The Front 2018

The Front

Now, that two good frosts have prepared the way for winter, I thought I would begin my "survey" of 2018 at The Acres.  The Front actually had a good year.  Like most places it begins with a few daffodils in April, and ends with hibiscus and/or Rose of Sharon in the fall.  Up front, it's "and."  Usually, though, the frost comes in November, but this year mid-October brought the chill.  May brings the flag iris--the native blue and the "invader" yellow.  Both are doing stupendously.  The blue island of flag iris is the biggest on The Acres.  Also, in May come the English iris--first time--and the beginning of the day lilies--they will bloom all through July.  There are three versions up front--a mauve/ivory addition, and the "common" orange and double orange.  Every year there are more of those.  In June the Japanese iris bloom--two this year.  One is huge and continuing to spread; one has just begun to make itself at home.  This year the hibiscus started in July, but ended up being the last bloom standing.  The Rose of Sharon was an August addition.  It has grown from being mowed down multiple times early in The Acres development to being quite hardy.  The hawthorn here--two--have stilled not bloomed--twelve years of growing without a single bloom.  Growing well and not blooming because they aren't supposed to are the corkscrew willow--a winter showoff when the leaves have fallen, and three maples.  Two things have been added with hopes of new color in 2019--a Louisiana iris and a camassia (wild hyacinth.)  You have to be a lover of wet to flourish in the front.  The biggest success in 2018 was that I finally found something to survive the Dead Zone.  I have one area up front where I have tried multiple things all to no success.  This year I tried three paper (white) birch.  I figured maybe one of the three would break the curse.  Behold!  They all made it--so far.  Next spring will tell.  They are just little saplings, and I will be long gone before they grow to be beauties, but progress has been made.  May the inheritor of The Acres appreciate the battle.