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This summer your vacation plans may include some hiking, as it is so easy to just go camping, or hiking instead of spending money on flying somewhere and hotel rooms.

Remember to consider yourself like a guest at someone's house, and be respectful towards nature during your visit. There are things to remember while hiking to minimize the damage of your presence. For instance, taking your pet monkey as shown in the picture (or maybe that's a dog), raises your level of ecological impact. Other examples include to remember to stay on the trails. Stepping on flowers and into the fields of flora and fauna is damaging. In case you were wondering, you can actually kill some flowers by stepping on them. Picking at trees, moss and bark is damaging to the trees. And of course it goes without saying that you shouldn't litter. Even throwing rocks or sticks seems harmless enough, but it's really not. You run the risk of disturbing animals, and when they feel threatened they just might come looking for you! More tips on HIKING TIPS

There are little worlds in every group of living things witnessed along your hike. What appears to be some rocks or a fallen branch somewhere is actually home to living creatures and plants. Like the saying goes, take a picture, it'll last longer!

Just like the scale of impact would imply, mountain bikes cause the most damage, hikers cause some damage and then there are the Barefoot Hikers! Yes, people are causing 'virtually no trail erosion' BAREFOOT HIKERS hiking trails in their bare feet. Sounds like good times.

If you don't know where to hike check out www.localhikes.com and get going!

Aggressive insects like mosquitoes get us so frustrated with their overwhelmingly annoying prescence that it can highten your aggravation to a level where you just want to grab the spray can, and just kill them! kill them all! Before you get to that point, a couple of alternatives can be implemented to ease the rage.

Plant Lemongrass. Like the famed citronella candle your outdoor parties may be void of unwanted insect visitors if you add a few lemongrass plants to your landscape. Plant citronella, otherwise known as 'the mosquito plant' it is the magical scent that makes the famed candles effective. Horsemint, catnitp and peppermint are a few other herbs to add to your mosquito repellent entourage.

Other ideas include, burning candles with herb myrrh. Myrhh oil added to the wick of a candle, or the incense when burned keeps mosquitos at bay.

You could also form your own army by inviting more mosquito predators to your yard. These include, the guppy, the dragonfly, birds, and bats. Yes, bats, they can kill 'between 600 to 1000 insects, mosquitoes included, and mosquito-netting.com also tells you what plants attract these predators. The gecko feeds on mosquitoes too, and might be kind of cool to have around.

Mosquito dunks are a once a month treatment to kill mosquito larvae. They are claimed to be a biological pest control, and are non-toxic. Once you dunk one in any water beds around your yard the larvae will die by the birds and fish, etc. won't. If you don't dunk all of your 'dunks' you can keep them around for years to come and they will still remain effective. Check out www.gardeningwithease.com to read about and purchase your dunks.

All this preparation may not be enough to completely keep the mosquito away, but the odds of it extending the life of your outdoor party by a couple of hours will be looking pretty good.

One of the biggest 'wows' you'll find is after you read about James Lovelock, along with Chris Rapley's idea in the works to 'stimulate the Earth to cure itself -- see Newspapers are Online Brands

It all comes back to Algae.  It's really great to know that slimy stuff that can surprise you off your raft and creep you out as it slithers around your calfs has a magnificent purpose that's being taken to a whole new level.  

They do this all with pipes that pump up the cool water from the bottom of the ocean to the top of the ocean, bringing the nutrients along with it, mixing and creating the blooming algae. Algae blooming in vast amounts to absorb carbon dioxide greenhouse gas. In addition, the algae releases a 'chemical called dimethyl sulphide that is know to seed sunlight reflecting clouds.'

Another factor that makes this technique a big wow for me, is the perspective behind it. Lovelock and Rapley are trying to boost the ecology, speed up what's already naturally taking place, to neutralize some of the damage, where we got ahead of nature. In this way, it doesn't seem to be a band-aid or a promise, but an appropriate response that would provide some real results.

Factors to consider include how the engineering would directly effect the immediate ecology, the ocean itself, and this factor is something they are still exploring. But the exploration is hopeful. The scientists seem to be thinking their solution just needs to be given a chance, that the risks are low enough to put the plan into action.

Obviously anything that can be done sooner than later should be done sooner than later, given the global climate circumstances. It's amazing the ideas that scientists, and people are coming up with, and this one just might work!

