected clearings can provide relief from crowded surroundings and a splash of sunlight from above.  However, sometimes there needs to be some human intervention to shape the spaces to fit our needs.  Many times unmaintained wooded areas are severely overgrown and in need of thinning and clearing to create the right environment.  In this case, careful selection of the valued specimens from the weed trees is essential.  It’s important to limit the clearing to modify the site for your best use while still maintaining the natural beauty that we love.  Other sites may be especially barren from the forest floor to the canopy, and in need of vegetation at the human level.   For these areas an informed selection of plant material is needed.

While most plants thrive on both sunlight and water, many plants have adapted to fit the shady conditions of the woodland understory.  As anyone familiar with the Masters golf tournament knows, there is nothing quite like the springtime floral display of azaleas and dogwoods in a wooded setting.  These plants are particularly suited to the woods edge where they have a mix of shade and sunlight and are particularly attractive against a wooded backdrop.  In western Pennsylvania, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater is recognized as one of the great works of residential architecture in the world.  Those familiar with the home know the importance of the woodland garden to the building itself, filled with beautiful white and light pink blooming rhododendrons perfectly suited to that ecosystem.  Another useful and interesting woody shrub for this environment is Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis), which produces a very interesting and very early season bloom, before the overhead canopy has yet to reappear.

Perennial plants that appear across the forest floor are what really add life to a woodland garden.  Two familiar and popular plants perfect for this application are hostas and ferns.  They are attractive, reliable, provide great textural interest, and are available in a vast number of varieties with various colors and sizes. Other perennials for these sites that are native to the habitat of the deciduous forest of Indiana are columbine, Solomon’s seal, and wild ginger, which can form a mat of glossy green foliage across the forest floor.

If you are fortunate to live in a naturally wooded setting think about how you could get even greater value and enjoyment from your surroundings by creating a woodland garden.  The creative and knowledgeable staff at Mark M. Holeman, Inc. can work with you to develop a beautiful and well-designed woodland garden that creates a unique outdoor space from an overlooked part of the landscape.

Frequently when speaking with a prospective client we are asked to make a yard beautiful by installing a carefully planned garden that requires no maintenance. After quietly chuckling to ourselves and shaking our heads we try to explain that there is no such thing as a no maintenance garden. We can however produce low maintenance gardens that can tailor to people who want to do little or no outside work. 

Careful consideration of the planting palette can lead us to recommend plants and planting styles that help reduce the need for high intensity gardening labor. Cultural practices become a key factor as well.

Let’s start with cultural practices. Always start with a clean slate. Weeds are the gardener’s main enemy, so when installing a new planting be sure that the site is weed free. This will reduce the amount of maintenance labor by a great deal. An application of herbicide to existing weeds is a good start. Wait a couple of weeks after application and determine if existing weeds are dead. A second application may be necessary. After the weeds are successfully killed, remove the foliage. In preparing the soil for planting it is also a good idea to incorporate a pre-emergent herbicide into the soil mix to control any weeds that might germinate from seed. Weed seeds are able to lie dormant in the soil for a very long time and cultivation of the soil can stimulate them to sprout and grow. Always stay ahead in the battle with weeds.

Mulching is also very important in the maintenance program. It reduces the need for excessive watering and also helps control weeds.  Another trick to use against weeds is also high density planting. A garden that has plants very close together can reduce the amount of weeding required. A tight garden can also eliminate the need to mulch regularly, there is simply no place to put any mulch and this technique can save a lot of time. We would much rather see garden plants than look at a sea of mulch with a few plants scattered here and there.

The use of goundcovers in a planting bed can also eliminate the need for extensive weeding. Just remember, start clean and stay ahead of the weeds.

Plant selection is very important. Instead of planting annuals year after year, consider using perennials. Perennials require much less labor and keep on giving long after the first year they are planted. Select plants that have few pest problems. Native plants have excellent pest resistance and generally don’t become invasive.  The use of dwarf trees and shrubs can help reduce the need for pruning labor. Placement is key also. Don’t put a plant in a place that will require a lot of pruning. Select plants that look good in their natural state. A formal garden requires a lot of pruning, so steer away from the sculptured look.

Finally, consider the perfect lawn. A perfect lawn requires a lot of maintenance including regular mowing, fertilization, irrigation, and weed control. Instead of a lawn consider a low stature prairie planting. Once established the meadow requires only the annual mowing and occasional weeding.

In conclusion, there are many ways to make beautiful low maintenance gardens that do not require a lot of excessive labor. When considering a new planting think about what you want it to look like and consider the amount of work you want to put into it. Careful planning and smart culture makes gardening tasks fun and not burdensome.

Controlling weeds in your lawn is easiest in a healthy, thriving lawn. By following good cultural practices in maintaining your lawn, you can stave off weed infestations. With a proper fertilizing program, mowing at a height of at least 3 inches, and watering correctly you will be ahead in the game.  There are a number of ways to eliminate weeds before they germinate and control them after they have started to grow.

