The First Year in the Garden

Our first year here on Rose Hill was filled up with many hours of exhausting clean up. We used a total of 3 dumpsters to remove unwanted old furniture, farm machinery parts and other miscellaneous items left on the farm by previous owners. Although hard work it had it's rewards because we were laying claim to our territory and making the farm our own.

Old fence lines and rotted posts were cleared away to make room for trees, shrubs and perennial flowers which we planted in gay abandon.


No outdoor project is completed by oneself. Where ever I am with garden tools in hand you will also find all farm dogs and cats more than willing to help. lol. The above photo captures my frustration and amusement. I no sooner have a hole dug than "someone" wants to test it's size.


I had planned to keep a diary of my progress with meticulous documentation of all varieties of "green-things" planted. What I ended up with was a black garbage full of good items with all those little tags that came with my tree/shrub or flower purchase. I lost track!

We have planted several varieties of apple trees and one pear. At least 4 Kwansan flowering cherry trees. One weeping cherry tree. One yoshino cherry tree. Several dogwoods. Redbuds at least 6 I have planted TWICE because I found to my dismay that deer like them too. My favorites are flowering magnolia trees and I have 3 different varieties that are doing well.

My hats off to Lowes which started my season of spring off in 2008. They were selling azalea bushes for $1.89. I almost "fainted" in the store. There was a huge color and type of azalea to choose from and at last count I planted 36 of them.

I was also fortunate to be able to plant 4 Rhododendrons and 4 Lilac bushes.

I don't know when in our lives we have EVER anticipated a "spring" more than SPRING OF 2009.....I can not WAIT to see how all the trees/shrubs and perennials have wintered and to witness the beauty of their first bloom on Rose Hill Farm.

I forgot to mention that I also tried SEVERAL Cleveland Pear trees thanks to Lowes again and their amazing sales of 2008. I was lucky to find that towards the back of the store they keep several "sale tree" sections that are not well advertised but once I found them I quickly cleaned out the "flowering tree for sale" isle.

When the first blooms appear I will be blogging away to share with you the bounty of Rose Hill Farm and the joy that we experience as we see our dreams come true!