The nursery

I am loving this window of rainless weather. I have been out limbing up the downed  trees so Tom can get out there with his chain saw and cut up the bigger branches safely without worry of a branch snapping back. I have clipped and clipped until only the biggest limbs are left. Since we can't burn I have also been clipping the branches down to mulching size, everything under  a foot, by hand or with my clippers. That way as I walk through the property there is nothing to catch my legs and trip me up. The branches will decompose faster if they are in direct contact with the ground. The work has been quite satisfying.

So satisfying in fact that I went to the nursery to pick up my English Laurels. The nursery called to tell me my order was in. I can't wait to have my barrier wall of English Laural up to give my neighbor some privacy from the irritant of having  neighbors next door. English Laurels are the hedges that get really big and tall. They grow quickly and trim easily. Trimming makes them fill in even more thickly. They can be 25 feet tall and wide, or not, according to your trimming. I love the concept of a twenty five foot barrier wall between our homes. That should solve many anxieties on both sides of the living fence.

 I asked for two more English Laurels to be delivered in the spring to spread out the cost of the fence over time.  Each four foot bush costs $34, plus a good bag of soil to give them a healthy start. $95 and I have my first potential 16 feet of living fence, if you figure eight feet apart placement.  Once established there will be no care needed or maintenance unless I feel so inclined. No more looking at the neglected house next door. No more feeling as if he is peaking out his windows waiting for me to do something to irritate him. The bushes will even muffle some of our loud noises. I can't wait to get started on planting.

I had a hard time resisting the temptation to place more orders for other plants. The nursery gives a 30% discount to pre paying for fruit trees arriving at the end of January. I have been making my lists and checking them twice. Italian plum, Fuji pear, peach, cherry, It is so hard to limit myself. Plus I want the evergreen colors also. Magnolia and a few firs thrown in for interest. It was delightful to wander the nursery this time of year because you can see what the plants look like in the  coldest season. The nursery brings in things that do well for our area so the likelyhood for survival even with neglect is stronger.

I have beautiful visions of my garden in a few years.