Nova bonsai garden

[markyscott]

Please be sure to come back and post contact information when you open the Houston business.

I’m leaving Houston and moving to Virginia. There are some great resources for bonsai in Houston though. Check the HBS website.

 

[markyscott]

Soil, fertilizer and pots all tucked into the shed in White Post. We’ll break ground on the barn in a few weeks - once it’s done, I’ll haul it all over there. No pots broken so far!!! (Fingers crossed)

 

[markyscott]

And - a little change in the weather. Not too many bomb cyclones in Houston, lol.

 

[markyscott]

Today I’m clearing the farm road for the cement truck. Felling, limbing and bucking a few trees to widen the way.
Scott

 

[markyscott]

Took a break for a short hike at Sky Meadows. Nice misty day walk on a segment of the AT with 1300’ elevation gain. Very beautiful. The range is Lost Mountain - the last peak in the range is on our property.



I came across a nice stand of American Beech. I know they’re native to the area, but I haven’t seen too many around. They really stand out this time of year. It reminded me of all the new (for me) species I’ll be able to try at my new home.

 

[rockm]

Took a break for a short hike at Sky Meadows. Nice misty day walk on a segment of the AT with 1300’ elevation gain. Very beautiful. The range is Lost Mountain - the last peak in the range is on our property.

View attachment 425016

I came across a nice stand of American Beech. I know they’re native to the area, but I haven’t seen too many around. They really stand out this time of year. It reminded me of all the new (for me) species I’ll be able to try at my new home.
View attachment 425017

Nice. Know that area pretty well. Beech can be scarce at elevation. They are a primary forest tree here in the lowland piedmont of N.Va. and very common. The Blue Ridge not so much, as hickory, sycamore, poplar and oak tend to be the most common species.

 

[penumbra]

Nice. Know that area pretty well. Beech can be scarce at elevation. They are a primary forest tree here in the lowland piedmont of N.Va. and very common. The Blue Ridge not so much, as hickory, sycamore, poplar and oak tend to be the most common species.

This has been my observation as well so I was surprised by your discovery.

 

[markyscott]

Some road repair in preparation for the construction.

 

[markyscott]

Broke ground! Setting the footers today.

 

[markyscott]

Lumber delivery

 

[rockm]

Nice! Bet you're excited the cold weather has (mostly) moved on. Those late freezes are a beeeotch... Looks like we're in the clear for spring here in Fairfax Coutny, but the cold can linger out that way.

 

[markyscott]

Nice! Bet you're excited the cold weather has (mostly) moved on. Those late freezes are a beeeotch... Looks like we're in the clear for spring here in Fairfax Coutny, but the cold can linger out that way.

It’s nice today! 73 and sunny .

 

[markyscott]

Timbers went up today.

 

[markyscott]

Springtime - some fun discoveries of flowering trees on the farm:

A Sweet Cherry nestled up to a Swamp Oak. I’ve seen quite a few Sweet Cherries around. Beautiful white flowers and they smell great.


Turns out the Common Sassafras puts on a brilliant spring show with great yellow flowers. There is a ton of Sassafras all over the place, I’m finding out.


All through the woods, I’ve found a quite a few Common Serviceberry. Another tree with a beautiful white flower display.


One of the first trees that I noticed start to bloom was the Northern Spicebush. These seem to be small understory trees - they grow in clumps. There are a lot of these around and they have a cool yellow bloom.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Keep an eye out for hemlock material. Also, a fellow firewood hoarder told me that “sass,” or sassafras, smells like root beer when split.

 

[Maiden69]

Keep an eye out for hemlock material. Also, a fellow firewood hoarder told me that “sass,” or sassafras, smells like root beer when split.

It smells like root beer because sassafras root is used to make root beer.

Turns out the Common Sassafras puts on a brilliant spring show with great yellow flowers. There is a ton of Sassafras all over the place, I’m finding out.

I guess you can make some home brewed root beer as well!

 

[rockm]

Springtime - some fun discoveries of flowering trees on the farm:

A Sweet Cherry nestled up to a Swamp Oak. I’ve seen quite a few Sweet Cherries around. Beautiful white flowers and they smell great.
View attachment 430343

Turns out the Common Sassafras puts on a brilliant spring show with great yellow flowers. There is a ton of Sassafras all over the place, I’m finding out.
View attachment 430344

All through the woods, I’ve found a quite a few Common Serviceberry. Another tree with a beautiful white flower display.
View attachment 430345

One of the first trees that I noticed start to bloom was the Northern Spicebush. These seem to be small understory trees - they grow in clumps. There are a lot of these around and they have a cool yellow bloom.
View attachment 430349

Wait til the dogwood start blooming, if they haven't begun already. Back in the 70's and 80's They used to be so thick along the foothills of the Blue Ridge when they bloomed their white flowers (and sometimes pink) looked like snow cover when seen from a distance ...only the "snow" was at the bottoms of the mountains not the tops. Nowadays, the native dogwood has been hit hard by dogwood anthracnose over the years. They're nowhere near as numerous as they once were.

 

[markyscott]

Wait til the dogwood start blooming, if they haven't begun already. Back in the 70's and 80's They used to be so thick along the foothills of the Blue Ridge when they bloomed their white flowers (and sometimes pink) looked like snow cover when seen from a distance ...only the "snow" was at the bottoms of the mountains not the tops. Nowadays, the native dogwood has been hit hard by dogwood anthracnose over the years. They're nowhere near as numerous as they once were.

There are quite a few, but still a few weeks out of flower. Looking forward to it!

s

 

[markyscott]

An almost impossibly beautiful spring day! Nice day to head over to the farm.

 

[markyscott]

There are quite a few, but still a few weeks out of flower. Looking forward to it!

s

I take that back. There’s at least one in flower. Here’s a dogwood with a Sassafras.