As I mentioned previously, we picked up some trees to plant this past weekend. We ordered 10 American Larch (also known as tamarack), ten White Birch, four apple trees and two apricot trees. The Tuscola County Conservation district is not located in the county we live in but they simply have the very best selection and quality of trees and plants just about anywhere in the state if you ask me. So each winter, I refresh the site just about daily, waiting for the spring tree order and then I pounce and buy whatever I can fit into our property. Ours strawberries we received produced so many last summer that I think we probably froze close to 20 lbs. Every asparagus plant we planted three years ago has all survived and is now breaking through the mulch We have a lovely rhubarb plant which we will be able to harvest from this year. Not to mention the Highbush cranberry shrubs that feed our birds, the lovely little birches flanking the driveway and the hearty little evergreens we've planted.
You would think that I would have learned by now that ordering a lot of trees means spending the whole next day planting said trees. And I know that, logically. But when I see that tree order form, I imagine forests of native shrubs and trees, overflowing gardens, wildlife habitats....This year I showed a little restraint and only bought the 26 trees. But I still spent all day planting them. I started early and it was 40 degrees, windy and spats of sleet made for a little extra fun. I heaved composts and mulch and these lovely little fruit trees around and got them all planted, watered and mulched in. Just as I stood back to admire my work, the clouds broke apart and sun washed over our little mini orchard. We won't have fruit this year and probably not next year but I'm imagining beautiful spring blossoms and apples and apricots weighing the branches down.