     Green building now offers so many material and design alternatives sometimes it can be overwhelming. Today I would like to run through some of the competing benefits of installing a solar vs a living roof. This would seem to be fairly simple and straight forward but actually many factors are involved. Let's stick with the purely environmental benefits.

-The idea with solar power is that the power you produce on your roof doesn't have to be produced at a coal fired plant or by some other harmful means somewhere.

-The idea with a living roof is little more nuanced- in that you are recovering the space for flora (carbon reduction) which has been displaced by your residence, improving your insulation, cooling your roof, all while mitigating the urban heat island effect.

     So what is actually more beneficial for the environment? Guess what- It is somewhat a matter of perception and is very involved if one is trying to quantify. It comes down to a complicated equation. (doesn't it always?)
First you have to figure out how much power your hypothetical solar roof will create over the course of it's lifetime. Then you figure out how many emissions would be produced if that power was created via conventional means. This is how many emissions aren't being created because you aren't consuming the power that would have necessitated their creation. However the production and disposal (or recycling) of solar panels (and the energy required to do so) creates it's own set of emissions which must be subtracted from that original total-emissions-avoided number. So what your left with is the total amount of carbon emissions which aren't being created due to the total lifespan of your solar panels. This emission reduction is the environmental benefit of your hypothetical solar roof.
     On the green roofs side you must calculate the entirety of carbon emissions and pollution which are being breathed and processed by your rooftop plants in the course of your roofs 40 to 80 year lifespan and ad to that the carbon emissions avoided from the energy savings reaped from your insulatory and roof cooling benefits. The complexity of variables such as plant type and energy-use-avoided are staggering.
That is why I pose the conclusion that it simply isn't generally feasible to quantify/compare the 'exact benefit' of these two alternatives because there are so many ancillary factors involved. There are a few definite things to consider though when making your choice;

•  A living roof is going to be more beneficial in an urban setting in the sense that it provides a place for plants where there is none. This is also where the "urban heat island" exists. (not to mention storm water mitigation, air quality improvement and aesthetic value)

•  Foot per foot over equal time periods the emission reduction/avoidance is probably greater from a solar roof when you consider how that energy might otherwise be produced in the current social environment. (see next bullet) On the other hand theoretically this energy can also be produced elsewhere or by other renewable means whereas the flora that is able to grow on a living roof in a city would otherwise have nowhere to grow.

• So many little factors are involved that you really need to consider how optimal your location is for either or both. If your in a sunny rural area (with high energy prices)solar may be the way to go. If your in a predominantly cloudy urban setting then your a great candidate for certain living roofs. One thing to consider is that if your just going to be using much of that solar energy on extra power for air conditioning or heating, then a living roof might be just as good in terms of 'cutting out the middle man' and naturally keeping your house a little cooler, and/or better insulated.

I hope this was helpful and as I am not an environmental engineer or scientist I have much to learn about this overall issue as well. Please don't hesitate to comment.

http://www.builditgreenconcepts.com

'If only',... is definitely the precursor to an invention that makes something easier. If only I could ride my bike to work, if only I had an electric bike, and if only I could convert my regular bike into an electric bike then I could ride my bike to work. There in exists the E BIKE CONVERSITION KIT, at www.grenbikestore.net. I saw this great idea on GOOD DAY LA and I was pretty impressed. On their web-site, it looked like the convertor kit was small and about 500.00. Best of all, you can do it yourself. I don't have a car or a bike, but I know I sometimes think, 'if only I had a bike', so I know I would eventually think an electric bike conversition kit is an even better idea. I'm sure you've noticed the spelling, conversition, I don't know if this is a misprint or one of their own product names, but that's the way they are spelling it.

If you ditch your car and ride a bicycle to work you are obviously reducing carbon emissions, by the thousands in some cases. But let's not overlook the other reasons besides being environmentally friendly, for going bicycle. They are, no insurance payments, no license/registration to buy, and my favorite is that I can't shop too much because there's no where to put bunch of stuff on a bike. So less consumerism.

What makes it a bicycle instead of a scooter, or motorcycle, is how fast you can go. It's still a bicycle if you can only go up to 20mph. You are still pedaling, it is just assisting your action. At www. e-bikekit.com, they have a conversion system that can get your bike up to 20 mph, and driving a 10-30 mile range. An electric motorcycle goes about a 60 mile range. I liked e-bikekit.com's web-site a little better, than the one 'seen on tv'. It is very descriptive and practical, which makes me believe that I can actually get it to work.

