New Growth Around the Farm

Spring has sprung here in Kansas (and I'm told in many other areas too).  Though it is so early for all the flowers and trees to be blooming and turning green, we have been so blessed by the changes in weather and surroundings.

The kids have been thoroughly enjoying the nice weather and spend much of the days outside.  

Because everything is so beautiful, I just had to share some of the things going on around the farm house.  First off, we have a new tree. 

A few years ago, we had to have our locus tree cut down on the corner due to interference with the electrical lines going to the house.  We had the stump removed and nothing has been growing in that area for some time, but when we were driving through Salina the other day, we stopped off to get another apple tree for Marion's growing orchard and I saw this:

A Magnolia Tree

 Marion isn't sure if it will really survive in our area or not, but I'm told that the climates have changed enough that they are now adapted to our area.  We will see.  We have one year to see if it will live.  If it dies in that year, we can take the dead part back and replace it with a red bud.

The Magnolia Tree is only to get 10' high so it should be safe from the electrical lines and bring a bit of beauty to the property!  I am just so excited about it...I really hope it lives.

Second off, we have our renewed flower bed:

Newly planted flower bed

Do you remember what it looked like last year?  I dug up all those bulbs and tubers and divided and replanted.  It was quite the project, but I'm very pleased with how the bed is much more diverse and less clumped together.  You can't really see the iris yet but they are JUST coming up along the left side of the flower bed.

The tulips are just now starting to bloom and are gorgeous!

pink tulip

Tulip grouping with daffodills

red tulips

 And the last thing that is new to the yard are two blueberry bushes.

We tried to plant blueberries a few years ago, but they were purchased and brought back from Michigan.  They didn't survive.  I found some locally and thought I'd see if they were better climated to our area.

We added them into the end of the Strawberry bed so they had good drainage and then added peat moss to help with the acidity around them.  If you look close you can see the two little plants at the end of the strawberry patch.

blueberry bushes

Marion did take his McIntosh Apple Tree out to the Brooks Place Dam where he transplanted his Apple Trees and is going to try for a small orchard. Of course it will be YEARS away from actually producing any apples, but our peach trees are doing good.  I should try to get a picture of the blooming trees for you and post that too...but these are at least the new things we've added!

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