Last spring I redesigned my tiny front yard. Today I talked with two men who are going to do a lot of
work for the rest. A retaining wall is needed to hold a sloping back
end of the lot and then we will gravel that area. There will be a walk way and a patio paved and all
grass removed from the whole lot. My Daughter Cheryl
grieves at this as she loves grass. Some areas will be paved, some mulched for
planting and some graveled with a few bushes in the gravel. The sunniest part will be left open for
planting tomatoes and squash and so forth.
Do you grow lemon mint for iced tea? I do, you can't buy things like that in the market.
The back end of the lot is where my bird feeders are and I will plant
some yaupons there for berries and some redbud trees for perching. My glassed
in porch looks at that area. Because of the feeders and the bird bath it is already a bird filled area.
I will need a lot of
plants. Today I bought a Tulip Magnolia or Solangiana. I have loved them for years and years
but not tried to keep one here in Fredericksburg. They do not like this soil,
however I will pamper it with acid fertilizer. This baby is about 2 feet tall and has some
buds. I soaked it well in its black plastic pot tonight. I believe in talking to plants and welcomed it with encouraging words. To bring in a baby magnolia is a commitment. In the heat of summer many buckets of bath water will likely have to be carried to supplement our once a week watering. The only other high water needs plant I have is the miniature magnolia "Little Gem". Like the Solangiana it is more a bush than a tree in this climate.
Replacing the lawn with paving and gravel and mulch and using drought resistant plants is the objective here. My heart turns to camellias and azaleas and gardenias and magnolia grandiflora. I remember a gentler south from my Dallas childhood.
This has been a full day, with much coming and going,
with people here plus several trips out. Tomorrow looks to be another one. I
will go early to a store having a sale on the pavestones I need for my yard, (250
of them to start with) which a neighbor man will haul for me in his trailer, and then to Mr
Gatti’s for Great grandson Jackson’s 5th birthday celebration. Out of town
relatives will be here for that as well as local little schoolmates. He is a darling little boy, so good to his very difficult little sister. Macy is a force of nature! They are lots of fun to watch. After the party at noon I will be back out shopping for plants. I hope it is warming up for all my friends north of me! Best, Edyth