Now, if only the government helped me pay for it. Oh wow, that's next it looks like, or in the works, at www.e-ride.ca.

Ah, the 100K House. Finally someone did an experiment to see how low they could go while designing a green home. They are aiming for LEED Platinum, no less. This house sparked a discussion at the LinkedIn Affordable Green Homes Group: Does green affordable have to be ‘modern’ when most people like traditional style homes?

When it comes to ‘traditional’ home styles, there are a lot of decorative aspects that are very costly. The goal of green affordable housing should include options that allow for ‘traditional’ features, but the quality of material and space, daylight, views, energy consumption and private/public space integration should be of higher importance than things like excessive trim when money is the most pressing control over a green design. You could argue that the quality of home building has declined in part because the public feels that traditional-style features like trim are mandatory for a ‘good-looking’ home, urging them to spend their limited budgets on tacked-on architectural elements like faux brick and stone, instead of things that really make a home enjoyable and healthy.

Perhaps what you are feeling is that modern prefab architecture lacks a vernacular identity (FOR ALL NON-ARCHITECTS, THAT MEANS REGIONAL STYLE). I would also agree that this is unfortunate, but there are many cases in which a standardized, affordable home gains its own identity from its inhabitants, rather than from the designer.

Last week at Boston Society of Architects’ monthly “Conversations on Architecture” Rahul Mehrotra spoke about his project located outside of Jaipur, India that will provide housing for elephants and their keepers’ families. At ten dollars per square foot, stone walls and light frame roofing shelter both people and elephants. No decorative elements were included in the design, and someone asked, “Why not?” Mehrotra answered that his hope was that each family will move in and decorate entryways and walls themselves, giving each home a unique character. The project is on hold due to lack of funding (at $10/square foot… the excavation portion of this project is more costly than the homes themselves) but I can definitely see this post-move-in decoration happening upon eventual completion of the project. This is much more reflective of the people that live there than any “traditional” architectural elements. This minimalist attitude is what would get this project built so as to make homes for the otherwise homeless. Keeping our sights on this goal of affordable green housing is important. A flexible design that can be erected almost anywhere and endure the climate is necessary to meet the goal.

Ultimately, no style of architecture is unique. It’s a style, a fad, something that we may like or hate, as a group or individually. It is something that we copy over and over until it starts to give a location or region a sort of definition; think Swiss chalet.

Swiss Chalet

The 100K home breaks down basic elements that make the indoor space of a home and tries to amplify the benefits of ceilings, walls, floors, and windows to help make the most of very little. I feel that the designers did a wonderful job of transforming a little bit of material into a high quality space with multi-functionality- something that every family with small pockets needs. Tacking on traditional elements to this home could easily bring up the cost another 50%. When this means the difference between making the mortgage, and making the mortgage and putting food on the table, you begin to see that the traditional elements are not as critical as just getting by.

At some point, designers must give up the thought that their skills will be required with each family in need of an affordable home. For some people, the need for a clean space in a sturdy structure is more important than individuality. The 100k House has perhaps a far too unique facade, that when replicated, is too recognizable as the same as the neighbors model. A change in exterior color and a simple re-arrangement of windows could fix that issue. The 100k team already about of that: facades. If you consider the beautiful light achieved inside the 100k home, which splashes down the open stairwell from the light scoop on the roof, you can see that this highly affordable home is reaching far beyond what, typically, $100,000 would get you. Since this project was also publicized, the design team must have wanted to make a splash that would get some attention as well. So that can be taken into consideration- if this exterior material had been one color and the windows were all symmetrical along the building, it would be boring and maybe even ugly. So again, I feel that this design is great and puts a little bit of material to good use, making the utmost impact on the world of uber-expensive, exclusive designs that are not feasible for the general population.

Surely, a family that can only afford to build a 100k house would be very proud of this residence, when compared to the alternative in Philadelphia. This listing is going for 100k… click the pics to see more 100k homes in Philly.

This post was submitted by ThinkDwell. Visit Our Blog. 

