Got mulch?

This is one of several mulch piles now decorating my backyard. Instead of getting one load and distributing it, we fetched two loads and piled it for later relocation. One reason for this strategy is so I don't have to keep borrowing my neighbor's pickup truck, but also so I can think about just where I want the mulch to go.

Yesterday, I spent the morning at a rain garden workshop, sponsored by the city. The goal of a rain garden is to reduce storm water runoff into the sewer system. My true reason for wanting a rain garden, though, is to have a city-sanctioned excuse to turn a fair amount of my front lawn into habitat. Rain gardens consist of native plants, which can look a bit wild and weedy, but registering the rain garden with the city keeps Neighborhood Code Enforcement at bay. Heh.

The latest bloomer in my backyard is the serviceberry.



This poor thing has had a rough time. Its first winter I did not protect it from the rabbits. Until last summer, it received too little sunshine. It has also suffered late frosts. But now I think it will finally come into its own.