How adorable!! I love it! Cardinals are one of my favorite birds and I miss them a lot so seeing yours... feels like home! Great vignette! Cait

I really like the idea of a serviceberry in this spot. I recently posted a serviceberry question in this forum and I've done a lot of research on them recently. There are many different varieties of serviceberries, including some dwarf varieties like 'Prince William' which my nursery told me grows to a max of about 8' T x 6' W. Even if they grow larger, I'm told they can be pruned every couple of years to help contain the growth, they are large shrubs that become tree-like after all. I think a serviceberry would give you the best 3 season intrest with flowers in the spring, berries in the summer, and pretty foliage in the fall that would look nice against your light house color. The bare tree is a nice sculptural accent in the winter. All of this and you would also have entertainment from the birds as they fly in and gobble up the berries while you sit on your porch! They're edible for people too although birds almost always will beat you to them. The roots of a serviceberry are not invasive so you can plant anything you like under and around a serviceberry without trouble. Being planted so close to your house it's good to know the roots will not damage foundations either. I don't suggest a Korean Spice Viburnum as the main focal point of the bed because I have several and although they bloom and smell beautiful, the rest of the year they are rather boring - just green. Redbuds are ok but again, they don't have any berries for the birds so after flowering you're left with just green. Keep in mind you probably won't get to enjoy very early blooming trees too much as they often bloom so early it's still chilly to be outside. I also wouldn't recommend the maple (any maple really) because you have so little room and maple roots ultimately become a real pain. They will take over and make it difficult if not impossible for you to plant under them. I don't know if you've ever tried to dig a bed under a maple but it's impossible, ask anyone who's ever tried it! Maple roots can also be invasive to foundations and this bed is very close to your home. Seven Son Flower is pretty but I honestly don't know much about it so I can't comment. I am all for any Ginkgo as they are one of my favorite trees! I find the leaf shape highly ornamental and there are varigated varieties for lots of color. The fall color can't be beat! There are many dwarf varieties. If you like something different try looking at Song Sparrow's web site: www.songsparrow.com they have lots of interesting things including Ginkgos, just type in Ginkgo in the search bar and you'll see them all. I've included a link to the page of a favorite of mine below. Best of luck, G.O. Here is a link that might be useful: GINKGO BILOBA 'MAJESTIC BUTTERFLY'

Claire, that's a great idea! I love the walk of memories. I've seen the idea used for mortared walls or tables, and even stepping stones but not loose among walks. My gram, when she decided to switch colors, used to throw her old fishtank gravel out in the driveway and as a child i thought all the colored pebbles in among the grey brown were so cool! It was amazing treasure to me to find one of the pearly bits she included with her gravel sometimes. A dear friend of mine sprinkles the rounded glass pebbles and shells among her gravel in certain spots and it's enchanting even as an adult. Her garden is an amazing show of art- she's got homemade sculptures and ideas galore. Old bowling pins, and old bedstead, a collection of bowling balls perched on differing heights of rebar, odd little colorful birdhouse, little glass geegads, colorful bowling balls covered in pennies & marbles, bricks set into a patio with marbles in the holes, a wooden giraffe, some of Pete's bugs, and more. Every corner shows a new hidden gem. Her house has so much handpainted leafy trims, cool painted end tables and chairs etc- it's just a fun colorful place to be! Frankly, i stole some of her ideas. :) I don't really want to be thought of as that crazy artsy fartsy couple, but if we see a purpose for something or like it, we'll use it, no matter if what the neighbors think we're weird. For a really wild walk on the weird side, go visit the last unicorn in hillsborough. It's like being in a strange metal garden.

Don, he wasn't my first parrot....He could be likened to finally getting a Porsche, if you're into cars. I brought him home when he was 5 weeks old.... about mid-April, 1999. Here is his baby picture when he came home. I'd been going over to my friend's house (the breeder), to hand feed him when she pulled him from the nestbox. I continued to hand feed him, with what is called "abundance feeding" so he weaned himself, at 22 weeks old, without feeling deprived. He weighed 600 grams as a well fed baby boy, and he weighs that now as an adult. He has beautiful feathers, no fat, great muscle tone especially in his breast which allows him to fly efficiently.....but consider that birds are so aerodynamic, with hollow bones, hollow feathers, they eat moderately frequently, also poop frequently and do it almost EVERY time before they take flight....which is a clue to imminent flight, by the way.