Plans for spring?

What's everybody planning new for their properties come spring? Is it to plant more wildlife friendly plants or maybe build a water feature?

I'll start by saying that my biggest project so far that I plan to do is build a brush pile and plant a vine over it. I've ordered Aristolochia durior (pipevine), that I think I'll use to cover the brush pile. I'm still thinking on that, because from I've read, it gets pretty large. If not that, what would you suggest? Native and part sun are the requirements. I'd also love to add some sort of water feature, if I can figure out the best location for it.

What's on your list?

RIght now I have Tricyrtis that will planted when it stays warm out. I have a RU next month so we will see what I have to plant then. After that it is getting the grass out of my beds and seeing where my empty spots are and fill them in. When my sweet pea turns green I am gonna get a few cuttings of it and pass them along to other people. So far that's it.

I have some Tricyrtis, they're not native and don't benefit wildlife but they don't seem to get out of control and I love them. I'm ordering more this year.

I can cheat a little here because I started a thread over in another forum-
So far I'm ordering three of each for most of these:

Alnus rugosa (Speckled Alder)
Amelanchier Laevis (Allegheny Serviceberry)
A. stolonifera (Running Serviceberry)
Amorpha fruticosa (Indigo Bush)
Andromeda glaucophylla (?)
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry)
Aristolochia serpentaria (Pipevine)
Callicarpa americana (Beautyberry)
Calycanthus fertilis (Pale Allspice)
Carpinus caroliniana (American Hophornbeam)
Celtis occidentalis (Hackberry)
Cercis canadensis 'Alba' (Whitebud)
Chamaedaphne calyculata (Leatherleaf)
Comptonia peregrina (Sweetfern Sage)
Epigaea repens (Trailing arbutus)
Fothergilla gardenii (Dwarf Fothergilla)
Gaulthera hispidula (Creeping Snowberry)
Hamamelis vernalis (Vernal Withchazel)
Ilex 'Red Sprite'
Ledum groenlandicum (Bog Rosemary)
Lonicera oblongifolia (Swamp Fly Honeysuckle)
Morus rubra (Red Mulberry)
Ostrya virginiana (Hop-Hornbeam)
Prunus pumila depressa (Creeping Sandcherry)
Ribes glandulosum (Swamp Skunk Currant)
Ribes odoratum (Clove Currant)
Sanguisorba canadensis (American Burnet)
Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)
Sorbus americana (American Moutainash)
S. decora (Showy Mountainash)
Staphylea trifolia (Bladdernut)
Ulmus rubra (Red Elm)
Viburnum x burkwoodii
Viburnum rafinesquianum (Rafinesque Viburnum)
Wisteria frutescens 'Amethyst Falls'

This is just my woody list. I haven't begun to focus on purty flowers, grasses, or sedges yet but I'm getting there.

terryr, I use mostly Clematis virginiana (Virgin's Bower), Smilax bona-nox (?), Vitis vulpina (Grape Vine of some sort), and Parthenocissus inserta (Thicket Creeper sometimes also called Virginia Creeper). It's no where near as aggressive as Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper) so I think you might like those for a brush pile.
Here's my list of vines I've been meaning to try-
Ampelopsis arborea
Bignonia capreolata (beeee u teee ful!) We might be a tad bit too far north for this one
Brunnichia ovata
Campsis radicans (another beeee u teee ful plant!)
Clematis occidentalis (been trying to get my hands on this one for a while)
Menispermum canadense (another one I've really been trying to get my hands on)

Check those out for vines but I've got brush piles all over the place here so I can go full sun to shade to wet to dry so just about anything can be planted here somewhere.

terryr , I like the brush pile Idea .
I have 10 acres here .
And I allow a small wild area to grow in 3 spots .
It is mostly Lantana . With some wild Passionfruit .
On any given day I can see , 30 double bar Finches ,
6 Top nut Pidgeons and lots of Small Quail .
Using this area as shelter . I just love it .

That's it Ginger! If you keep on posting photos like that you and your wife are going to end up with visitors from the US one of these days!

LOL

I had a trumpet vine, I believe Campsis somethingerother, and that thing didn't stick to where I wanted it. I came up in 2 neighbors yards, behind me and beside me. I came up right at the foundation, it came up on the other side of the yard. Trying to dig it, was next to impossible and it seemed as if it went to the parent plant, some 65 ft away. If I can find Clematis occidentalis, that would be the vine I'd choose. That is really pretty.

ginger, I said in another post my parents returned a couple weeks ago from Australia. Is Australia where you don't measure in acres, it's in something else? Starts with a h possibly? If not Australia, then New Zealand I guess. That view is to die for!

