The Home Ownership Thread

[Gibonius]

Btw, are grass lawns bad for the environment because of the water consumption required to irrigate them? Or is there some other reason?

Totally get that reason in CA, but it’s not a factor in FL except for a couple of months in winter

Mostly it’s the water, but the fertilizer isn’t great either.

It's also a monoculture that doesn't provide any nutrition to wildlife.

Like, I get it, but doesn't make grass any less useful or convenient, especially when you live somewhere that has plenty of water.

 

[Fueco]

It's also a monoculture that doesn't provide any nutrition to wildlife.

Like, I get it, but doesn't make grass any less useful or convenient, especially when you live somewhere that has plenty of water.

Like I used to tell the neighborhood Karen, dandelions are better.

 

[Gibonius]

Last summer I ripped out all the original landscaping out front and tarped the grass to kill it. This summer will be attempting a conifer and rock garden along with a small pond. Been plant shopping this spring break! Just need to grind out the last 10 weeks of the school year and then get to work!

Will get more, but in early May there is an American Conifer Society event locally, and have a self-imposed purchase moratorium until after that so I can pick some brains and hopefully get some leads on additional suppliers.

Nice haul! You have names for those beauties? Looks like they'll be a really nice blend of colors and textures.

I'm due for a visit to the local specialty conifer and Japanese maple nursery. I have a couple bed expansions that I'm working on, and I'm going for a pretty similar vibe. I haven't quite gotten the knack of mixing conifers yet, especially the yellow ones.

 

[RedLantern]

Nice haul! You have names for those beauties? Looks like they'll be a really nice blend of colors and textures.

I'm due for a visit to the local specialty conifer and Japanese maple nursery. I have a couple bed expansions that I'm working on, and I'm going for a pretty similar vibe. I haven't quite gotten the knack of mixing conifers yet, especially the yellow ones.

Yes, most of them are known cultivars, but a few are untagged or chance hybrids! A few pretty uncommon ones mixed in there too! Anything in particular you’re interested in? I have plans to mix in a few maples as well, but want to get my conifers in first and see what’s what. Need to read up on maples some, too …

 

[nootje]

First time I’ve heard of no mow may.

Doesn’t really matter to us anyway as there’s no grass in our tiny patch.

Much more importantly, tulip season in our garden is a bust. Of which I’m reminded everytime my wife walks into the garden with sighs, laments and curses. She’s got herself to blame though, as she stored the bulbs wrong last year, causing some rot.

So I’ll be ducking gardening responsibilities for another month or so, and brace myself for the relatively outrageous amount of money she will spend in the fall for new bulbs.

On the plus side, the fig tree is bearing loads of fruit already, and just one year to go before the kiwi starts to bear fruit.

 

[RedLantern]

First time I’ve heard of no mow may.

Doesn’t really matter to us anyway as there’s no grass in our tiny patch.

Much more importantly, tulip season in our garden is a bust. Of which I’m reminded everytime my wife walks into the garden with sighs, laments and curses. She’s got herself to blame though, as she stored the bulbs wrong last year, causing some rot.

So I’ll be ducking gardening responsibilities for another month or so, and brace myself for the relatively outrageous amount of money she will spend in the fall for new bulbs.

On the plus side, the fig tree is bearing loads of fruit already, and just one year to go before the kiwi starts to bear fruit.

Wait, like ripe fruit? Or the fig is setting fruit? It seems very early, even for a breba crop - my fig isn't even close to leafing out yet!

 

[nootje]

Wait, like ripe fruit? Or the fig is setting fruit? It seems very early, even for a breba crop - my fig isn't even close to leafing out yet!

It’s setting fruit, sized like marbles now but should grow rather quick.

 

[Piobaire]

...and brace myself for the relatively outrageous amount of money she will spend in the fall for new bulbs.

Your economy never quite recovered from that tulip bubble?

 

[Gibonius]

Yes, most of them are known cultivars, but a few are untagged or chance hybrids! A few pretty uncommon ones mixed in there too! Anything in particular you’re interested in? I have plans to mix in a few maples as well, but want to get my conifers in first and see what’s what. Need to read up on maples some, too …

I do love me some maples. They all just leafed out last week. Running out of room to add any more, although I think I have room for two more this spring if I find something I like.

You know what the one on the front left in the first pic is? Some kind of larch maybe?

 

[RedLantern]

I do love me some maples. They all just leafed out last week. Running out of room to add any more, although I think I have room for two more this spring if I find something I like.

You know what the one on the front left in the first pic is? Some kind of larch maybe?

Small/low growing with green tufts? I think you’re talking about the “hedgehog” cedar (cedrus libani). One of my faves as well! Super slow growing, maybe 1-2” per year.

 

[Gibonius]

That makes sense from the needle pattern now that I see it. Cool plant.

I have one of the full size Lebanese cedars, planted it last year. There's also a dwarf Japanese larch in there, and a Northlight dawn redwood just starting to push needles.

 

[Fueco]

The Bradford Pears in our backyard look nice this time of year.

 

[jbarwick]

The Bradford Pears in our backyard look nice this time of year.

View attachment 2167133

Look nice but smell awful.

 

[Gibonius]

Super invasive too. Not 100% sure I'd remove one if it was in my yard, but I sure wouldn't buy one these days.

 

[SixOhNine]

Pears are trash fruit. They're not as bad as durian, but that only because they don't smell like unwashed ass.

(@Fueco's is pretty, though)