50 Trees or so for Murmur

From the One Billion Trees thread arose my winter and spring project which was to collect evergreens for Murmur to plant near the barren clearcut adjacent to her place. I've had a blast finding trees and a few plants to pretty up the area, or at least screen off the bare spots.

You might recall the fancy ladies from Murmur's birthday seed sowing photo:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=2957180

Following will be my little efforts to send some 'green' from King to Island County. What great fun it has been to collect trees for this. Take care of my beloved fir tree Carole! This is one I have nursed since it was a wee sprig of 4 inches tall......now a whopping 3 footer.

Farewell beloved Fir LOL.....

One can get quite a number of little trees into a passenger seat of a small import! Black bag: beloved fir again. Please don't tell me if it dies, Murmur. It will be too much to for me to bear..... :)

Even more trees in the back along with a flat of foxglove and more seeds. I think the tallest I dared take was about 5 ft tall.

I wonder if this lack of visibility is a moving violation? Side mirrors were clear, and I could use them except for that tickly hemlock branch in my face the whole trip LOL! My neighbors pulled out just ahead of me and were sort of giving me one of those incredulous looks.....again.

I tried to pack an ecosystem on a rotting nurse log for Murmur, so she could set it and forget it. But my plans were thwarted as the rotting log fell apart with very little handling. Great place for roots!

Ecosystem log transformed into "Eco System in a QFC bag!"

No woods is complete without Trillium! I scavenged a few for the cause.

Through the side window.... perhaps the trees will grow up to be like their reflected former neighbor trees.

And here's the wonderful recipient with a new 'woods' packed up and ready to go. It's amazing what you can cram into a car!

Have fun planting Murmur. I will look forward to updates and photos as time goes on. Hope your Hundred Acre Woods can return to some of its former green glory!

I'm excited to say that I have begun the planting - and your beloved fir is in a place of honor!!! In very good dirt, I might add.

I spent some time weed whacking the area where the majority of the trees will go (oh my aching arms!!!), then started digging some holes here and there. I decided I should stop when I just plain couldn't lift the shovel anymore. I think I got about 20 planted. I took pictures, but haven't downloaded them as yet. I do have one of Annie, my generous giver of trees. And I guarantee you it does not do her justice - she's darling with a smile that makes everyone around smile as well.

Annie also gave me a ton of Foxgloves (and also some Foxglove seeds and Meadow Rue seeds) and the most beautiful Trillium ever - I can't say enough about how thrilled I am with it. And everything else!!!

Very nice Murmur and Poochella! What a beautiful collection!

Zowie ! Poochella, your babies couldn't be in better
hands than Murmur's, and the best thing she got was
a wonderful new friend. Congratulations to both of you.

What a magnificent collaboration! This effort touches me deeply. I think now, especially, with what's going on in the world, the notion of growing something lasting seems particularly profound.

Oh and by the way, because of you folks at Dave's Garden, i was able to identify a trillium my husband and i passed while walking on the nature trail. He was very impressed, thinking me to be quite the fledgling horticulturist! :)

This message was edited Apr 18, 2007 9:02 AM

Every time I look at my newly planted trees and the Foxglove and the Trillium, I am warmed by the thoughtfulness of Poochella. You wouldn't believe all the work she went to - I am in awe!

Estreya, love that you impressed your DH!!!!!

Murmur, I'm so glad you got some time to dig and I feel your poor arm muscles at the mere mention of weed whacking! We should now get some gentle rains to water the trees on their way. My fir in a place of honor? Cheers! May we both live long enough to see it towering, oh say, perhaps 40 ft? Dare I say 50?? It was no work at all Murmur, all for a good cause.

Estreya, good job on the trillium ID. They are probably my favorite vista in Spring poking up from the forest floor no matter what tries to block their path.

Not a very good photo of another favorite spring thing: the contrast of all the new greens poking out against the backdrop of dark evergreens.

Friends, this just touches me deeply. It couldn't be better than to get to share in this transatlantically. What a terrific story. And how nice to put faces to names. Thank you.

Murmur, what an inspired and generous gift! Poochella, I hope each and every baby thrives for you.

Just the opposite, Katy - Poochella dug up all those trees and I am the lucky recipient . . . hoping to keep every single one alive!!!!

I'll try to get pics later today.

Duh! Please be patient, I don't think all the cards are back in the deck yet. lol

No problem, Katy - we ALL do that kind of thing. I sure want to give Poochella credit, though . . . I'll take credit later for gardening skills if I am fortunate enough to keep them all alive!!!!

Picture #1 of Annie's pet tree - it's on a little mound that at one time (before we bought the house) had apparently been someone's compost pile (strictly grass clippings, I believe). Anyway, after the clear cutting and all the junk moved in - ie stinging nettles (billions of them), horsetail, blackberry vines, etc., I hadn't kept it mowed or anything in that back area. Now, after weed whacking, I decided it was the ideal spot for the 'star' of the garden. The dirt under the grass (which wasn't rooted very deep), was gorgeous and crumbled at my touch. I'll be cleaning the rest of the mound up as well and doing some underplanting - can you tell I am excited about all this???

And here's a picture of it from further back, there is another tree planted somewhat below it.

I should have shown this one first - here the forest is upon its arrival to my house. I had just unloaded the car.

One more before I get myself out the door - this is a closeup of one of the Trillium plants from Poochella . . . is it glorious or what???!!!

ohhhhhh.

Magnificent!

Tremendous, Murmur! The beloved fir looks mighty stately for a mere sprout in its new locale. I'm so happy to see it gets a prominent placing.

