The final two weeks of Winter were on the mild side, so I was able to do some catching up on my delayed yard work, which at this time of year means raking & burning leaves, trimming trees -- especially all the Crape Mertles -- along with clearing & cleaning areas of my property which have been too wet to deal with earlier.
The recent temperatures have been warmer; comfortable during the day [60+ degrees] & the nights -- although still cool to cold -- have been above the freezing point. With the days getting longer, the combination, providing the favorable weather, has gotten many of the Spring flowers blooming, along with many trees, with the white flowering Bradford Pears especially, putting on their annual display.
Another sure sign of Spring is my neighbor across the road spraying his lawn to kill weeds. He has a big contraption he pulls behind his mower. The other morning he was giving his whole place ... "the big kill".
I don't have a "lawn". I have fields were I cut the weeds short to provide my greenery. If I spayed my property & killed the weeds, all I would have left is the dirt. [I wonder if the moles would still stay around ??]
One benefit of a "weed lawn" is the really beautiful number of small, colorful flowers the weeds produce this time of year. There are a variety of colors -- white, yellow & especially purple. Another indicator of Spring.
Friday I started cutting grass ... ah ... weeds, [whatever] with the John Deere. The first "cut" is to knock down those weeds, before they go to seed, as well as cut/chop/mulch many of the tree leaves I never got around to raking up. The cutting also gets lawn ... ah ... fields, looking nice & green. Enough with Winter !!
As Spring time approaches, I start getting the garden catalogs in the mail. I've attended the annual Flower & Garden Show in Little Rock & have been visiting various web sites. All these are incentives for my "improvement/planting/landscape plans" I have each year. [And subject to change each year.]
Since I moved her almost 14 years ago, I have added "something growing" to my four acres each year. I acquired this land with several dozen mature -- read that: BIG -- trees; mostly Oaks, Maples & other hardwoods. I've planted flowering trees such as the mentioned Bradford Pears & Crape Mertles, [all colors] along with Redbuds, Vitex, as well as Japanese Maples, Cedar, & various Pines. Also, can't forget the 12+ species of Bamboo.
Just about everything I have planted, started small, usually in a one to five gallon size container. Of course, as the trees & plants have grown, I now have mature trees from the beginning years & each additional planting has added to the growth at the homestead.
It's interesting to look at old photographs & see how the planting changes have filled-in the "openings" & how I also -- thanks to the Bamboo, Pines & Cedars -- have some green color even when the other trees have dropped their leaves ... which, I have been raking ... raking ... raking.
This past week I made a visit to a plant nursery new to me -- River Valley Horticultural Products, wwaaaay out, in far West Little Rock. I had seen their displays at the annual Little Rock show. This year I found their web site -- http://www.rivervalleyhp.com/index-5.html -- which has listed in their inventory several specific Crape Mertles I was looking for, which was the inducement I needed to make the long trip out to their nursery.
I was very pleased with RVHP. It was impressive in size, [30 acres] plant conditions, variety/sizes & selections. They are a wholesale operation as well, so they have a varied selection in EVERYTHING. It's just soooo far away.
Equipped with my Visa card, which was supported by my Federal tax refund, sitting in my checking account, not yet logged/added to my check register, I was prepared to do some"damage" ... which I did. Above is the area where they had a dozen or more varieties of Japanese Maples, which were on sale: $25.00 each/$20.00 each for two. I bought six; two each of two varieties & mixed/matched two other species.
Also at checkout time, I had a Ginko tree [always wanted one & is in the cart behind me, with the Japanese Maples] & four Grape Mertles -- two red & two purple. Slam that Visa card down.
NOTE: This is where having a truck becomes "expensive". Not just the maintenance & upkeep, along with the price of gasoline [yesterday ... $2.70 a gallon locally] but the fact bigger, more expensive purchases can be had. Never worry -- "Will it fit in the back seat?" Not a problem. Also "delivery charges ??" No ... take it with you, when you have a truck.
So, now it's time to plant the 11 new trees for this years "landscape plans". I've got a general idea where everything will be planted. [Actually, I kind of knew that before I went out buying.] It's just now time for the actual effort: digging holes, mixing dirt, mulching & hauling off the excess dirt. Wheelbarrow & shovel time.
But, wait !! Remember Spring just officially arrived yesterday. And despite the nice weather & temperatures we have been having, this is, after all, Arkansas. If you don't like the weather, just wait. If you DO like the weather ... too bad.
Yesterday it was 72 degrees & sunny. Today: 42 degrees, cloudy & everything is wet from the rain we had all night. The creek is full & the front yard -- where I was burning leaves yesterday -- is now flooded. [I call it "Lake Hilda" when it forms, (& it has a LOT in the past year) in honor of my Mother.]
Late yesterday -- when it was still nice & warm -- I moved my "tropical plants", enjoying the Spring-like conditions outside, back into protection; the Staghorn Ferns into the garage & the Cycads where loaded into the yard cart & taken to the storage building. The cold weather is not going to get them this year. [I've had "issues" with cold snaps in the past.] The new trees were stacked next to the protection of the garage door.
This is "normal" for Spring time in Arkansas. We have been given a "taste" of the nice weather to come, but also, a "reminder" that Spring sometimes gives a false start, or two, when arriving in this part of the country.
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