Earthly Garden

If you live on a windy landscape where the wind whips through like crazy, here are some planting tips that can help you out.

1. Determine the direction of the wind. It can change from season to season so check with your local weather bureau to find out what direction the wind will blow during what time of year.

2. Install a fence that allows the wind to pass through with ease. This is a better wind breaker than a solid fence. A solid fence can force the wind upward and then down creating more wind than before.

3. You can also create a wind breaker with trees like pine, fir and even some varieties of spruce trees. And make sure the wind breakers are at least 12 feet tall.

4. Be sure and water and mulch the plants that have been wind blown each fall to help them survive better during the winter months with drying of the roots and the plant can occur.

5. You can protect newly planted trees and other plants with a roll of plant netting. You can also place stakes in a triangle around the plant and staple the plant netting or even snow fencing.

• Here are some plants to consider in a winding location:

1. Perennials:

a. Agave
b. Aloe
c. Blue fescue
d. Daylily
e. Lamb’s ears
f. Lavatera
g. Red-hot poker

2. Annuals and Biennials:

a. Black-eyed Susan
b. Candytuft
c. Cornflower
d. Money Plant
e. Petunia
f. Pot marigold
g. Prairie primrose

3. Trees and Shrubs:

a. Alder
b. American arborvitae
c. Austrian Pine
d. Barberry
e. Colorado Spruce
f. Downy birch
g. Dwarf cotoneaster