The cost of doing business. When we nearly lose something we love.

The top leaves turn deep crimson while the lower, sheltered leaves are green.

In owning property and maintaining it, there are always maintenance issues. There are inevitable pitfalls and catastrophes throughout any given year. The death of a plant or tree, storm damage, critter damage, we've all been through it. When we have a named storm or even just a summer storm front sweeping through, we cringe and take it as part of life when we lose something.

That being said, we had a nice semi-heavy rain the other day, no wind to speak of, and the rain was not torrential, but steadily heavy. We really didn't pay it any attention. It happens that way many times during the year. So I was disheartened when I saw the aftermath of this seemingly innocuous weather event the other day.

The day after was drizzly and overcast, which reminded my wife of typical London weather. We didn't do anything in the yard because of this. I got home from work, and went to the shed to get something. On my way back to the house, something caught my eye that just didn't set right. I looked to the left and noticed a very large branch down. Right where our very first Japanese maple was now residing. Sigh. Really?

Clive Owen was right..."Look at what they make you give"

This very large, very heavy branch had fallen directly on top of our well established JM. I believe it is a Crimson Queen, but I'm not entirely sure. Back when we purchased it 8 years ago, we didn't think to keep the tags or to make notes, although my wonderful wife has a memory like an elephant, I'm just not sure. The top leaves turn deep crimson while the lower, sheltered leaves are green. This branch had fallen long-wise, directly on top of this 6' diameter mounding beauty and broken off nearly every branch.

So what do we do now? After much discussion, we will be moving what is left to a new home. I will then proceed in cutting down the remaining offending tree. It has been problematic since we moved in, having lost many branches and harboring many dead branches. The funny thing is, we don't even know what kind of tree it is. It was there naturally when this property was developed. It does not bloom, there are no known means of natural propagation. It is, however, home to Downy Woodpeckers and Bluebirds as of this year. I'm pretty sure they are all done with their families, so that shouldn't be a problem.

We are going to cut it down, leaving about 2 feet of stump with a level top, so we can put a planter with some cascading effects and plant two Deodar Cedars near this to not only block some unsightly views from the neighbors, but to satisfy my wife's Jones for these majestic trees.

As for the JM, I will continue to feed and nurture it in its new home and hope that it back buds and produces some new leaders. I might have to try my hand at grafting if that doesn't work. This started out as a small $20 specimen from a big box store. We planted it in the middle of the yard and moved it to its current location a year or so later. It has been happy where it is and has made us happy ever since. Now it's time for some TLC.

Can you smell the Spring? Pleasant odors abound throughout the garden.

Sweet Bay Magnolia blossom has a sharp lemon scent

This is early Spring in Virginia. One of my favorite times of the year. This morning was absolutely gorgeous and as I was sipping my coffee on the deck, I was becoming intoxicated with the smells all around me.

The honeysuckle is in full bloom and the smell was drifting from around the side of the house were we allow a section to remain wild and grow uninhibited. Wow! What a wonderful smell.

Sweet, sweet honeysuckle

As I wandered around the garden, coffee cup in hand, I was treated to yet another wonderful smell. The lemony scent of the Sweet Bay Magnolia. One of the best. It tempts us for a few weeks in early Spring, then vanishes until next year.

Fragrance along with beauty, Sweet Bay Magnolia

And lets not forget the Peonies. Large soft bloom with wonderful rose scents. Don't forget to cut some and bring them in! It would be such a waste not to fill your home with this wonderful intoxicant. Some have already bloomed and are spent, but more are on the way, as they have some 3 weeks of varying bloom times in our garden.

soft and fragrant Peony

Peonies are unique

The middle of this one looks like confetti

So don't just plant for looks, plant for your nose as well. A good garden will have plants with different heights, different textures, different colors and of course, different smells. With all of that, then make sure you plant so that you have different colors, heights, textures and smells that happen all throughout the year, and don't all just happen at once.

What would be the point in that?

The Black Locust just finished its bloom time with its fragrant flowers

Inside out. Time to put those house plants outside!

Mother's Day is a time to reflect and to give thanks to those wonderful moms out there. No doubt, they deserve it. It is also time to let those cooped up houseplants live it up in their outside habitat.

We use Mother's Day as our guide for this transition. Obviously it depends on where you live and the weather, seeing as Denver just got snow dumped on it on Mother's Day. Like I said, its just a rule of thumb, a guide. The temps at night are now above 50 so all should be good. We also waited for those damned canker worms to pass on, so our Orchids and such do not become lunch.

The raised bed in the middle is for growing Bonsai material. The benches around that keep the houseplants off the ground. Morning sun leads to afternoon shade.

Every plant we have is tolerant of outside living. When you do take your plants out, acclimate them slowly to the new bright light by placing them in a shady area first and give them plenty of water. Some of the plants will need full sun and will be moved where they can achieve that. The others will get morning sun and afternoon shade. We will water them daily, unless there is a rainy spell.

We had a busy weekend, hitting some of the local nurseries. And as always, visiting a nursery means that I was planting in the afternoon. Funny how that works. We picked up two more yellow Azaleas, these weren't tagged as Admiral Semmes, but I'm pretty sure they are. We had been eying a Variegated Parsons Juniper for a couple of years now and each time we had to hold off for one reason or another. This time the time was right and so was the price. If you have never seen one, they are quite unique, with some of the foliage without pigmentation. I will be putting up a photo real soon.

I also had some new visitors to the yard. Every once in a blue moon we have seen a Scarlet Tanager. Today I saw the male twice! I'm hoping this means we have a new neighbor. I also saw something I have never seen here before, a Yellow Billed Cuckoo. I saw it in the Locust tree just hopping from branch to branch, but not really doing anything. I've never seen his shape before and had to look it up, but it is unmistakably a Cuckoo.

I leave you with some photos from around the yard. I love spring.

Clematis in bloom. Large 6" blossoms.

Peony

Peony

firethorn or pyracantha

Yellow Iris