December 2, 1998

The first thing I want to do is to do something with the front yard.  I think I will make shade gardens under the trees in the very front of the yard.  Right now, the ground under them is almost completely bare.  I do love the old dogwood out front, though.  It's very gnarled and beautifully ancient!  All the bushes against the foundation of the house are badly broken.  I think I'll be able to save the old azalea, but it looks awful.  Perhaps if I move it to the woods...
Later in the day-
I began what I will call the first front shade garden.  There are 2 trees close together:  a wonderful old oak and a scrubby american chestnut with the top broken out of it.  Squirrels are nesting in it.  I put in a lot of lirope, an azalea, blue iris, mixed iris, a pink mum, a yellow mum,golden apeldorn tulips,scilla siberica, adenophylia oxalis, rockgarden narcissi and ajuga.  Also put in some wood hyacinths.  I'm exhausted!!

Under the trees...