Preparing For Spring

On Saturday, dear reader, I should have been cleaning and doing laundry. However, the weather was so warm and beautiful that I felt I needed to be outside. In May, we are planting over 1,000 winter creeper groundcover plants around the farm. I have spent years researching evergreen ground covers, and winter creeper seems to check all the boxes. It grows aggressively, snuffing out weeds. It grows in all soil and light conditions. It is not as aggressive about climbing as ivy. It can be cut back and maintained with a weed eater. It is durable, resilient, and once established, an easy keeper. I need easy keepers and low maintenance. 

The Bibbed Wonder and I have been at war for years over landscaping. He sprays everything with weed killer because he doesn't like to maintain or mow anything. He wanted to do rocks around the house. I hate rocks and wanted mulch. He hates mulch and refuses to refresh it every year. The professional landscapers who originally designed the landscaping planted trees in front of almost every window. It does not seem like a reasonable plan when one cannot see out of their windows. I love trees and was willing to put up with their unusual placement. Eric has systematically killed each and every one. We are down to a few sad-looking shrubs around the house. It has been close to thirty years since the landscaping was done. What is left is largely disproportionate to the house. It is time, dear reader, to do an overhaul. 

I want to do this landscape project on our own. I have a very specific look and plan in mind that will create more of a heritage garden than just decorative, hard-to-maintain plantings around the yard. I wish I were Martha Stewart, who has an army of gardeners to help with the plantings, but I have a bibbed wonder, a bean, and a Brock-O who say they will help me. The landscaping will be done in stages and will take several seasons to complete. This year, the focus is on groundcover and planting trees. 

Most of the trees that are left are diseased. There is a lovely magnolia tree planted right in front of the dining room window that I am trying to save. It has a bad case of magnolia scale. I tried neem oil last year. This year, I am bringing out the big guns and using a soil drench to kill the pesky little buggers that are killing the tree. Rather than do laundry on Saturday, I spent the day pruning all the dead wood off the magnolia tree, dragging the branches to the fire pit, and burning the diseased branches so the nasty infestation doesn't spread to other tulip-type trees in the area. It was nice to be outside, enjoying the weather and doing something useful and physical. I picked up the soil drench at Ace Hardware in the neighboring town, and I plan to use it tomorrow. 

I hope to save the magnolia tree and keep it for many years. It's a beautiful tree, and it's not its fault some dummy planted it in front of a window too close to the house. I will just commit to pruning it and keeping it in check. Aside from the 1200 or so winter creeper plants we are planting in the spring, I also want to plant a dwarf red maple tree by the stone wall, replace the arborvitae we lost last spring to those high winds with red cedar trees, and plant three linden trees in the front yard. 

The dwarf red maple will add symmetry to the stone wall. It will match the tree that is already in place to the right. I may plant a third dwarf red maple by the stone steps. I have chosen to plant red cedarwood trees instead of arborvitae because they are native, provide a windbreak, and also provide food for wild birds in the winter. The linden trees are for shade, scent, and food for wild birds. My goal is to provide habitat for birds and pollinators, not just run-of-the-mill landscaping. I want to have my dad's stone trough fountain restored this spring as well, and perhaps plant a few perennials to feed the hummingbirds. Another habitat supporting idea I have is to reseed the yard with clover rather than a traditional grass seed mix. The clover will provide food for the bees, requires less mowing, and looks like a sea of tiny white flowers. I am not all that interested in the average, bright-green, weedless lawn. I like clover, dandelions, and violets. They serve an important purpose; it's not just about looks. 

I plan to take my time, do my research on native plants, soil conditions, and bird and bee habitats, and create a timeless look. In the future, when I am gone, I want my bean to tell her children about how her crazy mom planted all these plants to help feed the birds, the bees, and them. Where The Bean's swingsets sit now, I want to plant an orchard and berry patch. However, that will take a bit of time and planning. I want to make sure all the drainage issues are resolved before I plant my fruit trees and berry patch. It's going to be a project, but it's fun, and it serves a purpose. 

I'm looking forward to the nice weather, warm temperatures, and planting trees and plants to feed the birds and bees. It's been a long time coming, but it will be good to get started on a long-term plan. On this lovely spring day, stay safe, be smart, plan for the future, take your time, and keep washing your hands.