Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- July 22, 2008
New style of gardening reduces environmental footprint (:47)
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Suggested Intro:
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS GARDENERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST OF KEEPING A LUSH, GREEN GARDEN THROUGH THE BROWN DAYS OF MID-SUMMER. BUT A HORTICULTURIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES PRESENTS AN OPTION THAT USES LESS WATER. MORE FROM GARY ABDULLAH:
Story:
(:17) IT'S CALLED XERISCAPING, AND IT COMBINES NATIVE PLANTS ADAPTED TO THE REGIONAL CLIMATE WITH WATER- AND NUTRIENT-CONSERVING TECHNIQUES TO CREATE A VIBRANT GARDEN WITH THE SMALLEST POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT. PENN STATE EXTENSION HORTICULTURIST ROBERT KESSLER SAYS, COMPARED TO A ROCK GARDEN, A XERISCAPE MAINTAINS VISUAL INTEREST:
Kessler Actuality:
(:17) "YOU CAN HAVE SOME ROCKS IN BUT THEY DON'T OVERTAKE YOUR LANDSCAPE. THERE ARE TREES, THERE ARE SHRUBS, FLOWERS, THERE'S GROUND COVERS, ORNAMENTAL GRASSES, FLOWERS WITH DIFFERENT COLORS. IT'S NOT A VERY STERILE LANDSCAPE AS SOME PEOPLE MIGHT IMAGINE AND IT CAN BE VERY COLORFUL."(:13) KESSLER SAYS A WIDE RANGE OF PLANTS CAN TOLERATE LOW WATER CONDITIONS, SO GARDENERS CAN ENJOY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LOOKS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON XERISCAPING, CONTACT THE MASTER GARDENERS PROGRAM THROUGH YOUR COUNTY PENN STATE EXTENSION OFFICE. I'M GARY ABDULLAH.
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