Cleaning out the picture phone...

My phone is getting old, and it's gritty because of the work I do. I've actually completely submerged this phone in water, twice, once for about 5 seconds and again for about 2 seconds. The picture quality isn't the best, but it's convenient and I see things I just want to capture from time to time. I haven't downloaded pictures from my phone since the last snow (late 2008/early 2009 ???) so I wouldn't call some of these shots particularly timely, but here goes anyway:

PHOTO: One of my favorite trees. Chinese fringe tree, scientific name, Chionanthus retusus, is a wonderful flowering small tree. Not to be confused with American fringe tree, scientific name, Chionanthus virginicus, which is native to Alabama, Chinese fringe tree offers bountiful blooms and retains a nice natural shape. There are not enough of these trees being produced by good growers, so when I see a nice specimen, I try to find a home for it.


PHOTO: Simple rock border I installed for a front landscape in Greystone







PHOTOS: Weeping pussy willow














































PHOTO: Snowy woods in Alabama















PHOTO: Mary praying in the snow



PHOTO: Holly berries from my yard awash in snow.


PHOTO: Extreme crepe murder! (not by my pruners, in case you wondered)



















VIDEO: These are my little buddies, swirling around some food. They live in my pond that I'm building at my home...currently, still, otherwise, eternally soon to be finished...I am determined not to become the cobbler!

Stone in the yard

A couple of months back, I spent several weeks working for some nice folks in Vestavia. They were having a very large deck built off the back of their home and they didn't want many rails on the deck to obscure their view of the yard. In order to comply with code (a deck without railing must be within so many inches of the ground), a lot of dirt had to be brought in, but in an eye pleasing way. That's where I came in. Building a stack stone retaining wall and incorporating some large stepping stones, I was able to make the deck "legit" and find a home for some of my favorite plants, like Helaborus, Daphne odora, Aspidistra, and Osmanthus. I ended up spending a little time in other parts of the yard, as well. The video, below, focuses on the stone work.