Weed control usually begins with crabgrass pre-emergent. This should be applied in spring, usually before April 15^th in central Indiana.  A good indicator that it is time to make this application is when the forsythia blooms. This signals that soil temperature has warmed up enough for crabgrass seeds to germinate.  Applications made after this point may be too late. A pre-emergent application is usually made with a granular product and must be watered in with rainfall or irrigation to be effective.

In general, most perennial weeds, such as dandelions, clover, thistle, creeping Charlie, and others, should be targeted in fall. This is usually done around the time that leaves on the deciduous trees begin to show fall color. Targeting weeds at this time of year is the most effective because perennial weeds are moving nutrients down into their root system to store for winter.  Herbicides are easily moved throughout the plant by these physiological processes. Focusing on eliminating weeds in the fall can also be beneficial to gardeners because it lessens the chance of injury to ornamental plantings. There are a variety of products and mixes that will selectively control broadleaf weeds in turf. Different products have different active ingredients that will control certain types of weeds. Remember to always read labels and follow instructions.

Weeds such as yellow nutsedge, crabgrass, nimblewill, and others that thrive in warm weather should be targeted as early as possible in their life cycle. This is usually around late May. All of these weeds can be controlled selectively without damaging turf. Application should be done as frequently as the label allows, to prevent these weeds from becoming established and causing future problems.

In summation, there are dozens of products for weed control and it is important to select the right product for the weed you would like to control.  However, by focusing on the timing of the application, you are much more likely to have success in controlling weeds. Feel free to contact us if you are having a specific problem with weeds in your lawn. We also provide a lawn care service for those who feel more comfortable having a professional applicator control weeds in the lawn.

This is the year of lost seasons, we might as well throw away the calendars and daily planners because they are not timely concerning garden tasks. So, now that Spring has exploded in all its glory we are faced with the game of catch up in spring landscape cleanup.

By this time, any of the perennials or ornamental grasses that were not cut down last fall or winter should be cut down immediately. Some of those plants that are cool weather lovers have already pushed new growth. So, the task of foliage removal will be quite tedious with them. We really don’t want to cut off new growth. Sometimes, if the old foliage is somewhat rotted, we are able to simply pull off the dead leaves with our hands. Otherwise, sharp pruners or hedge shears can be used. Take your time and do a nice job. For large plantings of robust grasses a string trimmer can make short work of a big job.

Bed cleanup will be a little tricky as well as the deadheading. Leaves, sticks, and other debris must be removed before mulching begins. Clean out the debris and pull weeds that have bolted do to the extremely warm weather and recent rain. “Tiptoe through the tulips” is the catch phrase for this year’s spring work.

Part of Spring cleanup can also incorporate some pruning. Shrubs such as the later blooming spiraeas can be cut back severely. Remove one third of all the canes at ground level and reduce the height of the remaining ones to about one foot. This will create a vigorous new shrub with great blooming potential this summer. Don’t prune early blooming shrubs, such as viburnums, until after they bloom. Prune them immediately after blooming if you want to reduce their size or thin them out. Don’t prune again later in the summer because you will remove next year’s flower buds.

After deadheading, pruning, weeding, and general bed cleanup, edging and mulching can be accomplished. Application of an organic fertilizer prior to mulching will be quite beneficial.

This year Spring work will be a little slower than normal due to the rapid growth we are witnessing. At least it will be quite pleasant to be in the garden due to the vast amount of flowers and the early arrival of songbirds. Our friends, the wasps and bees, are out early also, watch out for them. They are great pollinators, so just avoid them, don’t kill them. One other hazard is intense this Spring. Allergic reactions to the immense amount of pollen everywhere are quite intense. For those of us who suffer it is quite challenging. Happy gardening and give Mark M. Holeman, Inc. a call if you have questions or if we can help.

As spring approaches, homeowners are eager to get outside and decide what they want to do in the landscape. Many times this involves the lawn and lawn fertilization is a key element. There are a few simple steps to follow in order to keep lawns looking healthy and vibrant throughout the year.        

There are a multitude of fertilizer products on the market each with its advantages and setbacks. Remember to always follow the manufacturers’ instructions and calculate the square footage of the lawn.  Always follow label directions.  This will let you know how much fertilizer you need to buy, and also if you are putting down the right amount during the application. In general, high value lawns should receive three to five pounds of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. per year. However, the timing of when this fertilizer is applied is crucial. Spring is when grass begins to green up and flourish, but it is the work that was done in the fall that has the most impact this time of year.

May

May is the third most important time of the year to apply fertilizer to the lawn. At this point, the turf has undergone a flush of growth in the spring and is beginning to run out of nutrients. An application at this time of year will help to replenish these nutrients and keep the grass green and healthy going into summer. Fertilizer rates at this time of year should not exceed 1.0 pound per 1000 sq. ft. and should be no more than 50% fast release nitrogen.

