It's Still Green

The Empress of China™ evergreen dogwood, Cornus angustata 'Elsbry' is still green and still holding its leaves after several rounds of freezing. It is rated hardy to zone 6 which I qualify for on most days. We have only had a zone 9 winter so far and the evergreen dogwood is looking a little droopy.

That may be its normal winter look or it might be due to its very recent late season planting. I think I watered it once or twice. Other than that between snow, rain, heavy dew, frosts and shade the ground has stayed plenty wet. Next winter will give me a better clue to its normal winter appearance.

The bamboo division I did a couple weeks ago is still green and hasn't shed a single leaf. I watered it a couple times, but now I'm done. The bamboo is on its own. It is planted along the lower property line where I have planted quite a number of things to start forming the back drop and a living fence for the garden becoming.

In time the garden will be protected from prying eyes. A sense of privacy will grow. A substantial perimeter screen may even help keep large varmints and hound dogs from wandering in.

Inside the green walls expansive vistas will be maintained, at least when the components of the tall flower meadow that are allowed to remain are resting for the winter. The Lush will be tamed and organized, not entirely eliminated. Summer vistas will have to selected and maintained.

All my toils, all the disturbance I have caused has made fine conditions for a crop of winter annual weeds. A short green carpet fills the crease of the sunny utility valley. In it I have noticed a large population of a drooping, narrow leaved, clumping sedge. I like it. I want to encourage it to form a lawn of sorts.

This sedge showed up inside the Creation where I weed whacked the Lush on a regular basis. My plan next year is to weed whack new areas for "lawn" or the negative space a garden needs. That may be all I have to do to get this sedge to take over.