Sitting at home, sipping tea, wrapped in a blanket, sniffing and watching a cold front move in – a perfect day to clean up some computer files. I found all sorts of old photos and files. The one that caught my attention was taken 10 years ago in our front yard. My, it has changed so much (and so has fashion!). Originally there was a little bed around some trees, and the rest in St. Augustine grass. Weed killer was used constantly to keep out my neighbors travelling hypericum and the continual popping up of redbud trees, cherry laurel and Turk’s cap from seeds left by the birds. The grass has long been gone. The cherry laurels, oak trees and eastern red cedar have grown so much. Under them are a wide variety of native and well-adapted plants. Oak leaf hydrangea, Japanese maple, viburnum, lots of Turk’s cap (I let them pop up wherever they please), aralia, leatherleaf mahonia, coralberry, a solitary gardenia and camellia (for fun), salvia guaranitica, possumhaw holly, inland sea oats and many more plants thrive under the trees.

Weed killer is no longer used. My neighbor’s plants are always welcome. The earthworms are happy and so is my husband. There is no grass to mow.

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