Thanks, Angie! I'm glad that you enjoyed the tour.
Things have changed again here since this article was written; we've recently lost all but one of our huge Ash trees to the Emerald Ash Borer. The remaining Ash was damaged as well, but we're trying to save it. I've started new
hugelkulture sun gardens in those spaces, and they're coming along nicely.
This one decided to sprout a bunch of pretty annuals halfway through the process, so I decided to leave it be for the season.
The one behind it (just an edge is showing under the wooden chair) is just now getting manure added to it to fill it up. It'll probably be ready for fall annuals this year, and then perhaps some heat tolerant annuals and perennials next year. That bed will be in all day sun and it's pretty far from the hose, so it'll be an experiment all the way.
We added a
screened porch for shade where several Ash stumps were left, and it's become my haven from the sun.
The nearby raised beds designed with wood, plant clippings and manure are doing very well, even though they're packed to the gills with plants!
I still miss the trees, but the extra sunshine is doing marvelous things for the sunny gardens.
I may yet add a smaller ornamental tree or two to the now treeless area, but for now, I'm fairly content.
