Carmen Cosentino
Special to The Citizen
Once in a while, I have mentioned shrubs in this column, but I do not believe that I have ever devoted a whole column about them. The time has come!
Shrubs can be a vital part of our landscape, a transition between low-growing annuals and perennials and trees. Shrubs can be a focal point along a garden wall, or the corner of the house. They can replace an unsightly wood fence. Shrubs can be evergreen, like a Japanese yew, or deciduous, like a lilac. Shrubs can give us beautiful flowers from spring through late summer, impressive fall foliage and berries to feed our friends the birds.
Carmen Cosentino
Special to The Citizen
Today I was in Ithaca for lunch with my nephew Tom. Tom is a research scientist in astronomy at Cornell. We had a great time for nearly two hours. Suddenly, it was time for him to get back to his work and for me to get back to Auburn.
I called in and it was an unusually slow Monday, so as I came upon a small greenhouse/garden center operation I stopped in. While we have a large, fantastic garden center right here in the Auburn area in Dickman Farms, I still enjoy visiting other places. I visit this one, Baker s Acres, several times each growing season. It was originally started by a poultry professor, Robert âDocâ Baker, during my days at Cornell. You know of him because he developed the recipe for Cornell chicken. Baker s Acres is just north of Ithaca on Route 34 in the town of Lansing. There are eight plastic greenhouses; I think that they are based on the original plans for plastic greenhouses so many years ago at Co