Yesterday my son-in-law Jim, came up with two helpers and they went to work changing the landscape. They pruned, cut trees, shoveled dirt,tilled,and planted all over this place. Cutting back on the Lantana revealed that the jonquil blades were already up by two inches. What a surprise on the 28th of January. Usually we are into late February or March before that happens. The tilling allowed me to plant some bulbs which did not get planted last fall. I put in Allium, Buttercups and Medeterrean Bells, all new to me.
A huge truck load of pine mulch got spread around in different places, both inside of the raised beds and in front of the house, around back and in the blueberry bed. Even the blackberry plants that I started from cuttings got planted out back on the hillside. They are much like the Arapaho which I planted near my raised beds. These had red branches and huge berries. They will make fine blackberry jelly next July.
The spot which delights me most is what I see from my kitchen window. The rock wall has been there since 1991 when my friend Bob Huffman began to work here for me. What I see above it is what keeps changing. At one time there was a double trunked tree there. I think it was a tulip poplar as they often have twin trunks. This tree was turned into a very fine feeding place for our two cats. My husband had built a platform around the trunks and the cats could run up inside of it and onto the platform where we kept their bowl. The dogs could not reach them there and could only watch in frustration. I have a picture of my (now 25 years old grandson, Jeffrey) when he was just a toddler watching the cats eat while I held him up to see it happen.
Only a few years ago I could watch a Rosemary plant living happily in a sandy spot at the top of the wall. It had grown into a sturdy shrub and had a stately appearance with branches reaching straight up. I had to remove it to make way for other perennials like the white moon liriope and small crocus. These dragon moon liriope look so white at night when there is only the light from the security bulb on the telephone pole. I look forward to this small hillside spot with the distinctive flat rock being surrounded by orange double day lilies and narcissus, along with the iris and windmill bulbs when they come into bloom. They will like being close to the purple ice plant which cascades over the rock where the Rosemary used to be.
This week-end however my hillside may take on a completely different look as snow is predicted, maybe even as much as an inch. I will still be able to see one newly planted alpine spruce however. It was placed close to the huge rock and is a nice contrast to the rock with moss growing on it. Also the bark from the crape myrtle behind it makes a nice back drop for this new plant. It is the third one I have planted outside, as it is the third one my daughter and her husband have sent to me before Christmas. It was my living Christmas tree with lights and two pretty "fake" birds in it's branches. I hope one day to see a real bird find it's way to this small perky plant.
Looking beyond the rock and crape myrtle, when the leaves are gone from the trees on the hillside, I can see the gravel road making its way up an incline past the grape vines and onto the paved road in front of the vineyard. The grass has turned brown for now and when it has greened up so will the trees be all leafed out and my view will again change. At one time a graceful tulip poplar was reaching high above all the other trees and spreading it's distinctive branches turning downward. It had to give way when it became a threat to the safety of our home. So now in it's place is a red bud tree which has a completely different shape and is no threat except to capture my time as I pause to admire it when it is in full bloom.
All of nature has a plan of its own and a place of its own, as even do I. At this time of life I find so much to please me and interest me and much of it is on the ready each time I raise the blinds and look out of this small kitchen window. My wish for you is that you too have a spot of beauty from your window to give you pleasure.
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