Page 18
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Father and Daughter Owned & Operated
T HE H OUSE
OF
Lots of upsides to hill planting
g our
Servin
Vegan te la Chocole Mo st time
P IPIAN
e fir
for th
F INE D INING
February 22, 2013
Vegetarian, vegan friendly & gluten free Don’t miss out on Adelio and Ivalina our unique & delicious desserts (925) 914-0395 Like us on Facebook 2118 Mt. Diablo St., Concord For reservations
memoscuisine.com
tonack y a D otlu p pm 0 5 0 4, 9am-3 Feb.
Chil March 3 i Co 10am ok O f -3pm
2
6096 Main Street, Clayton, 673-0440 Entertainment from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
February 22, 23 . . . . . . . . . . .Blues Healers March 1, 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Desert Moon March 8, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tone Pony Karaoke Mon. & Wed. nights
Open Mic Thur. nights, 8-11 pm
www.claytonclubsaloon.com
2 for the price of 1
Beer only. Good anytime with original coupon. Exp. 3/14/13
f
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL Our Clayton Valley landscapes have their share of hillsides. Steep hills, slopes, gradual hills, you name it. These pieces of property have been challenging to plant for many. It is hard to find the types of plants that deal with hillside’s extreme conditions. When looking at a potential hillside to develop, consider the layers of the area. In flat situations the desired look is a layer from small sized plants, to medium and eventually large. With hillsides think differently and install the plantings from small to large and medium towards the top. Large sized plants on hillsides should be those that are multi-trunk shaped. Great multi-trunk large sized plants for hillsides would be the Smoke Bush, Crape Mrytle, Viburnum and Arbutus. All of these thrive in our hot sun; they are all clay tolerant and waterwise. The Smoke Bush has desirable red foliage and great fall color. This multi-trunk tree will reach eight-feet tall and wide. Crape Myrtles are available in many colors and mature sizes. Their trunks become smooth with age and are stunning to look at. Viburnum is a family of spring blooming deciduous trees. The Rosea has a round, ball shaped flower that resembles a hydrangea. The fall color of this Viburnum is a reddish-orange. Arbutus is an evergreen multi-trunk tree for a hill-
Family owned & operated since 1981
side that can reach 15-18-feet tall and wide. This selection has dark green leaves and a fabulous peeling cinnamon colored bark. Planting on a hillside reveals the Arbutus best attribute, its legs. There are many medium growing shrubs that thrive on Clayton Valley hillsides. This list is long. Some of the fastest growing favorites belong to the Lavantera family. This group of semi-evergreens blooms with hibiscus-shaped flowers of deep pinks, light pinks and purples. Several members of the Barberry family are also desirable hillside installations. The Rosy Glow and Crimson Pygmy are among the most popular. Dwarf Little John Bottle Brush is always a great consideration. The flowers are very hummingbird friendly. Little Ollie Dwarf Fruitless Olive shrubs are great hillside additions. The evergreen gray foliage provides contrast. Dr. Hurd Manzanita is another sturdy evergreen medium. Plant
the medium growers closer to the fence lines. As the taller, multi-trunk selections mature, they will expose the medium growers above them. Lower growing shrubs for hillside applications are the evergreen Myoporium, Grevillea Low Form, Correa, Ceanothus Yankee Point, Lantana and Manzanita Emerald Carpet. All of these choices are evergreen and their varied blooming seasons makes them great companions. Plant groups of three or five of the same, then introduce a different low grower. Mass is important on a hillside. Grevillea Low Form is in bloom January through March so it would be a nice companion planted with a mass of summer and fall blooming purple
Lantana. Amending the soil where you are planting is very important. Add soil conditioner at the time of installation and then annually to keep the ground accepting of water. Top-dress hillsides with a nice layer of shredded cedar bark. This will help keep your plants moist in the summer, warm in the winter and keep some of the weeds down. Applying shredded bark is almost an annual event. It may be a drag, but it is part of having a nice hillside.
For the Books, from page 16
becoming better readers. Every person belonging to a book club should have a copy of this book, and don’t be surprised if you turn back to at least some of “Good Prose” before you’re halfway through the next book you read.
rehearsed. It has a franchised feel, like the chain restaurant that tells its patrons ‘you’re family.’” This quote is less curmudgeonly than it is cautionary of the overuse of whatever happens to be the trendy “voice” of the time. Although the book is authored by both men, there are excerpts that are strictly each
writer’s own and identified by his initials. Their relationship, as told in Chapter 8, is written with warmth and honesty. From the “Introduction” to the “Notes on Usage,” no part of “Good Prose” is unimportant. I’m sure any number of future writers will benefit from “Good Prose,” but I’ll bet an even larger number of people will benefit by
Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. Contact her with questions or comments at gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com
Sunny Solomon is a freelance writer and head of the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com for her latest recommendations or just to ‘talk books.’
Our passion is pets.
SAVE THE DATE April 20th, 2013 Call to reserve your prime selling spot! Come to Rodie's to sell your tack and find other horse owners selling theirs!
10:00am - 2:00pm
Community Tack Sale Raffle prizes, BBQ, horse vendors & more!
$
7 Off /bag
Rodie’s Honey
CANIDAE
Local Clayton Honey
Chicken & Rice
From Rodie’s own hives.
30 lb. bag
2 lb. Jar: $24.99 1.5 lb. Honey Bear Bottle: $18.99
Sale price $36.99 Reg. $43.99
FREE Truck rental
34.99
$
Slow Green Feeder Slow down those fast eaters!
Provides mental stimulation Reduces risk of vomiting Dishwasher safe
Did you know we have Storage too? Lowest rates in the county
Open 7 days
(925) 672-4600
Mon - Fri 10 to 6
Sat 9 to 6
Sun 10 to 4
8863 Marsh Creek Rd. in Clayton
www.rodiesfeed.com
2 outstanding meals served daily Weekly housekeeping & fresh linens Concierge style service Chauffeured transportation daily On-call 24-hour professional staffing
Extensive program of diverse recreational and cultural offerings Full service beauty salon Community gardens for green thumbs Library and computer center