Kate Kaercher wrote:
Henry wrote:
Also, I went up to Pennsylvania yesterday where my parents have some
property. My father has given me permission to take as much space as
I want plant pretty much whatever I want so I've laid out 40 by 50
feet of clear plastic on the grass to kill and cook it in preparation
for doing some serious digging. Just digging up enough dirt to hold
the plastic down was work. I think I'll run a tiller over it first
and then dig. I have no idea what I'm going to do with all that space
but it should be fun.

Another thing we have in common! I'm originally from PA. Where in PA
are you from?

Actually, I'm not. I'm from Bethesda. Back in the early 1960s my folks
bought a piece of land in PA (just north of Gettysburg) and we go up
there quite a bit. We call it "the farm" but it's not. It's just land.
We added a pond in the 60s and spent a summer in the 70s building a
cabin (no heat/water/electricity). Over the years we've put in about
5,000 White Pine and Japanese Larch and plant a couple dozen spruce
every few years and we cut our Christmas trees from those. My father
grows fruit trees and bushes and some ornamentals.

The funny thing about what I wrote above was that I went up to put the
plastic down, knowing my dad would be there, planting some new trees and
working. When I got there I found that he also have a 20' x 100' piece
of plastic to lay out to prepare another area. We had both been to
different Lowes stores that morning and bought the same brand/size, etc.
except his was black and mine clear. We're taking bets on which kills
and cooks the grass faster. He's going to be planting berries, I'll be
doing something with roses and perennials and perhaps a Franklinia he
started from seed. Should be fun. My rose wish list is longer than 40'
by 50' will hold but it's a good start.

As for where I live, I'm just off 355 near downtown Gaithersburg. I'm
in an older neighborhood and have lots of large oak trees in the yard.
I really don't have enough sun for most of my roses but I try anyway.
If the trees weren't so big, I might cut some down but I can't bring
myself to do it. I also like sitting in the shade.

--
Henry