Deforestation and clear cutting

TPP is basically opposed to deforestation and clear cutting.  It's basically a rape nature with a bulldozer mentality. However at times drastic action is needed, and in this case it was lawn that needed mowing, and it involved clear cutting and deforestation. The massive sugar maple had a good crop last year and this year the number of maple seedlings sprouting virtually everywhere is astounding. So simply mowing the lawn amounted to clear cutting of a very young forest. Wish the forest trying to take over our gardens could be removed as easily. To continue the theme, TPP had to patrol the western front of our estate to destroy an illegal immigrant: garlic mustard, which is kindly grown by a neighbor especially for export purposes. Fortunately garlic mustard does pull fairly easily. A visit to these distant regions did reveal that a fringe tree somewhat surrounded by ever embiggering conifers was in glorious full bloom, a delight to both eye and nose.

Friday Fabulous Flowers - Fringe Tree

Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) and its Chinese counterpart (Chionanthus retusus) are among the Phactor's favorite spring flowering shrubs. They are just so beautiful in flower, although maybe a bit ungainly of a shrub. But both are tough, a bit slow growing, but if you don't have one of these, you really should consider adding it to your landscape. When you see a really big specimen in flower it can take your breath away. The flowers are small, but the four-corolla lobes are long and flowers are produced in profusion, and the whole tree just drapes itself in a veil of white. Brides should be so lovely! Fringe trees are relatives of Forsythia and lilacs, all in the olive family, and generally you grow them like lilacs, even being tolerant of shade. American fringe tree has larger leaves and is a bit coarser in appearance than the Chinese fringe tree.