Planting New Trees

Last month, Austin Energy crews had to remove three trees and trim another one in our backyard because they were interfering with power lines. Now, this worked out for us -- they were all fast-growing "trash" trees (if any tree can be called such a thing) and we didn't want them there anyway.

When the crew head left, he handed me a brochure about the removals. I was beyond excited when I saw that the city offers free replacements when they have to remove trees from your yard. Free trees? OH YEAH. I did so much research on the native tree replacement options they offered, you would not even believe it. Ask me about the desert willow's foliage patterns. Go for it.

On Friday, the FIVE amazing trees arrived in their five gallon buckets. I actually skipped outside to see them, no joke.

A waterproof-cased iPhone is optimal for taking mediocre photos of new trees when you have muddy hands.

So we spent this beautiful Sunday wandering the aisles of Natural Gardener, bagging our own mulch and turkey compost, and then relocating five nandina bushes and digging one hole and planting our brand new Mexican plum tree in our backyard.

(Digging 12" x 30" holes in 86 degrees is actually harder than it sounds. I guess these baby-carrying arms aren't as strong as I thought.) We also made room for the common tree senna in our front yard.

Tonight, I came across this quote in the engaging book "Home" by Bill Bryson:

I do not know whether I am singular in my Opinion, but, for my own part, I would rather look upon a Tree in all its Luxuriancy and Diffusion of Boughs and Branches, than when it is thus cut and trimmed into a Mathematical Figure.

Joseph Addison, "The Pleasures of the Imagination" (1712)

Indeed, Joseph. Indeed.