I was never a fan of the rock islands and it has been a plan from the get go to get rid of them. We'd been hoping to get them out last summer but it didn't happen, but this summer we were determined ( and had some help and a really good jump start ). This is how it looked when we bought it...or when the snow melted.
We did make an attempt last year to get started but we got started too late in the season for sod and decided to try seed the near small rock island. The next spring we just got tufts here and there. Not ideal. We did consider trying to fill in with seed but ultimately began to look into sod.
(Don't be fooled the grass didn't look nearly that good closer up)
But first we needed to move the little Alberta Spruces that looked oh so conspicuous in the lawn now.
Then we were off to find the most perfect tree for our front yard. We researched on the internet, my plant identification book and the local nurseries. We ultimately decided on a Pacific Senset Maple ( a cross between a Norway Maple and a Shantung Maple ). It had a great green summer color and didn't get chlorosis ( the yellowy leaves you see on so many maple trees in Utah because of the lovely alkaline soil) and best of all had a great redish orangy fall color. We went to a nursery about a half an hour away and found one that was perfect except that it was probably 12 feet tall and we had no way to get it to our house with our two compact cars and it was going to cost 70 bucks to deliver it. We considered getting a smaller tree that we could fit into our car but with how slow trees grow we wanted to get the biggest one we could. We finally got ahold of someone in our ward who graciously agreed to pick it up for us and bring it home to us. We went back to the nursery and paid for our tree ( and it was 20% off because it was fall!! ). I can't tell you how excited I was to see it arrive.
There is just something about planting a tree. Something of hope. Of confidence in the future. In our future. I was so excited. Knowing our boys may grow up in it's shadow. Watching them grow together. Watching our family grow with it.
Then it was time for sod. When it got here we were a little nervous that we'd gotten too much but in the end we could have used one more to fill in gaps here and there. So here's the final product...so far. We still want to do some landscaping up around the house and the roses and the rocks to the right will be gone eventually as well. It's a work in progress I guess but we've finally started!
We were really excited to see the tree change colors in the fall. One day I looked out and thought the leaves were getting some leaf scorch on them.
I was worried it was dieing but upon closer inspection I saw this.
We can't wait till it gets bigger and we can jump in it's leaves!
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