Perry Parc, July 1 - 15, 2003

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Just a bit about the Holly Ridge...

Sitting at the crest of a 4-foot slope that extends across the yard,
the Holly Ridge is the dividing line between the upper part of the back yard and the low area at the back.
Eventually plantings on this ridge will extend across the entire yard, with two paths leading to the back.
Here you see the right side of the Holly Ridge, as it is now, bordered by the arbor.
Further to the right of the arbor, on the opposite side of a Chinese Dogwood, is the upper patio.
An extension to the right will eventually include a group of three, narrow hollies,
which will serve as backdrop to the pond at the back of that patio, giving that area more privacy.
Sitting atop the hill on that patio is a bit like being on stage in a theatre-in-the-round!

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Here you see the Holly Ridge from the back side and the path that goes up the hill behind the upper patio from here.
One of the new Rhodies on this side did not make it through the harsh winter and has been removed.
So, we need another one.
To the right of the left photo above is another path, which leads to the Woodland.
Eventually, the Holly Ridge will extend beyond that path to the edge of the lot.
This will entirely hide the back area of the yard.
If I live long enough, I want to make a small, formal, "Secret Garden" in the area furthest back, since
it is the only flat land on the property!
If we never get it done, who knows? Maybe, I wil have a painting studio built there!

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Here is what the "Back 40" looks like now. There is a pair of nice Japanese Maple trees on the left side.
The right side is partially bordered by Mockoranges and Spireas. That side also has a good crop of Ivy groundcover.

Below the Japanese maples is a different groundcover, which may need to be removed, since it is rather invasive.
The seeds for it came along with the Japanese maple trees, from the woods of our friends, Cynthia and Mark, in Philadelphia.

We compost our leaves all across the back boundary line, for a later planting of Hollies and Rhod. maximas there.
Once a year, Tom puts the leaves through a chipper/shreader. Some years, he uses them for mulch. Others remain.
We want that area built up slightly, to prevent runoff of the rain into the neighbors' yards behind us.
We need the water for the yard and they don't!
During Hurricane Hugo a few years ago, they got flooded with rains that ran down our hill.

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For those who have never been here, Tom thought, I should add an overall photo, for orientation.
Sorry, I didn't think of it earlier! This is the center part of the upper back yard,
looking out from the second floor inside the house. To the left, downhill is the woodland garden.
To the right is more of the upper patio and garden beds, bordered by a 1929 mockorange hedge.
Behind the upper patio is a small, natural woods, which backs up to a neighboring biologist, who owns that woods.
Beyond the arbor is our "Back 40." It's an L, which goes further back, to the back end of the woods on the right.
The original owner of our house bought that extra plot of land
in 1935,
from the then-neighbor on the left, back side, whose lot is perpendicular to ours.


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On Holiday, July 4, 2003
Great photo of Tom!


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Tom finished edging another bed today, while Yogi finished mulching it. One more to go!
And earlier this week, Yogi scrubbed down the Cafe'. (It gets mossy over the winter months.)
Tom named the front terrace the Cafe',
as a place for enjoying his morning coffee and reading the NY Times on weekends.
It's also a great place to watch sunset.
(Chairs returning soon.)

Summer in the front yard...

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More pruning to do!
But, tomorrow, Tom and I are going out for more plants....

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Meanwhile, across the street, neighbor Elaine has recently created a nice view for us!

Today is the 4th of July, American Independence Day.
I'm finally up-to-date!

July 1 - 15, 2003 continued...
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Page 7, Perry Parc Log 2003