Springtime in All Its Glory.

The photo you see says it all. There’s so much joy to be derived from doing your own landscaping. This Redbud was a 3″ diameter stick when it was planted 5 years ago. Now my wife and I get to savor its beauty right from our kitchen window all day long.

It was planted by a landscaping company a year after we bought the home. They dug a whole in the tough red clay and set the ball of the roots into it. That was it —done!

Now it sits in a planting island which I created the next Spring with my bare hands. O.K., I confess to wearing gloves most of the time. Careful measuring gave my island a nice oval shape.

Using a spade and wheelbarrow, I removed at least 20 tons of hard red clay. The only power tool used was a rototiller. After getting to the desired depth, my island was filled with rich black top soil.

The initial growth rate was slow, but after the third year, with consistent watering and mulching, the Redbud came to life and is what you see now.

It’s time for the Redbud’s first pruning. We just hired a landscaper and it will be done in “2 weeks”. Don’t they all say that?

In a way, this is like watching a child growing up and reaching new milestones. Redbud’s going to get her first “haircut”. I just might update the photo afterwards.

I hope you, the reader, appreciate and enjoy the new Spring season.