The berm is finally done

A landscape is never static, the environment is constantly changing as small factors such as water flow patterns and elevations are influenced by gardening, fencing, weather, and time. 

When our subdivision was first developed over 40 years ago, landscapers created a gentle slope that gradually deepened into a significant drainage ditch to direct water flow through the back edge of the property lines.  This slope ran through two of the properties directly behind ours and the ditch marks the boundary on two sides of my backyard. 

We have lived in our home for 25 years and over that time, for various reasons, the slope through our neighbor's property has slowly silted in, preventing their backyard from draining into the ditch and sending the resulting overflow, flooding through our backyard. 

While this is primarily an inconvenience, whenever we have a heavy rain (several times a year) the resulting flood through our property is shin deep in places, and it was beginning to erode the lower end of our yard, which was never intended to funnel such great quantities of water. 

These changes are naturally occurring in any ecosystem but when they occur in a subdivision in which every yard is precious to its owner, it must be addressed.  The best solution for me was to raise the elevation along my property line about 12 inches for a distance of about 60 feet. 

The project took me several months.  To build my berm, I chose to transfer soil from the ditch to the fence line.  This soil is a combination of silt, gravel and heavy clay which holds its shape well.  Of course, it is also extremely heavy.  I filled two five gallon buckets which then had to be lifted 3 feet up onto the bank of the ditch, loaded into my wheel barrow and carted to the fence line.  Given my advanced age, I limited myself to five trips/ten buckets in a day.  Any time that it rained, the project went on hold to allow the ditch to complete draining. 

When completed, I planted the berm with a variety of hardy plants that can handle heavy soil and will spread over the sides. 

Now we will wait for the next gully washer to see how well the berm protects my gardens from flooding, and the next 20 years or so to see how nature recreates the new environment.  I hope it works and so does my aching back.

The moral of the story

This week was Alabama Power's regularly scheduled tree pruning in our neighborhood.  They subcontract to a local tree service to prune back any tree branches to 15 feet from the nearest power line. 

I knew they would be coming to my door because a previous homeowner planted a red cedar tree next to the power pole; it's vigorous growth in our front yard required topping off the last time the power company came through.  The cedar tree resembled an off-center lollipop  when they were done.  The tree just kept on growing and once again had achieved an unacceptable height.  It was also planted too close to our massive oak tree so it grew significantly off sided to reach the sun. 

The contractor explained that not only would the cedar tree need to be topped off again, but that our big oak tree would also need to be pruned because several of its huge boughs were within the 15 foot perimeter required by the transformer on our power pole. 

None of this news made me happy.  These tree services are notorious for lopping off branches without any concern for the shape or health of the tree.  Trees don't recover well from the hacking and chopping methods used by the tree service.  However, I also like having reliable, uninterrupted electric service to my home so the only legitimate response to these gentlemen was to let them cut my trees.

While the oak tree doesn't look too bad, the cedar tree ended up looking something like a green mushroom; the canopy had to be topped so severely that there was far more trunk than canopy.  After discussion with the project supervisor, the only solution was to cut the cedar tree down to the ground.  My front yard feels naked and exposed without my fuzzy cedar tree to anchor that corner.

The moral of the story is that when planting trees, it is critically important to look up at the power lines.  Someday that tree is going to grow much taller and wider than the spindly twig in that three gallon pot.  It is hard to imagine what that tree will look like in 20 years. 

Farewell sweet cedar tree.  We enjoyed wrapping you in Christmas lights when you were small, hanging ghosts from your branches at Halloween and sparkling icicle ornaments during the Christmas holidays.  It is hard to say good-bye even though it was the right choice. 

I may have gotten carried away

I grow many of my own plants; its fun to purchase seeds for plants that are not readily available in the commercial nurseries.  I also save and plant seeds from my own garden.  I start them in repurposed containers--we save food containers all year long--and use fine compost from my own compost heap for the starter soil.   Growing my own garden annuals is not only fun, but frugal too.

When I planted three germination trays with assorted veggies and flowers, it didn't seem that I had planted all that many seeds.  I was certainly wrong! 

The only window in my house suitable for seedlings is in my kitchen.  While the plant nursery is open, we give up our kitchen table to the baby seedlings.  This year, the plant nursery has gotten totally out of hand. 

I'm not finished moving the seedlings to individual pots but we have already outgrown the kitchen table.  I've moved the bigger plants out on the deck.  They are under the bench where they have some protection from sun, wind, and hard rain. So far, they seem happy to be there.  Of course, when (not if) we get more extremely chilly nights, they will have to come back inside.  I have no idea where I will put them.

But it is still winter

I've been very busy in my backyard over the last few weeks.  The temperatures have been rising and the perennials are peaking through the mulch.  I've been dividing and transplanting them into new locations.  The spring garden has germinated and will soon be ready for thinning.  And I've been cleaning up the fall and winter debris in anticipation of spring planting.

It has all been quite delightful but winter is not over yet here in central Alabama!  A cold front has descended from the frozen northland, bringing with it cold rain and the forecast of a hard freeze for the next two nights.

So, the cold frame needed to be watered thoroughly and closed up tight and my budding satsuma tree needed one more trip back into the garage.  The outdoor plants will not be happy but since they are well mulched and watered, they will survive.

Even though it is still winter, spring is coming . . .

Twas the last day of February and all through my yard . . .

Lenten rose

Loropetulum

Crocus and happy tortoise

February has been a busy month in my backyard.  I've been mulching, prepping gardens, planting the spring vegetable garden and starting germination trays.  We've been carefully watching the shrubbery that struggled through the drought for signs of life and transplanting perennials that have outgrown their current homes.  All these projects have kept me quite busy but none of them are photo worthy or of any interest for a blog post.

Purple oxalis and variegated artemesia

But now that February is almost gone, I decided to take my camera out to record what is blooming in my backyard.  I was amazed at how much is happening in my gardens.  Here are a few of the treasures I discovered.

Grape hyacinth

Tea olive

Phlox

Sweet baby James

Just a little confused

Is it winter?  Or perhaps we are experiencing an early spring?  Did winter really come to central Alabama?  I'm not sure, and neither are the plants in my garden.  As I stroll through the garden, I see spring perennials beginning to bud and bloom, and late spring perennials are already peaking through the mulch.

One of my hosta is seriously confused.  It has unfurled its first stem nearly three months early!  Poor baby will probably not survive the hard frost forecast for tomorrow night. 

Gardening in my Alabama backyard is always an adventure.

Pam, we have orchids!

Several years ago, my good friend and gardening inspiration, Pam, brought me a collection of propagations from her gardens in North Carolina.  Among them was a tiny little sprig from one of her orchids.

I am horrible at growing orchids, probably I try too hard.  Because it was a gift from a dear friend, I determined that I was NOT going to kill this one.  I've carefully neglected its care; keeping it outside during the summer months, only fertilizing it in the winter when it was indoors, and transplanting it a couple of times as it grew. 

The poor little plant has endured much at my hands.  It has been pulled out of its pot by children and critters, once it fell off a pedestal which shattered its container.  It was probably on the ground for several days before I noticed it and repotted it once again.

When I brought it in for the winter last month, I noticed it had some funny bumps on one of the stems.  It took me a couple of days to realize that those four lumpy things were buds (you can sigh loudly here, Pam).

The buds opened this week; they are shockingly pink, the perfect flower for dreary winter days!

Thank you, Pam.  I love you!