Before I forget, I'm not working with Equil's 5 acres or ginger's 10, I'm working with a small town lot. So I have to incorporate a brush pile, but not a huge one. Should be interesting!

Hectares? I'm with Eqi, I just saw a job listed on Craigslist to work on a farm not far from you, Kell. R&B plus ,I think, $375 AUS, plus travel expenses. That would be a vacation, albiet a working one. Yanks only get to stay for 4 mos, most other countries up to a year. I wonder if they would include free beer? LOL

Have to confess it is a beautifull country ,
Better still our 4.2 Hectares is a dream . ( I converted for your benefit )
We get visitors from all parts of the world ,
Who just can`t believe how nice it is here .
Last Yanks to visit us we met on a Mountain Climb .
We invited them back for a hot shower and they stayed a few days .
They loved the Gold Coast Hinterland .

The last Aussies I met was in a bar in San Francisco, while I was waiting to catch a ship. Really nice couple, i think a bit north of you Kell. They said I had to come over and go to a B & S ball. I was apprehensive about that one 'til they explained it. LOL

OK .

Hectares! Yes, that's it. I won't remember it, but that's it.....lol...

Terry, my mind's going not yours!!! LOL

I have heard that .

LOL. It's true in a way. Main problem is it hasn't been put to work thinking wise since 02. Has some but not like it was back then.

Thinking? What, pray tell, is that??

For a second there I thought you wrote Stinking ?
I know what that is .
Our neighbour drops all his dead cows near our back fence .
Not good when the wind is blowing West .

I use stinking all the time. Especially going down the hwys because there are dead skunks everywhere. UGH.

I've got a small property which is located inside the DC Beltway, but it's not exactly what I'd call 'urban.' However, a groundhog showed up in my backyard last fall, so the first thing I'd like to do this Spring is determine whether mr. / ms. groundhog is still hanging around (hibernating nearby perhaps?). If it's still here, I'd like to catch it and relocate it elsewhere... *then* I'll be able to plant my veg' garden.

I'd also like to come up with a small water feature for my backyard, but mosquitoes are a big problem here so it's important that it not compound the problem.

Equil', I planted a fothergilla last fall and am excited to see it do it's thing this spring. Am also a big fan of bignonea capreolata - I'm trying to cover part of my brick house with it. I hope that it works out for you in your zone.

Hey wrightie, I'd love to see photos of your Bignonia capreolata if you're in a position to share any. It really is pretty.

I Don`t know that plant ,
So I would like to see a Pic. as well .

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1789/index.html

OK Eqi So which one do you have ?
The orange / yellow or pink one .

I wonder if the 'new owners' left the one that was growing up the tree down in TN.....can't wait to drive by and see what a mess they've made of things.....

I don't have either of them. That was a plant I'd like to try some time in the future.

Oh, Drat. I don't think that I have any of it in bloom. I planted the first one 3 years ago and since it's on the North side of the house, it has been relatively slow to take off (this year is going to be THEE year). I planted a second one last summer. I do believe that both crossvines are 'tangerine beauty.'

This pic' is of the newer one, just after planting it in June '06.

Here's the other one climbing up the front of the house. Mind you, it was a tiny little 1 Qt. plant when I put it in the ground 3 or so years ago and this is on the North side.

Front walk was under construction when this was snapped (in case ya couldn't tell)...

They look great!! I have 2 elm trees growing right against the house. North and south. Need to kill them but one is in a tulip/canna bed so have to get creative. I chop it all the time to keep it short but that's all I suceed in doing. BLEH.

Pepper - Pictures puuullleeeease

LOL. I don't have any of the garden yet. I have to get film and get the digital back to the manufacterer so it can be fixed. It's messed up bad but I think still under warranty. But don't worry, I will get pics.

She has been promosing that for nearly 1 month .
Pep Go down to Wallmart and BUY a new one .
Go on you can do it . Go Go Go !!!

the camera is new. I have to get film for the other one and I am good to go. BUT all there is is little bitty shoots of daffys and lilies. And some irises. It's only March. Next month is when all the action starts.

Was that a white tool box in the back of your truck ?

Yes. No longer have it since the bottom busted out when I wrecked it.

It looked like 2 church pews to me .

okaaay. LOL