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Post date: Jul 11, 2016 10:09:45 PM
I have planted about all I plan to plant this season. So what does the back yard look like?
The back yard looks mostly green — which is just what I wanted. The upper photo is the view to the southeast (left) and the lower photo is the view to the southwest (right as seen from the patio). The grass-covered berm is clearly visible all across the back and it is topped with alternating Piñon pines and Rocky Mountain juniper. The shade comes from invasive Siberian Elms which were on the lot when I bought it.My yard is not populated with birds, yet, but that is probably because my neighbor gives them bird seed from several locations and attracts them.
I planted four Pyracantha (aka. firethorn, photo right) on the large west wall of my garage. This faces the street, so I don’t want it to remain bare. The Pyracantha seem healthy, even after a couple of weeks of hot afternoon sun. So it looks like they will survive the summer at least. Just in case they also survive the winter (they are supposed to be hardy to Zone 4, which includes Taos), I am prepared to support them as they grow taller. So early this morning I sunk hooks into the inside of the parapet above each plant. I will run cable to the ground to support each plant.We had a nice gentle rain a week or so ago. That means the weeds are sprouting vigorously. So I’m either bending over pulling weeds or on hands and knees pulling weeds. Also touching up the mulch under each plant — mostly to keep them moist but it also helps reduce the weeds, or at least make them easier to pull.
While I’m on hands and knees I have been picking out the small rocks (under one inch) and the broken and ugly rocks (the sandstone never looks beautiful when water-washed). These I dispose into the trash. (It is called ‘land fill’ after all!) The pretty rocks bigger than one inch I keep for the base of my house walls and the water courses. The biggest (over four inch) rocks go into the ditch at the side of the road.
I’m sure I will be pulling weeds and picking rocks the rest of my life.
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