Native Front Yard

The project of converting my front yard from turf grass with Asian shrubs to all native plants.

A mulchy area bordered by small logs and turf grass, inside which are a few leafy saplings and a tall tree stump.

These arrived today. After some confusion caused by the wrong instructions being included (tree instructions) I got the right info.

I'm really planting a little too early but there is no cool place in the house to store these until later in the fall. Fingers crossed they actually work here.

A mulchy area bordered by small logs, inside which are a few tall, leafy saplings.

A composting station in sort of the shape of a capital letter E lying down, made of cargo pallets; one washing machine tub stands on top of a vertical section of pallet, while another washing machine tub stand separately off to the side, and a white pitbull is approaching around the corner of the pallet structure.

Don't worry, the composting is happening in the back yard, not the front.

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A composting station in sort of the shape of a capital letter E lying down, made of cargo pallets; one washing machine tub stands on top of a vertical section of pallet, while another washing machine tub stand separately off to the side, and a white pitbull is approaching around the corner of the pallet structure.

Don't worry, the composting is happening in the back yard, not the front.

Read more...

Very bushy and flowery example of a crepe myrtle.

I found out you can properly spell it crape or crepe, by the way.

This very summer I cut this back to just the trunks and now look at it. I had planned to plant a highly aggressive vine on it to help kill it. But I don't think it'll get the opportunity. If I get a moment today I'm going to chop it down fully and use stump killer on it.

I see why these are so popular with American humans. They flower prettily. And virtually impossible to kill.

A clump of pony foot, circular leaves cloven by the stem.

I almost eradicated these today, because I took them for creeping charlie. But I had a doubt. So I looked them up and they turned out to be pony foot, a fall herb native to the southeast.

Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries notified me by text American beautyberry is back in stock for the fall planting so I ordered FIVE! I've been really excited about them since I first heard about them.

This is NOT an affiliate link. I don't get commission, just enthusiasm.

https://www.nativnurseries.com/products/american-beautyberry-seedlings-for-sale-callicarpa-americana

Where to put them? In the former nandina hedge in front of the bedroom windows? Or maybe around the perimeter of the library area?

Close up view of mulch that is mostly cylindrical pieces.

The wood chipper produces some pretty fun mulch. It feels good to handle it. These little pieces are mostly cylindrical.

Japanese climbing fern on a piece of portable fence.

This is Japanese climbing fern. Pretty, yes, but doesn't belong here.

Overhead view of Chinese tallow seedling.

I found eight or nine of these Chinese tallow seedlings in the yard.

Pretty sure neither of these were meant to be here but they came with the nandinas and other Asian shrubs.

Oak bark, with two kinds of moss on it, a gray flaky kind, and a green tendril kind.

Apologies for no updates lately. First the extreme heat, preventing much work at all. And now I'm attending a litter of sick kittens. Besides which, the yard will be a flurry of activity in the autumn, when a great deal of the planting happens.

Meanwhile, enjoy this picture of mossy oak. The oak logs have quite a pleasant variety of moss on.

A yellow-green electric wood chipping machine with a black plastic paddle sticking out the top;