September

In order of importance, September is the most important time of the year to apply fertilizer. In conjunction with moderating temperatures and the return of consistent rains, the energy given to lawn by fertilizer this time of year helps turf fill in and recover from the stress that it endures in summer. Fertilizer applied at this time of year should be a mix of fast release and slow release nitrogen sources and be applied at a rate of 1.0 – 1.5 pounds nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft.

October-November

The second most important time to apply fertilizer to turf is in late October or Early November. At this time of year the lawn is almost done growing, but the turf will take up the nutrients in the roots and save it until temperatures warm up in the spring. As spring progresses, new growth will be green and vibrant due to the extra energy from the fall application. The application at this time of year is most often referred to as a winterizing fertilizer and should be done with a nitrogen source that is solely fast release and be at a rate of 1.0 pound per 1000 sq. ft.

Fertilizing at other times of the year should be done with discretion. Applications done in early spring are acceptable but should not exceed 0.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. Applying too much fertilizer at this time of year can cause excessive growth of blades at the expense of a poorly developed root system. This creates a host of problems as the heat of summer approaches and plants with underdeveloped root systems do not fair well. Likewise, fertilizing in July and August can cause more stress to plants already under stress from hot and dry conditions. Fertilizing at this time of year should be done at low rates and only with slow release fertilizer. Besides stressing the turf, applying too much fertilizer can also burn the turf if it is too hot and dry.

In general, by focusing on timing and rates of fertilizer applications it is easy to be successful managing your lawn. If you have additional questions about how to make your lawn thrive, feel free to contact us. If you feel more comfortable with letting a professional handle this for you, Mark M. Holeman, Inc. is here with a variety of lawn care programs to meet everyone’s needs.

There are many popular landscape trends to consider this spring when you are ready to upgrade your outdoor living space. Major projects might include an outdoor fireplace, outdoor kitchen space, pergola, new deck or paver surface. However one of my favorite and less expensive projects is a simple butterfly garden.

Butterfly gardens are predominately perennial gardens incorporating plants and elements butterflies need for their high energy life cycle.  This life cycle includes egg, larvae, pupa, and adult all in one year. So finding the right plants that satisfy their demands for food, shelter, mating and reproduction are critical for success.

First – Look at SPACE

The first item to be determined is the space. The area doesn’t have to be monumental but should be large enough to offer a variety of perennials and shrubs, and an area that gets more than a half day of sunshine. Butterflies are most attracted to plants that like to grow in sunny locations and offer an abundance of color. I like to find areas near a deck, pool or patio so that frequent interaction with this gentile, flittering insect becomes part of the allure.  The next step would be to prepare the soil with a rich compost material and add a general purpose fertilizer to the soil prior to planting.

Seond – Prepare the Soil

Once you have determined the space for your garden and prepared your soil you are ready to select and install your plantings. Beyond Buddliea (Butterfly Bush), I like to use as many native shrubs and perennials as possible. Along with being great butterfly magnets they are perfect for our Indiana soils and climate. The plant pallet should include a variety of plants that will offer year round interest and seasonal color, and have few insect problems since insecticides are deadly to butterflies and should be planted in small masses. It is important to remember that although butterflies are around in early spring and summer they are most active during latter parts of summer and into late fall. Plants such as Panicle Hydrangeas, Asters, Rudbeckia, Joe Pye Weed, Iron weed, and sedums should find space in the garden.  Other elements to consider adding to the garden include several flat stones so butterflies have a place to rest and warm themselves and also a shallow water source. This can be accomplished by providing a small bucket of sand with water, an old bird bath top, or a large stone with a depression that will hold water.

A well placed and thought out garden can offer years of enjoyment and pleasure with minimal maintenance and keep these wonderful whimsical insects coming back year after year. It is one of Mother Nature’s great rewards to spend a late summer day on the deck or patio observing these graceful creatures as they move about the garden. Reminding one that gardening is fulfilling in many ways.

Third – Enjoy

When spring arrives and outdoor projects begin to show up on your radar, consider updating that ugly space you have been staring at all winter by inviting these flying guests with this colorful display of trees, shrubs and perennials.

I have included a short list of trees, shrubs and perennials that are great for the overall life cycle of the butterfly and should be considered when developing your garden.

Butterfly Attractors

• Amelanchier (Serviceberry)
• Celtis (Hackberry)
• Hamamellis (Witch-Hazel)
• Lindera (Spicebush)
• Viburnum dentatum (Arrrowood)
• Aesclepias (Milkweed)
• Aster
• Carex (Sedge)
• Coreopsis
• Echinacea (Cone Flower)
• Monarda (BeeBalm)
• Solidago (Goldenrod).