Loofa is eaten as food even though we know it as a sponge. It comes from the gourd family (like squash, so I'm going to have to go with the vegetable on this one), but is most often described as a fruit. It is called the 'dishrag vine', as the plant is a trailing vine. It's fruit appears in the summer, and they grow very quickly. They are eaten before full maturity, when they begin to become too fibrous, and take on the qualities of a sponge. www.wisegeek.com

Elsa Zaldivar is a community activist in Paraguay whose idea it was to begin implementing loofah as a construction material for building sustainable homes, www.inhabitat.com As necessity is the mother of invention, so was born the Loofah home. In Paraguay, deforestation has taken the wood commonly used for houses. It was Elsa's resourcefulness that began her innovation of using the remnants of the abundant Loofah fruit. She took her idea to the environmental ministry where trials were done with mixtures of recycled plastics to make a durable building product.

Loofah is grown to make things like shoes, as well as the cosmetic sponges which we are more familiar. From the production of these items comes some remnants, these are ground up and combined with the recyceld plastic mixture. The strength of a panel formed from the mixture can be produced in variations of durability, weight, and flexibility. In addition, color may be added to the mixture, - so you won't have to paint your house.  Even the house is recyclable too, as old panels can be reground, 'melted and formed into new panels', www.inhabitat.com.  The loofah house takes only three to four days to construct.  

The benefits of the Loofah Home is a new source of income for the country, as loofah is a key agricultural product of Paraguay.  This form of sustainable building is also providing low-cost housing, and reducing the need for wood to build their homes. Check out www.rolexawards.com for more information on Elsa's Recyclabe homes, a 2008 Laureate of the Award for Enterprise.

Well, it has been a crazy few weeks. We got my sister married off (and her husband's family is from Seattle so they came in early to spend time with their Virginia family here so it was not just a weekend but a nice time over awhile of the families coming together)... then I went to New York on business for about a week... (really, it was no fun *at all* ; ) ) Memorial Day Weekend appeared out o' nowhere, but finally, we were able to meet with Ron, our wonderful contractor, this weekend to plan the next phase of the prefab house kit: The Inside.

• To finish the house, we need financing. The financing we did earlier was to refinance our current home loan because interest rates dropped so much. Now we need to consolidate the *land* loan and finish construction. We're increasing the *land* loan by the amount we need to finish construction since a traditional construction loan in Virginia does not understand or value green building or off grid construction / systems. Once construction is complete and we have a certificate of occupancy, we have been told by mortgage lender of our first house that they will consider refinancing the land *and* house. Because co-op interest rates are higher, Handsome Husband projects that once we have a traditional first mortgage, the monthly expenses will remain the same after the construction is financed. So we will be paying about the same, to do more, after having finished the project!
• To get financing, we need to have a quote from our Fabulous Contractor, Ron Bernaldo of Giant Oaks Construction.
• To get a quote from Ron, our Fabulous Contractor, my Handsome Husband needs to give Ron details, a list of systems (down to the model number) so that the electrician / plumber can give us an accurate estimate.
• To get an estimate, we need to have the interior framing done.
• To have the interior framing done, we have to give Ron the customized floor plan. (Yes, people, these house kits are made so you can work with your contractor to make 'em as you want! We didn't change much, just added more room for systems and a nook & cranny for a bookcase...)

If ONLY the rest of the personal decisions we make as a family were as easy as it was erecting the actual house kit! So yesterday Ron was given the floor plan, a list of systems is on its way, and he starts the interior framing next Tuesday.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy pictures from this weekend's off grid prefab-ulous adventure at the end of this long and boring post.

We had some dear friends out, and it was amazing how *comfortable* the house kit was in the heat. Before, we rarely camped this time of year because the sun beating down on our little 1960's Scotty camper in the field was unbearable. In the house kit, it was breezy, comfortable, filled with natural light yet soothing and cool inside. In the winter, the dogs snuck into our beds; now they flopped, lazily collapsed on the concrete.

When I awoke last night to an unexpected thunderstorm, snuggled in my bed as it rolled, rumbling, in, I reflected how our visit in previous years would have ended first thing in the morning, packing up miserable muddy wet dogs and children in the rain. Instead, we contentedly listened to the rainfall as the children played together indoors while the adults slowly woke with steaming strong coffee.

In the house kit, the light was diffused and off the cement, not the sharp slants of light directly on the concrete as it is in winter. That was the first thing I noticed- that yes, the sun was not warming the floor but had moved higher in the sky, and thus prevented by the overhangs to heat. We opened the windows and let in a wonderful crossbreeze. The difference between lounging comfortably in the house kit to walking into the open field under the unsympathetic sun was palpatable- we all remarked on it.

