That’s right; we had interior restoration going on as well.
May 2013 – Interior
Month: May 2015
May 2013 – Much Happier Aspen Trees
May 2013 – Phragmites is Still Resprouting
As expected, we had some resprouts of phragmites, in the densest stands. As the level of the pond recedes, you can see that we still have some work to do, removing dead stems. It’s an ongoing project!
April 2013 – Still Removing Bittersweet from Trees
At the pond’s W end, we are still removing bittersweet, multiflora rose, and old pieces of dead vines from around trees.
Field Horsetail, April 2013
Here’s something new. Perhaps it wasn’t new, we just couldn’t see it before, because it was covered up by so many invasives. I found it growing in a damp area, where phragmites had been, where I had spread seed heads of cattails, and some had actually grown. This is beneath where the willow was, on the E side of the slope.
I think it’s Equisetum arvense. It’s native; some people consider it a weed. It’s supposedly hard to get rid of. Go Botany says it’s an “important component of the spring and early summer diet of black bears.” I guess I should be proud that our ecosystem appears capable of supporting a black bear…but I think I’ll pull most of this. Anything that comes up in a great number, I’m a bit suspicious of, but I’m hesitant to get rid of all of it, just in case it’s important for something.
March 2013 – The 3rd Big Plant Order
- 10 Black Willow (Salix nigra) – native tree
- 10 Shamrock Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra) – native shrub
- 10 Green Mountain Boxwood (Buxus microphylla) – for the front
- 20 Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) – to try as groundcover
- 10 Mountain Blue Bachelor Button (Centauria montana) – for the front
- 10 Arizona Sun Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) – native for hot slope
- 10 Hens & Chicks (sempervivum spp.) – for around rocks
- 10 Dragon’s Blood Stonecrop (Sedum spurium) – for near septic area
January 2013 – The Landscape Sleeps at Sunset
Inspiration from the U.K.
In November, there were few visitors at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, SW of London. Nothing’s blooming that time of year, however, it’s a great time to see “the bones.”
The Second Order of Dozens of Trees and Shrubs
In October of 2012, we placed our second large order of trees and shrubs:
10 Green Mountain Boxwood – mostly for the front of the house
10 Sargent Crabapple (Malus coronaria ) – a N. American native
10 Moonglow Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) – a N. American native
10 Wichita Blue Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) – a N. American native
10 American Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) – native, great for all
10 Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) – another great native
10 Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) – great native
10 American Scarlet Elder (Sambucus pubens) – native
5 Mugo Pines (Pinus mugo pumilio) – could survive on the slope
It was a challenge getting all these plants into the ground, during a busy fall season at work. Plus, during Thanksgiving week, we went away, so there was no time to catch up. I was planting things in the dark the week before we left!
September 2012 – Visit from Conservation Expert
The Conservation Department in our town is incredibly helpful. Today, its director came over for another walk-through, to see the all progress that we’ve made. We appreciate all the useful information he’s able to offer. It’s also great to have someone acknowledge all that we’ve done, and who really understands what you need to do to obtain these kind of results.