For this year's Blog Cabin, tucked away in an enclave on the shores of the beautiful Watts Bar Lake in east Tennessee, the lake and its remarkable views are the star attractions. All major rooms in the house, the patio, deck and fire pit area take full advantage of these scenic lakeshore vistas. The landscape leading from the cabin down to the lake features plantings, selected by Blog Cabin host Ahmed Hassan, that are indigenous species chosen specifically to thrive in the lakeside setting. Native species, meaning species existing in this region before man began introducing foreign and non-native species for agriculture or ornamental planting, often require less maintenance than exotics. Opting for them helps prevent the introduction of non-native species that could encroach upon native ones and cause harm in the local ecosystem. Native planting can be an easy way to landscape since the species may require less maintenance than many exotics, and they help lend a naturalized feel, blending in well with the existing and wild vegetation around it. Following is a list of the plant species that were selected for the Blog Cabin landscaping. Most came from Myers Cove, a nearby nursery. - Bottlebrush Buckeye, Aesculus parviflora
- Serviceberry, Amelanchier grand 'Autumn Brilliance'
- Black Chokeberry, Aronia mel 'Iroquois Beauty'
- Boxwood, Buxus X 'Green Velvet'
- Sweetshrub, Calycanthus floridus
- Summersweet, Clethra anifolia 'Sixteen Candles'
- Smoketree, Cotinus X 'Grace'
- Leatherwood Fern, Dryopteris marginalis
- Dwarf Fothergilla, Fothergilla gard 'Blue Shadow'
- Dwarf Fothergilla, Fothergilla gard 'Suzanne'
- Dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia 'Sikes Dwarf'
- Winterberry Holly, Ilex Verticillata 'Red Sprite'
- Male Winterberry Holly, Ilex Verticillata 'Jim Dandy'
- Spicebush, Lindera benzoin
- Sweetbay Magnolia, Magnolia virginiana
- Blackgum, Nyssa sylvatica
- Cinnamon Fern, Osmunda cinnamonea
- Royal Fern, Osmunda regalis
- Sourwood, Oxydendron arboreum
- White Oak, Quercus alba
- Gro-Low Sumac, Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low'
Solar-powered landscape lighting, the Blog Cabin voter choice as the "outdoor green feature," is used to illuminate and accent the landscaped areas. The caramel-colored stone for the retaining walls, another voter selection, is a manmade stone product and matches that used on the cabin's exterior and fireplace surrounds. View a slide show of this area. View the tallied results from the Blog Cabin voting. Shop for products featured in this area.
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