I also really wanted trees. I spent $32 each on two male gingko trees because the description in the catalog said they were good in high wind situations (and anyone who lives in Savoy knows why that's a good idea). I planted them west of the house in the parkway a little more than 40' apart per the Village's rules. In a year they've grown from being 12" tall to being about 2.5' tall. That's not too terrible. But they're baby trees. As it turns out, I missed the part in the "neighborhood bylaws," which really aren't very stringent, but I'm a rule follower, that wants us to put in a street tree that is a certain height (like taller than me).
I've been drooling over our neighbors' (Jeff and Wendy's) trees since they started planting theirs last fall and just keep adding more and more to their yards. Well, tall trees aren't cheap. So, I'm glad we have 20 years to pay this place off, because it's going to take me at least the next five to get all the trees I want planted.
Today we took a trip to Country Arbors. They were already sold out of red buds, tulips and most of the approved oaks on the Savoy arborist's list. So, we started reading the species left on the list to see what he thought might work okay in our crappy claylike soil (or at least if they helped by amending the soil for us). We settled on a Kentucky CoffeeTree. Sure, it's non-native, but I promise that we also purchased a GIGANTIC maple to go in my backyard for shade.
Next spring we're going to focus on two ornamental trees and a conifer. But for right now, we'll deal with our favorite Somerset maple out back and our "we need something off this list and you don't seem to have any of our top three" pick.
Either way, it gives us some vertical height until all my baby items from the online nursery grow into full form.
I also spent 2 hours out in the sun today mowing the grass. Tomorrow after the gym, I'm so coming home and painting some fence. I think I'm almost done with our 2nd 5 gallon container. So I'll have to run to Lowe's for some more.
5 comments:
Being juvenile, I have to say it . . . are the ginkos male because they've got wood? Seriously, I don't know crap from crap about tree species, but they have genders?
Secondly . . . screw the rules. I think you should plant whatever gosh darn tree you want wherever you want it. I'll find a way to justify it vis a vi the rules for ya.
This is exactly why we can never buy a house, Freak would totally have to buck EVERY rule they could possibly throw at us. She would want purple shutters and hot pink siding, not because she likes either of those colors (detests is more like it) but because they say she can not. Totally unlike her, I know.
-RF
In my experience HOAs only tend to exist in subdivisions built in the last 10 years. Growing up in my house in Rockford we never had any of that kind of crap. Who wanted to go to meetings and be organized? (I still have this anti-committee stance. It's me and Han Solo, baby.) But we picked this one, specifically because they were so easy.
"Put in a street tree."
"Stain your fence."
"Have some gardens."
There were no rules about colors, :-P so someone's pink and purple house might be coming.
I love gingko trees. I think the leaf shape is so cool. :) I'm looking forward to watching your babies grow.
Are you pouring the paint on that fence or is it made of swiss cheese? Geez! You've been working on that fence for months and 2 whole 5 gallon buckets of paint, yikes. Remind me never to fence my yard or paint it.
Yeah, I finished the west side today before I ran out of paint. I have to go to Lowe's tomorrow and then I hope to get the north side completely done. The south side, is pretty much done, except I haven't done the posts... and Joel still has his 7 panels in the Poison Ivy land..
Then it's the inside of the fence on the east side and I'm done. It's a stupid amount of work though. And the sweat bees were out bothering me.
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