Taking inventory

I've been looking around at our property and trying to identify the plants that are already here. The front yard is all grass with a few foundation plants. There is a Japanese Maple "Bloodgood" in the middle and a dwarf variety "Murasaki kiyohime" by the front steps. There is also another Japanese Maple (the previous owner loved them) by the foundation. There is not a tag for it and I hope to get the name from him eventually.

There is not much of a side garden due to the driveway but there is a long narrow space next to an enormous English Laurel hedge. A chain link fence separates the driveway area from the back yard. I think this is a wisteria growing on it. I dislike chain-link fences intensely but it will have to suffice for a while. I can envision a wall built here with a door leading to the back garden. Maybe if we win the lottery. You will notice on the opposite side of the fence that I have already started a compost pile. :)

The back yard is spacious and also an empty slate with the exception of tall screening shrubs planted along the back fence. We are very grateful to these! I have not identified all of them yet but I know there is a cherry laurel and I believe the majority may be Red Tip Photina. Out from the hedge border is a small tree. I think it is a dogwood.

There is an old apple tree sticking out of the Cherry Laurel shrub. I think it probably needs to be removed. The neighbor told me that the apples were always rotten. I am not sure yet. I may wait until it leafs out to decide.

Over in the corner is a deciduous mystery tree. Our neighbor says that it drops seeds that grow form leafy green plants all over the ground. They remind me of Italian arum but the plants just consist of a single leaf on the surface of the ground. Part of the tree is split and hangs over. I think this definitely needs to go plus I would like to screen off the house behind us.

There is an attractive bamboo in font of the mystery tree. The previous owner told Michael that he had cut it back from 10 feet last summer. He said that it is not the invasive type of bamboo. I am looking to identify it. I do like it. The only bamboo I grew in Alabama was in a pot. I was always afraid of it.

The back yard is spacious and also an empty slate with the exception of tall screening shrubs planted along the back fence. We are very grateful to these!

We like our neighborhood. It is very quiet and the neighbors that we have met have been wonderful. A lot of retirees seem to live on this street. We have been busy with purchasing some new furniture, getting drapes up and working on the floors. Our furniture and belonging from Alabama have not arrived yet. We are coming up on week 3. I am trying not to stress out about it. I keep telling myself it is traveling across the country! 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy