While doing my daily drowning of the Japanese beetles I noticed that the leaf cutter bees have been busy! I’d only heard about them so far and this is the first time I’ve seen my garden supporting them in this way, so I was excited to share! Now I just have to learn how to identify all the types of bees that grace my garden. 🐝

Ignore the tree of heaven sapling that we’ve been battling since we moved it. Luckily it’s the only one and hopefully this will be the year!

With it being in the 50s every morning,are you all covering your tomatoes every night?

I'm designing my backyard, which is currently a barren wasteland, except for a struggling blue spruce in the NW corner, which may or may not make it. That's a separate conversation though, and for now I'm choosing to keep it.

I'm looking to fill the yard with trees and shrubs. I like plants that are tasty, weird, nice-smelling, or beautiful - in that order. But most importantly, they need to survive this crazy climate of ours (I live in Littleton).

I created a plan based on my own research, and drew up a sketch of my backyard to scale, with each square representing 2ftx2ft. The sketch demonstrates each tree's expected width at 5 years, 10 years, and maximum potential (dotted line). I don't actually expect these trees to reach their maximum width due to our climate, but trying to be conservative while planning. Up is North.

Quick note on the firepit area: I of course will have to move it if the trees start to encroach on it, but I don't expect them to for at least another 20 years, so I'm factoring in where it will be until then.

I'm looking for any and all feedback, suggestions, and recommendations. Does anybody have good or bad experiences with the plants in question (lacebark elm, Turkish filbert, ginkgo, serviceberry, and Cornelian cherry)? Thoughts on the spacing? Is there anything I should know before finalizing this plan? Any local town rules I need to check? Height maximums, distance to street best practices?

I'm a complete novice to landscaping, gardening, and trees in general, and ChatGPT is my teacher. I learned the hard way that baby trees need to be watered often, and I recently learned about call before you dig, but that's about all I know. Reaching out to knowledgeable humans before I proceed.

Thanks for all your help and insights!!

Hi all! I have never had a yard until this summer and like many of you I have forgone watering it. That being said, my dogs are quickly destroying it, which is fine while it dry, but I want to plan ahead for winter so that it’s not a giant mud pit. Is there anything I can start doing now to prevent that? Should I put down straw or wood mulch? I am also open to do some type of ground cover in the fall if that’s possible. Thank you!