Blue, green and yellow spreading junipers on the slope put all worries about erosion in the past. Any area they haven’t filled in yet, lambs’ ears are temporarily doing the job. Behind them, highbush blueberries are also loving the sunny slope. On the right is the red maple, on the left, a willow (perhaps a Bebb willow, not sure). In the back are dappled willow and Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar).
…actually, it’s more of a NW direction. At any rate, the view looking the other direction across the slope also affords some color.
Actually, it’s more of a SE direction. Looking over the slope, even at the end of February, still sports a number of different colors.
On the left, variegated red-twig dogwood backed by white pine, in turn backed by quaking aspen. In center are yellow leaves of river birch. Moving right, a shrubby green magnolia contrasts with the brilliant red leaves of Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac). Above the sumac in the background, branches of a Princeton elm can be seen reaching toward the blue sky.
Next to the pond is an unmown “buffer” strip. This time of year it presents interesting colors of pollinator-friendly asters, native daisies, grasses, goldenrod, ferns, cattails, Virginia creeper vines that have turned partially red, and myriad others. Hopefully we’ve gotten out a majority of the errant and invasive docks, loosestrife and phragmites.
A line of red pines had been suffering for a while. Now there’s no question; they are dead. While they await being felled, they happen to pick up on the color of a brilliant purple smokebush. To the left of the smokebush is a gray dogwood in flower; to its left is a Yellow Lantern magnolia. Bearberry, red knockout roses, purple blooms of catmint, yellow flowers of rue and white spikes of lambs’ ears all provide for plenty of contrast in the front yard.
