Opinion

People often ask me what kind of tree to plant, and then I start asking questions. How much space do you have? What’s the purpose of the tree? Why do you want a tree in that spot? What are the growing conditions?

Boxwood, a popular evergreen shrub we’ve been planting for many years, is suddenly in the crosshairs. This reliable landscape mainstay is under attack from winter burn, a well-known insect, a non-native insect recently found in Ohio for the first time, and now a deadly disease. Pinpointing the culprit can be difficult because the symptoms are so similar.

For a long-lived display of huge showy blooms, few plant families can top the diverse Hydrangea. Every year we see new Hydrangea varieties introduced, making this plant more of a problem-solver and a landscape staple. To choose the right Hydrangea you must first answer two questions: how sunny is my location, and how much room do I have? The answers will lead you to the right Hydrangea family, so then you can choose between the many gorgeous blooms available in that particular family.

“A fox should not be on the jury at a goose’s trial.”

There’s a reason that old farmhouses are surrounded by mature shade trees. After a day in the fields, farm families could retire to a cool house. In the days before air conditioning, farm wives could work in relative comfort if there were big trees casting a pool of shade on the house and farmyard all summer.

“On my father’s side I am a Northumberland, on my mother’s I am related to kings; but this avails me not. My name shall live in the memory of man when the titles of the Northumberlands and the Percys are extinct and forgotten.”

Less than 100 years ago, everyone could look up and see a spectacular starry night sky. Now, millions of children across the globe will never experience the Milky Way where they live. The negatives of excessive night lighting include blinding glare (excessive brightness that blinds you and hurts your eyes), skyglow (brightening of the night sky as light scatter reflects from clouds and haze), and “light trespass” (bright light shining where it is not intended or needed). Is this the price of progress?

It is time to address one of the most pressing challenges affecting our state’s success — childcare access and affordability. A thriving economy requires a skilled and dedicated workforce, and to achieve this, we must address the barriers that working parents face in accessing affordable, quality childcare options.

The nighttime environment is a precious natural resource for all life on Earth, which exists in a rhythm of light and dark provided by the sun, moon and stars, quietly guiding all living things since life began. Now, artificial lights overpower the darkness and our cities glow at night, disrupting the natural day-night pattern and shifting the delicate balance of our environment. The glow of excessive outdoor lighting has hidden the stars and changed our perception of the night.

Have you ever thought about how wonderful it is that you can see the stars in the night sky over Adams County? It’s easy for us to take this miracle for granted, but visitors from cities and suburbs notice it right away. It’s one of the ways we’re compensated for the inconvenience of living so far from the centers of art and commerce.