The Dwarf Burning Bush is so beautiful as it looks like a "bush on fire." Most known for its brilliant fiery red leaves in the fall, it also has unique lush green foliage in the summer and bright red berries in the fall. It makes a compact shrub that almost never needs clipping. Planted 2 feet apart, each fall it will produce a colorful wall of flame. The Dwarf Burning Bush tolerates almost any soil and reaches a height of 6 feet.

A great selection of variegated red-twig dogwood that has great foliage in summer and outstanding red twigs in winter—sun to part shade.

By Tamara Galbraith

I recently ordered an absolutely obnoxious amount of Louisiana irises for fall planting and, while reading about their care, I was caught by the phrase "prefers slightly acid soil."

Guess what? The soil in my area is notoriously alkaline. So how will I go about lowering the soil's pH to make it a little more acidic in the bed where my Louisianas will live?

Well, there are several additives that can be mixed into the existing soil to lower pH. Sulfur, in the form of ground rock sulfur, is a good choice. Very little - as in about 1/4 cup - is needed per square yard to lower the pH a full point, so be sure to test your soil first. Mix powdered sulfur into the top three inches of soil before planting.

Coarse peat moss is another amendment often recommended for raising acidity. Two things about peat moss, however: it is of no nutritional benefit to the soil, and when dry, it can form a crust that actually repels water.

Watering-in certain acid-containing liquids can also help. A handful (about 1 oz.) of Epsom salts dissolved in a gallon of water works well, as does 1 cup regular apple cider vinegar per gallon of water.

In the end, the best method is, of course, the more natural one. Sawdust, chopped leaves, and pine needles, especially, are wonderful, nutritious sources that can be added to soil for your acid-preferring plants, like azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries and yes, Louisiana irises.