In the more dormant months of January and February, you'll see Solterra maintenance crews cutting back ornamental grasses and liriope, as well as pruning shrubs like crape myrtles. 

There exists a misunderstanding that Crape Myrtles have to be "whacked back" before they will bloom again.  This is not the fact.  We do minor rejuvenation pruning in keeping with best horticultural practices which helps plants remain healthy and prevents aggressive top growth in the spring.  

Proper pruning of Crape Myrtles invloves removing competing inner branches and any low sucker growth. Over-pruning of crape myrtles looks like the inner photo on the right and is bad for several reasons:

1. It turns beautiful trees into ugly stumps.
2. It increases the susceptibility to fungus and other diseases.
3. It prevents the formation of pretty, mottled bark on maturing trunks.
4. It creates skinny, whip-like sprouts from the end of each ugly stump. These whips are too weak to hold up the flowers, so the branches often bend to the ground, like a drunk who's about to lose his lunch.

Click Here for a link to what Walter Reeves, says about "Proper Crape Myrtle Pruning".  [Walter Reeves is a local host of "The Lawn and Garden Show with Walter Reeves" on WSB 750 AM and 95.5 FM, Saturdays 6-9 am], a TV host, author, and speaker on landscaping related topics.

Contact Jason to learn more about becoming a Solterra maintenance client.  

Fine artist Elizabeth Samoluk serves on the Homeowner's Association board for Glenridge Park condominiums, one of Solterra's maintenance properties. As part of Elizabeth's series featuring cityscapes, Dixie commissioned her to paint the Bank of America Plaza building. Dixie says, "The Bank of America Plaza is my most favorite building in midtown Atlanta. As the tallest building in Atlanta, not only is the height extraordinary, the top spire of the building looks like spun gold. Elizabeth captured it splendidly in this painting."

Elizabeth said, "We have wonderful buildings in the Atlanta area. I believe drawing is the basis of art and I began this series as a way to practice drawing architecture. Each of my cityscape paintings is created Plein Air, meaning in the open air. Done 'on location,'  both drawing and painting are completed in a single two to three hour session. I use this style of painting with outdoor scenes of flowers as well as buildings. The immediacy of plein air allows me to create paintings with dynamic energy by capturing light,  shadow, or a particular mood."

See a gallery of Elizabeth's art and find out more about her at www.elizabethsamoluk.com.

A fun fact you might not know:  

When construction of the Bank of America Plaza was completed in 1992, it was the 9th tallest building in the world and 6th tallest building in the United States. The spire on top looks like spun gold because it's covered in 23-karat gold leaf.