19 August 2007 — progress at home

We are trying to take more time off and have lately done some rather drastic changes to the garden.  The greatest of these was at the front gate, where an old apple tree supported climbers gone wild: Akebia quinata, Rose ‘Bobbie James’, Clematis tangutica, a grape that I just remember as swamp grape from Forest Farm purchased years ago, and some other rambling roses that had joined Bobbie from the other side of the gate.  Despite good intentions, I never did remember to go across the street and take a before photo of the scary situation which had ensued: all these vines, especially the Akebia, clinging to the power lines.  So last weekend, with long handled pruners, and brave Allan with ladders and chain saw, we slowly and cautiously cut out the vines…being especially careful of a fragile wire which looks like our neighbour’s phone or cable tv.  Down came 4 trailer loads of debris and then the apple tree, undercut from the rose canes and akebia that we cannot safely remove from the overhead wires. Further out by the street, down came a Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) which had gotten huge and also provided a path for vines to access the top of the utility pole.

I will keep it pruned at hedge height.

One joyous result is that I now have a garden bed with lots more sun, in which I planted some of my new plants including the red leaved contorted filbert and three different kinds of Melianthus major. The akebia and grape I am hoping to train along some horizontal wires, now that they have no vertical support, and I will try to same with Bobbie James if she comes back from being cut almost to the base.  (Her trunks were so big, they required chainsawing.)

above: the gate two years ago and, shockingly, now

Next I fear the glorious maroon-tinged Eucalytpus neglecta must be chopped to the ground.  From what I have read, a cut close to the ground will actually promote more reliable regrowth.  It is leaning precariously toward the street and a winter wind could lead to a great topple. We’ll wait till fall because the tree might be more forgiving then.

May, 2007………………………………….and last weekend

Meanwhile (above), I’ve been building up the height of the interior beds to be more the level of the sidewalk outside, to provide more privacy.  Whenever some broken sidewalk bits appear at the city works dump, we snag them.

Last Sunday Allan did a most excellent project on his own.  The silver shed, originally built by Robert as a high ceilinged welding shop, had the most hideous side with ghastly flapping plastic and an assortment of potentially useful junk.  At last Allan fulfilled the original plan by putting in a window and clearing away all the stuff…I have no idea where he put it all.

(This is a man who brought with him from Tacoma a trailer load of chunks of wood he had been carrying around from house to house for 30 years, so I am sure he did not discard anything…useful.)

silver shed before and after

I’m also working on the area under the huge spruce tree, such a challenge. So far, about all I have come up with are these big pots, but it is some improvement; at least there is sort of a there there now:

before and in progress, under the spruce tree

And in the garden, there are some good things (other than horrid bindweed) in bloom (and berry). (above) Crocosmia ‘Solfatere’, Fuchsia ‘Santa Claus’….

And two hypericums whose names I forget, from Joy Creek.

and Strobilanthus atropurpureum and a Veronsicastrum (I think)

This weekend, after one day of pouring rain, I did massive pruning throughout  the interior garden and did more planting under the spruce.  Allan had the camera, though, on a motorcycle camping trip with his Moto Guzzi group (much of which was spent standing under a camp shelter out of the rain).  I also went to look at a very, very exciting new job which we will start this week.