We had a caller to the Garden Segment of the Rosie On The House Show last week asking “how she could save her 35 year old plant”. This is not that unusual a call or question.  My question, is what is the real value of that plant or the entire landscape, and what do you expect from your landscape?  I am perplexed that folks would spend many times what the replacement value and certainly the original purchase price of the plant in fertilizers, soil additives, magic potions, etc to try and save or “resurrect” the plant. Usually my question back to them is how long do they expect their dishwasher, water heater, refrigerator, etc to last. These much more expensive household products last nowhere near as long as most plants. We  generally have no issue coming to the decision that replacement or remodeling is the right move vs. repair. So perhaps we need to change the way we look at our outdoor living space, especially in light of the current economy. Your landscape is the first thing you see when you pull up to your house, it may be the last thing you see when you leave. How does it make you feel when you come home? How does your neighbor across the street feel when they walk out their door every morning? For what can be a very small “investment” you can change the look and feel of your entire home. In the case of the caller mentioned, one $35 plant may have give the look of her home a whole new feel. Certainly for much less than a kitchen or bath remodel you can give your whole front and back yard a whole new and refreshing look. A properly placed tree can save you money on your utility bill and you might just like your yard so much that staying home instead of taking an expensive vacation to some exotic resort would be just the ticket for the old retirement fund! My guess is you’ll be a whole lot more popular with the neighbors as well!
I would challenge you to really take a look around you this fall and objectively evaluate what your landscape looks like. Is it everything you want it to be? Does it improve the value of your home or your lifestyle? Do you have a garden or just a “yard”. Harper’s and the Arizona Nursery Association are joining together to promote the benefits of plants. We’d love to help you make the answer to the above questions a resounding YES!. Give us a call if you’d like to have us come out and evaluate your landscape, or hellp you turn your yard back into the garden it was meant to be-that is after all where we were meant to be! “JUST PLANT SOMETHING”!!                             

• Edible Landscape Class at our Mesa location Saturday at 9am.
• Link To Register For Edible Plant Class
• Sun Country Iris Society Rhizome Sale at our Mesa location Saturday 9/24 at 9am until 2 or while they last!!

The Harper Boys

1830 E McKellips Rd Mesa 480 964 4909        www.HarpersNurseries.com 2529 N. Hayden Rd Scottsdale 480 946 3481