Our Gardening Journal

Welcome to Raven's Wood!

When we discovered this enchanted place it spoke to us. It was nine acres of forest, lakes, wildlife and a natural spirit that whispered a welcome from every corner of the property.

We would come out every weekend and sit under our trees as we filled ourselves with its mysteries. This is a picture of our favorite hollow, just below the spot where we were going to put the house. We picked a meadow area for the house because we wanted to preserve the natural landscape. We wanted a wild and mysterious place where we could wander about in complete seclusion as we studied the wildlife.

We would bring a picnic lunch and sit our lawn chairs under the canopy of these beautiful oaks which marked a long stand of trees which provided us with the seclusion we loved. It was a very private spot.

At the back of the property are two lakes, a smaller 3 acre pond, and a 12 acre Lake complete with excellent fishing. Cat tails and water lilies surround the pond, providing a haven for all sorts of aquatic life. Dragon Flies dart here and there as frogs chatter. Heron, Kingfishers, hawks, crows, and a variety of other wild birds glide, soar, and flap about.

Wild turkeys live in our woods. One day a mother turkey pranced across the landscape behind the house, dragging eight baby turkeys behind her. It was exciting to know that mother nature was replenishing the woods with life.

We have a flying squirrel that has taken up residence near the house as well as a few resident frogs that have learned to climb the sliding glass doors in order to be assured of an endless feast, as the insects are drawn to the lights from within.

Anole lizards scamper everywhere, changing color to blend into their current background. This teeming reptilian wildlife provide excellent natural insect control. The frogs begin their croaking at sunset or just before a rain, heralding the appearance of the first drop of moisture to fall. I find myself comforted by their voices.

Dragonflies and Damselflies scurry and glide everywhere while butterflies emerge and flitter about. We hope to be able to document their flights of fancy.

Unfortunately, when the bulldozer was finished preparing the land for the drain field and the house site, the property did not look the same.

These are the oak trees from the top picture. You are looking from the house site into the woods. The top picture was taken from a side view that would be to the left in this picture. Notice that the beautiful stand of trees that was originally there is no longer there. That secluded spot is now an open drain field. The Oaks stand alone now.

I will tell you, I cried for days over this. The bulldozer operator was supposed to meet us at 7:00 AM to discuss the project so that we could let him know our plans. We wanted as many trees saved as possible. When we arrived the job had already been completed, without our input. I felt victimized. They did their job and they did it well, but we never got to participate in the decision making process so felt violated. It took a while to get used to the way it now looked.

The picture to the left shows the devastation caused by the bulldozer. Trees snapped off and ripped apart.

If this was not bad enough, he then drove into the woods, pushing the slash into a natural ravine we had planned on making part of an oriental garden.

Before we can continue with our plans we will have to clear the ravine and return it to its natural state. So, you can see, we have our work cut out for us.

Since this area is now a drain field, we have to follow certain requirements in choosing plants for this area. We cannot use anything that has a large root system that can travel down and disturb the drain field. That means, no trees. We have been forced to completely rethink our original landscaping plans.

The photo of the oak trees here on the left is looking from the woods to the house site. The shadow of the oaks is the exact place where we have placed our lawn chairs in the first photo at the top. You can see the definite change in the location. The drain field takes up the space between these oaks and the house.

We will be keeping you informed as we landscape our yard. We will be putting up photos and explaining what we are doing and why. We will also make sure you know how it all turns out. We hope by providing this information, others will benefits by our experience as we fumble and stumble our way along, learning as we go. We will be putting up a gardening message board where you can share your gardening experiences and ask your questions. Let us know how you like what we are doing by e-mailing us at editor@cactusventures.com

Let's Garden!

Chris

Raven's Wood Reborn - But then a good thing never really ends

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