February 2017 Newsletter
FROM THE FILES OF JW ZUNINO
The New Year brought some changes to JW Zunino. Our project coordinator, Steve McKeown, moved on to snowier pastures in Idaho and is still shoveling his way out of the driveway. But with loss usually comes gain and in January, we did just that with Brent Felipe.
Brent was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai’i and came to Las Vegas where he received a Bachelor degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He previously worked for a landscape contractor that focused on residential design as well as UNLV’s Downtown Design Center where his responsibilities were in research and concept design. Both experiences have helped him understand the built and natural environment through design. Brent uses Adobe Design Suite, Sketchup, and F/X CAD as his tools. He is a welcome complement to our staff.
ROSES ARE RED, YELLOW, PINK…
Getting roses back into shape is no easy task. They take a lot of care and upkeep throughout the season, but starting early enough can be the difference between your yard looking fabulous or shabby. In the desert southwest, prune your rose bushes before Valentines Day and follow these tips for healthy, beautiful blossoms:
- Prune deadwood back to healthy green bark with a white center.
- Remove suckers as close to the main root as possible.
- Make your cuts at a 45 degree angle above the first offshoot with 5 leaves.
- Saw off old, woody canes and open up the center of the plant to fresh airflow.
- Sealing up the fresh cuts with a drop of Elmers glue will protect it from bore happy insects.
PRESIDENTIAL FUN FACTS
- Thomas Jefferson had a family of plants named after him, Jeffersonia diphylla (twinleaf/rheumatism root) – see below
- James Garfield was the first left handed president
- The first web site of the White House was developed during the Clinton administration
- Ronald Reagan won the Most Nearly Perfect Male Figure Award from the University of California in 1940
- Only two vice presidents have been elected president, Martin Van Buren and George H.W. Bush
