It may only be here on this blog that I can record all the garden-y things that will be going on in the near future. And when it begins, you know that I become mega-obsessed. Dirt is everything to me in the Spring. And Seeds and Plants and Trees and MULCH.
Here's our side yard, with the veggie beds on the right. Between the driveway and the first bed I have planted four figs. Yay Figs, they already have leaf buds turning green. Those white X's are where I hope Nick the Reluctant Gardener will plant something, perhaps Leyland Cypress.
I am also planning on having him plant dogwood, and redbud, and bring in more MULCH to cover the ground.
I am building up the soil, I tell him, since it is really concrete-like when it dries out and wood chips are good organic material, and available locally from our park district. Wood chips require no mowing. And if the dogs should poop on them, more organic material!
This is the week that he will come and do a walk around with my check list in hand. I want to be on the top of his list of projects.
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Thanks for your blogging encouragement.
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of bloggers;
For you to-day that reads this blog with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
Adapted REALLY FREELY from Shakespeare's history play Henry V, in Act IV Scene iii 18–67
good to see you back. I always loved your quirky
ReplyDeleteOh, Boy! Gardening. I love to read your green thumb activities. I have had Leylandii Cypress in my back yard in California. But after about 10 years, one died. Then then next, and soon they all had to be removed. But they were nice when they were young, and throw a lot of shade.
ReplyDeleteLooking good but, will the Cypress cope with wet feet and then dry?
ReplyDeleteHere's the scoop on the Leylandii Cypress from Wikipedia:
ReplyDeleteThe Leyland cypress, Cupressus × leylandii, often referred to simply as leylandii, is a fast-growing coniferous evergreen tree much used in horticulture, primarily for hedges and screens. Even on sites of relatively poor culture, plants have been known to grow to heights of 15 metres (49 ft) in 16 years.[2] Their rapid, thick growth means they are sometimes used to achieve privacy, but such use can result in disputes with neighbours whose own property becomes overshadowed.
I know my neighbor won't mind the 'screen' of these if they ever get that big, since she allowed her huge weedy mess of bushes to pulled out at my expense when we moved in. Ha!
The privacy will be nice.
DeleteI planted a row of Italian Cypress along my north side as the easement wasn't that wide. They've now grown tall and the privacy is wonderful. This year I pruned the branches off the bottom 5 feet so I have some open space shade to do some plantings but still have the privacy of the tops. They are along a fence so the bottoms being bare still keeps my privacy. I just love hedges you don't have to prune and shape every year.
Personally, I wouldn't advise anyone to plant Leyland Cypress. These trees become enormous--casting everything into the shade. We had some when we lived in the UK and were very sorry about it! Now to be fair sunshine is a lot more scarce in the UK!
ReplyDelete