Another thing I noticed was... how grateful I am I chose polished concrete. SO easy to sweep and keep clean. We also have recycled pallets at the doors which have been extremely useful to curtail the dirt- it looks coolio industrial, is recycled, and provides a great function.

We installed the screens, so we don't have to worry about uninvited animals/insects during the night entering from the open windows, and Handsome Husband and Mr. H stopped by the recycling center and plucked a nice tire to create a tire swing for the kids! We hung it off the old oak that shelters the picnic bench. Which, by the way, I picked up a *second* picnic bench for $5 at a yard sale so we can connect them end-to-end and have a fabulous banquet table for lots of guests.

And speaking of guests... we will have an open house in September!

More on this later, but if you would like to tour our prefab off grid zero energy house kit, there is a wonderful bike tour going on in the area on the weekend of September 26th. Bike Heartland is a fun bike tour that goes all weekend long through a gorgeous, historic area of Virginia. I am working with some local farms to have other activities like tours of natural, community supported farms, a winery that will be open for you to enjoy, and more, so pack yer tent and come on down! For more on accommodations, see here (camping at the Heartland Bike Tour), here (Charlotte Courthouse), here (Appomattox), and here (Farmville); and also be sure to visit Miss Emily's, where Necia and her husband will show you great English hospitality. (And boy does she know how to cook.)

So, next, we begin the interior framing. We install systems. We survive children out of school for the summer. ; ) AND some big family reunions scheduled... so June coverage might be a little spotty.

Even after the house is done, we continue crop tree release and increasing function-yet-preservation of the land, so that in a few short years we can be there sustainably full time.

P.s. This north middle window that will eventually be my daughter's room? The children discovered how to open it and then jumped from the sand pile into the house kit, in and out, in and out, in and out... hence my thankfulness on choosing the polished concrete, *again.* There must have been twenty times a day I was grateful for the concrete. Ah the spills. Oh the mud. Gee the sand. And the polished concrete took it, and looked gorgeous.

As a ‘hands-on’ gardener as well as freelance writer and landscape/garden consultant, I test plants/plant accessories at my Central VA garden site. Because I assume you likewise struggle with the affect of climate change, I thought the results of my 2008-9 effort would be useful. For details of ongoing activities, link to web site www.TheWrightScoop.com.

Description of 2008-9 Season - The 2008 spring planting season followed a Central VA winter water deficiency and then, experienced a late season snow (Easter weekend). When it was time to plant warmer season annuals/veggie garden, skies were overcast; temperatures cool and the area experienced too much rain. Next, periods of drought and 100 degree VA dog-days followed and by late August/early Sept a 3-week 100 degree spell compounded by drought occurred. Needless to say, this was a less than an optimal growing season.

Reacting to the persistent drought, I opt to winter-over (cut back and cover with 1 inch of compost) my perennial areas, forego watering the lawn and placed my focus on supporting the survival of trees/shrubs. Although we next experienced a winter of severe cold nights vs. unusually warm days, my garden experienced little or no plant loss. For details of eco-chic landscape/garden strategies, see http://richmond.housetrends.com/article.php?id=145, an article published with Richmond’s HouseTrends magazine.

During the spring of 2009, spring rains balanced the winter water deficiency, temperatures gradually warm and because of the somewhat ideal planting season, volunteer Japanese Maple tree, hellebores and peony seedlings occurred. And, due to the enticement to 'dig in the dirt', I acquired what I refer to as ‘hoe’ instead of ‘tennis’ elbow.

While I regularly haunt retail garden sites for cool plants, I specifically extend sincere THANKS to developer and/or vendors that offer the opportunity to ‘test plant/seeds’. For the results of my 2008-9 season, see below.

Brent & Becky Bulbs, www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com – Bulbs from this vendor are always a treat – durable unique blooming plants that bear well. For the fall of 2008, in addition to gladiolus and iris, alliums were supplied and are presently in bloom.

David Austin Roses, www.davidaustinroses.com – hearty plants, abundant blooms through out the growth season and limited susceptibility to traditional VA black spot and fungus.

Hound Dog, www.hound-dog.com – thank you for my ‘hand-held’ garden cultivator (weasel). It’s a great tool for breaking up compacted soil.

