When we first moved in, the area between the stairs and the house was a slope of dirt. We terraced the slope and added wild flowers. This year, we added another packet of seeds. Next spring, all that needs to be done is to water this area. The seeds are there ready to grow. One note: Because the roof line is over this area, you will need to water it in order to grow anything.
Another big project we did was to add truck loads of dirt to the front yard. The house had some pipe work done prior to our purchasing the house. The area all the way to the front rail was a mud pit. After adding the dirt and growing grass, we planted almost a dozen Russian sage. It is a very fragrant plant. We have received many compliments on this particular landscaping improvement. Note: Russian Sage needs to be trimmed in the fall. We usually add a least one bag of tree mulch to the area to keep it hydrated and clean.
The property also includes a very healthy and beautiful grapevine. It produces enough grapes for 6 pints of jam. It also provides privacy and shade. There is a nest at the top of the vine. Most years we have had the joy of watching a mother and father robin care for their nestlings. We watch from our kitchen window. Note: I have never needed to water the grapes. Besides a yearly trimming, the vine requires no additional maintenance.
About our neighborhood and street: One great thing about our tree-lined street is that the trees branches meet in the middle and form a canopy of shade. There are, however, no trees on this section of our property. There was a tree, but it died (not an elm, but a smaller tree.) We had it cut down, and the stump was professionally removed. Grass was planted.
We have an exceptionally nice neighborhood. It's the kind of neighborhood where you always wave, or stop for a short chat. It is one thing I will miss about living at 312 10th AVE.
Trash pickup is Tuesday sometime between nine and eleven.
Mail is delivered around 3:30 PM. The mailman's name is Dale.
The school district is Gusiner. The house is within easy walking distance from Gusiner.
This is an area of the backyard I am very proud of. Although there were already a few hostas growing here, we put a lot of time and energy into making this area lush and attractive. It frames the back seating area nicely.
We added the swing set to the backyard. The metal brackets were custom made. It is super tall and sturdy. The extra height make it so much more fun than normal backyard swings. My kids have spent hour upon hour swinging on it.
Last year to neaten things up a bit, we added the box frame around our Sugar Maple. This summer I transplanted Lily of the Valley to the box. It is a very prolific plant and should spread quickly.
This is a horse chestnut tree, also called a Buckeye tree. It's one of the few buckeye trees in Jamestown. It blooms white mid to late spring and is one of the first trees to lose it's leaves in the fall.
The storage shed in the backyard is . We ran electricity to it and installed an overhead light. There is also another outlet on the back of the house and on the front porch. We put shallow stairs by the door of the shed for aesthetics and to make it easier to remove equipment.
We also added this sandbox/fort. We call it the bird's nest. It is tucked away in the corner of the property. We installed a privacy board behind it, and really cleaned this area out. We laid wood chips and stone pavers.
The kids love hanging things from the trees about the fort.
The back of the yard is lined with lilac bushes and stones.
I've added many flowers to the backyard. Including yarrow, rhubarb, daisies, and peonies. The morning glory above was there when we moved in, but this year I added a few more to the back wall of the house. With the help of a ladder or trellis, the climbing plants will cover a good section of the area.
Milkweed is a weed, but there is no lovelier thing. Because we have this milkweed, we have Monarch butterflies every summer. The caterpillars appear sometime in July and form their emerald chrysalis. Then, two weeks later, the butterflies emerge. We have many butterflies that visit our yard.
This is a Red Admiral. We have lots of these.
This is my daughter with her butterfly November. She raised this Monarch from a caterpillar.
We also have Mourning Cloak Butterflies.
picture courtesy of:
http://www.butterfly-designs.com/butterflies/556.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment