Trees!

Brett digging the hole for our Royal Empress tree. This tree is said to grow over 15 feet in a year! We're anxious to watch it grow like a bean stalk in our front yard!

Reagan, Jaymasson, and Brett packing down the dirt.

Daddy and Brett with the planted tree.

Reagan, Brett (Bread, as Jaymasson calls him, lol), and Sophia with the tree.

Muskogee Crepe Myrtle in the back yard.

Our main goal was a fence....we realized it would be silly to do a fence, THEN build a shed on the property line and extend the patio....so projects three and four had to come before project #1. While prepping for the fence to come I had to call the *811* one call for utility lines to be sure we weren't digging in the areas that had lines. That said, all of the lines in the front were marked I felt it was silly to not purchase the two trees we wanted for the front so we could dig while the lines were marked and while the "permission" was granted for digging.

We had been looking on the fast growing trees website at a a Royal Empress and a Muskogee Crepe Myrtle. Both have purple flowers, and grow fast. The Muskogee also has fall color, which was desirable for me.

As we began digging for the Royal Empress we discovered the front yard is essentially, clay.....nearly impossible to dig...ugh. Nothing is ever easy. We were able to dig out a big enough hole and back filled it with good dirt from the backyard and some compost. The Empress is a hearty tree so we're hopeful the reviews are right and it'll do fine there.

As we started to dig hole number two it was just as crappy....there were also a couple utility lines were were dodging so the Muskogee got moved to the backyard to shade the a/c....the ground is MUCH better back there.

The rest of the outside plantings will wait until the spring....except for a few mums....I can't help myself.....I can't stand this blank yard! We're getting there.