New visitor to backyard

Birds are regular visitors to our backyard feeders. This year we spotted out a new visitor named as " Black capped chickadee". This is a very small bird (little smaller than a sparrow). In the picture it is feasting on sunflower seeds.

More new beginnings...

Last year we completed almost 75% of the landscape design. Unfortunately, the winter was very bad this time and we were little worried for all our plants. It was almost June until the weather become stable. But, luckily all our plants did well, except for one or two which needs to be replaced this year.

It was interesting to see the growth pattern of the different plants. The early spring bloomers lilac & weigelas were all set with their buds to provide the floral display. Trees started budding with new leaves. Roses & perennials started their new growths.

Top Left: Pine, Top right: Flame maple, Bottom left: White oak, Bottom right: SpruceTop Left: Weigela, Top right : Rose , Bottom left: Burning bush, Bottom right: Lilac

New Beginnings!

Weather here is very unpredictable. There are some spring days followed by occasional cold days followed by some sunny days. But, with the arrival of spring, our garden got activated. There are some kinds of signs on each & every plant.

Flowering pear & crabapples were the first trees to invite spring with a display of white flowers all over the tree. Since our trees are small there is not much shape of the tree this year. Maybe in 3-5 years the crown of the tree will be more dense and will portray many more blooms.

Crabapples have the buds in dark pink color which fades to white when the flower blooms.

Welcome spring blooms!

This is one of the earliest spring blooms in our garden. The shrub Witch hazel blooms as early as March to April even when it is still cold. During the sunny days this bloom opens to its full shape.

Mulching: Important step in Gardening

Mulching is one of the important and most beneficial practices done in the garden. Mulch is a protective layer of a material that is spread on top of the soil. Mulches can either be organic -- such as grass clippings, straw, bark chips, and similar materials -- or inorganic -- such as stones, brick chips, and plastic. Both organic and inorganic mulches have numerous benefits.

• Protects the soil from erosion
• Reduces compaction from the impact of heavy rains
• Conserves moisture, reducing the need for frequent waterings
• Maintains a more even soil temperature
• Prevents weed growth by blocking sunlight
  
• Keeps fruits and vegetables clean
• Keeps feet clean, allowing access to garden even when damp
• Provides a "finished" look to the garden

Organic mulches also improve the condition of the soil. As these mulches slowly decompose, they provide organic matter which helps keep the soil loose. This improves root growth, increases the infiltration of water, and also improves the water-holding capacity of the soil. Organic matter is a source of plant nutrients and provides an ideal environment for earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms.

While inorganic mulches have their place in certain landscapes, they lack the soil improving properties of organic mulches. Inorganic mulches may be very difficult to remove if you decide to change your garden plans at a later date. They also form hiding & breeding places for number of insects that are not required in the garden.

Mulching is generally recommended in the beginning of the season to prevent weed growth on the garden beds. A good 3-inch depth will be the best to serve this purpose. Too much of mulch is not good for the plants, because it can cause suffocation to the roots. We like to use the finest and darkest hardwood bark mulch for our garden, which was recommended by our landscaper designer friend. To calculate the amount of mulch needed for your project, you can use the mulch calculator from Lowes http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=calcMulch

Every year some of the mulch gets decomposed. For this reason, it is a good idea to spread about 1-2 inches of mulch every growing season. It is good to order mulch from the local nursery if you have larger areas of garden to mulch. They sell the mulch by yards. 1 yard covers about 100 sq feet if you cover 3 inches deep.

Last year, we did lots of garden projects in our yard. It took roughly 20 yards to cover all the beds :-)

Winter Landscape

Evergreens are to only green ones to add special interest during this season. Deciduous trees add visual interest with the bare branches. The dominating color is white (from the snow). On light snowy days, it appears like powder sugar is sprinkled everywhere. On heavy snow days, there is nothing but only snow dominating the entire landscape covering several inches to several foot of snow. On windy days, the snow is carried away by wind forming small snow mounds on the ground somewhat similar to the sand dunes.

Fall : A Seaon of Colors

Did you ever wonder how and why a fall leaf changes color? Why a maple leaf turns bright red? Where do the yellows and oranges come from? To answer those questions, we first have to understand what leaves are and what they do.

Leaves are nature's food factories. Plants take water from the ground through their roots. They take a gas called carbon dioxide from the air. Plants use sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into glucose. Glucose is a kind of sugar. Plants use glucose as food for energy and as a building block for growing. The way plants turn water and carbon dioxide into sugar is called photosynthesis. A chemical called chlorophyll helps make photosynthesis happen. Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green color.

As summer ends and autumn comes, the days get shorter and shorter. This is how the trees "know" to begin getting ready for winter. During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis. The trees will rest, and live off the food they stored during the summer. They begin to shut down their food-making factories. The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors. Small amounts of these colors have been in the leaves all along. We just can't see them in the summer, because they are covered up by the green chlorophyll. The bright reds and purples we see in leaves are made mostly in the fall. In some trees, like maples, glucose is trapped in the leaves after photosynthesis stops. Sunlight and the cool nights of autumn cause the leaves turn this glucose into a red color. The brown color of trees like oaks is made from wastes left in the leaves.

It is the combination of all these things that make the beautiful colors we enjoy in the fall. Here are some fall colors from our yard.