Picking Plants

Our long-promised storm showed up last night.  By this morning we had heavy rain driven by high winds, and a temperature close to 40.  At 9:00 I showed up at Netta's to talk with Dennis about plant materials for the front (street side) of the house.  Part of the time we wandered around in the wind and rain to look at trees and shrubs outside.  Burrr!

Dennis recommends a Siberian spruce to help screen the house from the road; two dwarf Alberta spruces, a hydrangea tree, and a low-growing hydrangea as foundation plantings; and a selection of ferns and perennials.  I'm mulling his suggestions.  I know shrubs are best planted in the fall, but he surprised me by saying that perennials can be planted now as well.

One year ago — September 29, 2010 — the walls for the ground floor had been roughed in, and the crew was starting to build the exterior walls for the second floor.  Access to the second floor was by ladder, but the view was certainly worth it!  In the second photo below, Sean (left) and Sam are roughing in the west wall of the master bedroom. •••