My 'Would-be' Woods

This is what I spent most of my evening doing. Luckily, I am off from work and have time. I've noticed that winter really gives me a chance to see 'the bones' of what I have without much distraction. It also allows me access to an area I can't access much in the height of summer--although I kept my path more open my second summer here than the first.

I look forward to seeing the transformation as I add more trees, understory shrubs, and forbs (wildflowers, ferns, and such). I know it will take a while, but this can be one of the 'before' pics.

Although not labeled yet, I have added a witch hazel above the boulder pictured above, three shagbark hickory seedlings, a six-foot ash tree that I've had in a pot for about 15 years, a spicebush tree/shrub, a transplanted wild cherry, box-elder, and another ash that I found growing too close to the house. I'd like to add two sycamore seedlings I found growing in the flower bed. I'm considering a tulip tree and another white oak (I planted a 3 ft one on the far edge of the woods (the beginning of my meadow (or possible savannah). I'll have to create a list of other trees and understory shrubs that I want to include.

The ash tree was kept in a pot but the roots and some upper branches were trimmed at times to keep it health and manageable. Unfortunately, once it was planted and just when I thought it was growing out of the reach of the deer, a deer bent and broke the main stem. I'm hoping it will recover this spring.

I look forward to seeing this progression! I have to stop calling it 'the would-be woods' --"the will-be woods' doesn't have the same ring to it, so maybe I'll end up calling it 'the woods'.