Today was less about planting things and more about removing things that had absolutely no invitation to be here in the first place.
Along the fence line, I have a collection of volunteer bushes, vines, little trees, and assorted greenery that has basically been allowed to do whatever it wanted for years. Most of it doesn’t flower, doesn’t produce anything useful, and has gradually taken over a surprising amount of space.
Now I need that space.
I have fruit trees coming, including two columnar peach trees, two fig trees, and I also have a dwarf everbearing mulberry that needs a permanent home. Once I started looking at the fence line as potential growing space instead of just that mess back there, I realized there is actually quite a bit of usable room.
So out came the cutting tools.
I’m clearing the volunteers, opening up the area to more sunlight, and figuring out exactly how much space I have for the fruit trees. I’m not clearing everything—I still want the back of the yard to stay somewhat wild for the birds, frogs, turtles and everything else that uses it—but plants that aren’t doing much for me or the wildlife can make way for things that will.
There is also another benefit.
Clearing along this particular fence should make my neighbor happy because she apparently has strong feelings about leaves, vegetation, and the general concept of nature occurring near her property.
Unfortunately, it means I can see more of her ass-ugly fence.
There are sacrifices in gardening.
Eventually, though, there should be fruit trees and other plantings along here, so perhaps I’ll get my greenery back—only this time it will be greenery I actually chose.