How on earth did those all fit in your car? LOL! I think you've got a really nice start on the planting and can envision a little woods springing forth in years to come. Those trees all came out of dense undergrowth areas, so don't stress yourself clearing out around them. Water will be helpful, especially for the cedars in hot, dry July and August. When they were little, I carried gallons of water to them. I was going to throw in several gallon milk jugs for that purpose but didn't want to alarm you! The tough will survive, never fear.

There are few things so inspiring to me as the trillium in early Spring. They emerge in the most unique places around here, and some I've relocated into groups so I can get a peek at their delicate white blooms when passing by here or there. They always amaze me. There was one a couple years back growing out of a 15 ft nearly sheer rock outcropping along the creek. An occasional fern, moss, some weeds, and one brave lone trillium grew in that hostile location! It hasn't shown up for two years, but I don't know what happened. Glad you enjoy them.

I think everything is in excellent hands up in Whidbey. Now, with a little luck from Mother Nature and consideration from the deer you will soon be green again. Yay!

Tonight I hauled a few broken branches (log size) from the next door neighbor's tree which lost much during this year's storms. I don't have an exact plan, but want to utilize them in the new woods.

Poochella, will the deer be a problem? I spray my gardens with Liquid Fence Plus and could easily spray the trees as well if you think it would be a good idea. And I do have a very long hose that will easily go back into that area. If I put any of the trees back very far in the "meadow," I won't be able to water them so will keep everything fairly close.

One of the reasons I'm trying to clean up a bit around that area is that there are so darn many stinging nettles and i react strongly to their merest touch - I'd LOVE to get rid of them if I can!!!! Probably no way to do so, but I'll keep at it - a little Roundup and good gloves and heavy shirts!!!

The deer like little cedars and the trillium, so Liquid Fence might help you on those. The forester who worked with the neighbor who clearcut here told me many little cedars are wiped out as deer find them for a little foraging snack along their way.

Another gardener out here uses several spikes of broken bamboo stakes ( the inexpensive green kind) around her plants as the deer don't like to lean down and get their eyes poked. The stakes are left to stick up an inch or so above the foliage.

Glad you have a hose that will reach the trees: that will save tons of work!

Sorry about the stinging nettle! Our last home had patches of it in the pasture, next to the garden. It is hateful stuff! We weedwhacked it, covered the area with heavy cardboard and bushels of barn waste. Then we moved LOL so I can't tell you if it worked for long, but it helped for a couple seasons. Here's an article on it, including eradication advice.
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/nettle.htm

I am loving reading this thread! How nice to be able to share the forest...'may the forest be with you' comes to mind as another name for this thread -LOL.

If you ever want to try Madrone, let me know. I have so many of these coming up I'd be happy to try digging some to send you for the forest.

What a great story! I love how these trees and other plants are getting a new home all because of care and cooperation from gardeners here, and how that clear cut is going to thrive with new life.

My experience with small cedars (about 2 feet high) is that the deer did not munch them much, but they did rake their antlers on them and did a fair amount of damage in this way. After they killed one of mine, I put chickenwire fences around the others until they got big enough to hold their own against the onslaught.

I got a few more planted today, along with some of the Foxglove - and I watered them heavily. I think I will try the chicken wire fencing around the cedars . . . I saw a small herd of deer out in the meadow and knew they'd be heading my way so I sprayed everything (and I do mean everything) with Liquid Fence Plus.

Good thing . . . in this photo they have meandered through the meadow, crossed through my new little forest, and came right up the small hill to the top of my backyard. Cheeky little devils (and they know I love them). There are two does and two yearlings.

Galega, I forgot to thank you for your generous offer of Madrone - and I would love to try some, but I need to get what I have planted first!!!!

Sure thing - no hurry - they grow like a groundcover underneath the taller tree, so I have several to spare.

I have some of those cheeky little devils in my yard too!

What cute little cheekies! That one is sticking his tongue out at you lol

I hate to say it, but I love deer: so delicate and graceful. But when they have the audacity to stick their tongues out at you, that's crossing the line! Still are pretty.....

LOL - and note the seed on the noses . . . glad to hear I'm not the only one that loves them! I was reading AARP Magazine this morning (I'm sure none of you are old enough to get that) and it talked about how animals - pets and wildlife (they didn't mention deer, but squirrels and birds) can help you live longer. I should live to be one heck of an old woman!!!

Here's one of that same little guy - he really does have a tongue issue! I think he's licking his chops.

It's hard to get a pic that shows the up and coming forest, but maybe this will give an idea. None of the property the other side of the ditch (which is at the bottom of the photo) is mine, but considering he left the little grove of alders for me (at my request and not showing in this one), I don't think he will care . . . nor should anyone who might buy the property as it is the start of something that will provide privacy.

From a different angle - the tree directly at the right front is on my property and there is another one in back of where I stood to take this photo, at the corner of my yard. The pot on it's side is a broken chunk I got from Ace Hardware that they were throwing out, it is "over" the opening of the drainage ditch, aka Murmuring Creek. The grass and weeds (thistle in particular) have made themselves at home in the ditch. I did dig a bit of it up yesterday after I took this photo, but it is really going to be a lot of work. Sigh.

In front of the alders, to the right, is a large garden of nettles. I think I may spray some Roundup, although I normally do not, as it is just too many for me to try to pull without causing a lot of discomfort, and too much to try to cut down as well.

Edited to add: the tall evergreens in the back are much, much further away than they appear here. The property has quite a slope and they are basically towards or at the top of that.

This message was edited Apr 22, 2007 8:00 AM

How have I possibly been missing this thread????? I admit to spending little time on DG of late, but , still, I have totally missed out! I love the story and the photos and I love the way murmur has turned a sad clearcut into an opportunity to reforest the area. Plus, I love the deer. I guess I love it all!!
Poochella, how did you ever dig that trillium without any damage at all?? Their roots go very far down and it's hard to get one without damage. You did good!!