PDSI, www.encoreazalea.com - During prior seasons, I received shipment of Encore Azalea and experimented with exposure placement. I found related to Central VA that either a NW or NE exposure works best. Plants installed in the spring of 2007 worked-well until the winter of 2008-9. Due to the alternating 40 degree day vs. 20 degree night – Loropetaium experienced significant freeze/frost damage. On the other hand plants shipped the fall or 2008 (Southern Living Line/Encore Azaleas - Oakland Holly Ilex hybrid 'Magland' PP#14417, Robin Holly Ilex hybrid Conin PP#9486, Spring Sonata Indian Hawthorne Raphiolepis indica 'Wilcor' PP# 17972, Autumn Angel™ (Rhododendron Hybrid) Azalea x 'Robleg' PP#15227, Autumn Belle™ (New) Azalea x 'Robleo' PPAF, Autumn Moonlight™ (New) Azalea x 'Robler' PPAF, Autumn Sundance™ (Rhododendron Hybrid) Azalea x 'Roblef' PPAF) survived without damage and appear to adjust to the warming temperatures of late spring.

Proven Winners, www.provenwinners.com – perennials, hydrangea and roses ** as a special note - not only did the supplied 2008 begonia perform well in the heat and bloom all summer it survived the winter. Presently, the emerging plants are in leaf stage. Another personal favorite is the hardy ever-blooming hedge rose. These plants are also presently providing a colorful display.

Renee Seeds, www.reneesgarden.com – regardless of cool or warm season – veggie, flower or herb, I encounter almost 100% seed germination regardless of flux in temperature and at harvest, bountiful results.

Rich Earth, www.richearth.net – while I give full credit to Brent Heath of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs for inspiring me to compost, it is difficult to produce enough compost for extended gardens. So, when I was offered the opportunity to test Rich Earth products, I was appreciative. Not only did I find this product to ‘jump start’ deficient soil, I understand many developers and/or growers use the product in their plant initial growth stage.

Skagit Gardens, www.skagitgardens.com – perennials – 2008 shipment of rare and unique plants faired well through the winter and 2009 shipment recently arrived and is installed.

Weeks Roses, www.weeksroses.com – While I’ve purchased Week’s line of ‘knock out’ roses as container plants and they work-well, I’ve experienced problems with testing 'bare-root’ plants. Basically, I discovered ‘bare root’ plants shipped prior to the Christmas holidays do not survive and those shipped mid January, survive. Most likely the issue is too early shipment.

I hope you find the results of my 2008-9 Central VA plant testing useful. Please feel free to post what has or has not worked for you!

Ironic though it seems, nurturing your own habitat can start with fences.The right kind of fences of course.

Fences are a historic landscaping means to create a border, for privacy, and to keep out animals, or for security in general.

"Choosing softscape" fencing means uses plants and trees as a barrier, adding a natural aesthetic that is consider by many to be much more appealing visually. In many ways softscape fencing offers the privacy and security that is generally implied with hardscape fencing. In some ways it is actually more secure, with trees that grow in excess of the typical fence height of three to five feet. In addition, these plants and trees can be so dense that they are comparable to hardscape fencing in keeping out uninvited guests, like skunks and raccoons, etc. okay, some people too.

Trees and plants do so much more than just look good, maintain privacy, and provide security, they also help to restore the ecological surroundings. The plants and trees are natural insulators and can reduce the noise absorbing the sounds in your area. Once roots are embedded into the land where they are planted, the topsoil surrounding them increases in nutrients and creates a land lock for the nutrients to not be washed away.

In fact, Botanist Phung Tuu Boi introduced the plant, Gleditschia austalis as a fencing in areas where Agent Orange poisoned the land -- see www.nytimes.com/2007.  Gleditschia austalis was particularly chosen because for it's prickly cactus features. The land was given a chance to restore itself by keeping animals and people off of it, as well as for creating healthier topsoil and land lock.

www.fast-growingtrees.com has a greet display and description of fast growing trees that includes the height, growing zones and appearance. They even tell you what's popular if you have trouble making a decision over what will look good, and of course you can purchase them on their web-site. Some variations include The Holly Tree, which has look like a green hedge, the Chinese Privet which has a white color, and the Wichita Blue Juniper which has a blue color. Note that checking the zoning charts will let you know which plants will survive in your climate. the chart will also help you to determine if taller trees make better borders for you, as in windy or colder climates. And finally, a nursery will help you to find the native plants to your area.  

It's spring time-- go mend fences!