Welcome to the Jungle...

Well, okay...maybe not jungle, but Tarzan sure could've swung around our back yard for a while, before he ran out of tree branches! Say hello to a monster-sized cottonwood, or poplar. Look at all the havoc those roots are creating! I hate these trees with a passion (but only in a residential setting, you understand.). I thought I'd share a few "before" pictures of the back yard project. We are in the "during" phase of the project currently, and I'm afraid it will be quite a while before we get to the final "after". Although we have a professional landscape plan we are working from, we will be doing most of the work ourselves. I'm still open for the HGTV fairy godmother option.

We had another cottonwood on the other side of the property by the treehouse. A third was mercifully removed by the city some time ago, as it was rotted clear through and a danger to life and (ahem) limb. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) We also had more than ten fruit trees. We never could keep up with these overgrown trees and come July and August, we would have rotting fruit everywhere. Bleh. Don't get me started on the bees and wasps this attracted.

An overgrown cherry tree, pear and peach tree and a raspberry patch flanking our garden shed. Oh yes, Mr. Shed, you're up for a makeover, too.

Wow. I still get goosebumps looking at this picture. Both trees had been pruned this way by the power company to avoid those power lines. Guess which direction they were leaning? Yep -- toward our house! Yikes! More pictures tomorrow...