AMAZING recovery of Japanese Magnolia—after getting LIGHT and FOOD!

 With our HUGE oak tree now gone, there is more LIGHT + FOOD available for this beauty.

On the side, where once that HUGE oak tree took away all the light, and no doubt most of the food and moisture available, now some healthy NEW branches did sprout off!

Our Japanese Magnolia or  Magnolia x soulangeana is next to the vinyl picket fence.

A bird house (a Carolina wren residence) and also a hummingbird feeder make it into a favorite tree for birds.

From our breakfast area, we did notice another NEW shoot off branch right in the middle—look at the size of its leaves!

Vinyl picket fence is visible below...

It was rather hard to capture but here you see its enormous size leaves!

Happy and Healthy...

And, already on September 8, I noticed that all the BUDS for next spring were formed already!

Soft, hairy buds—waiting for the spring and here they bloom as early as February 12; often on my Mom's Birthday...

As I've always said, give a tree about 5 years to restore its shape and health after removing another big tree that stole light, food and moisture.

Looking forward to seeing it in the spring!

Have you seen some trees or shrubs recovering that way after creating more room/space for them?

Related links:

{MORE BLOSSOMS IN OUR BOTANICAL GARDEN} | previous post by me

{Our Japanese Magnolia against Vinyl Picket Fence} | previous post by me

Big Trees Down and others Trimmed  | Previous post by me

This section got last done when Mom was in her final days

 It is already over 7 years ago, since Mom's final days. 

Our very last FaceTime with Mom,

thanks to my youngest brother Jan's efforts to take his iPhone to Mom at the hospital.

Pieter was outside, working with Wood Protector, when I walked out from our veranda door with the iPad, so Mom could see and hear both of us...

See link below post with photos of this very Wood Trail.

This time, Pieter did raise the trail a bit more and also used side edges with 2 by 2 wood so it stays cleaner after rain.

It got freshly stained with Wood Protector.

This is at the beginning, under the Rose Arbor, taken on May 19!

On May 8, Pieter started out on this Mega Task...

Using wood protector before the 2 by 2 is being added on the side edges.

Taking up the old boards, getting the rusted screws all out and then putting it together again...

You see some of the damaged, rotten wood and that only since January 2015...

There are bird houses on that huge oak tree, at the end.

This is close to our Gazebo as you see part of it.

On May 14, action... sand for filling up under the Wood Trail and the cart with tools...

Back breaking job for Pieter and on his knees...

He constantly gets scratches on his legs as he uses blood thinners; scary!

Here is the bottleneck; this HUGE laurel oak tree Quercus hemisphaerica has grown so much that its 'toes' are everywhere, and they elevated the wood trail.

The 2 by 2 edges have been treated and are ready to come on.

Bit by bit it will come together; once more and hope for again some 7 years or more!

I have no idea if the bird house is in use... 

Maybe our birds are used to Pieter being around.

While Pieter took his nap, on May 19, I took these photos...

You see those thick 'toes' from the oak tree?

Now look at the top of that 2 x 6 inch...

So, this is what Pieter did...

Some tree pedicure and getting a piece out of one of its thick 'toes' for getting the 2 x 6 inch.

Wounded tree toes do not grow, so that will remain like that.

Shown more in detail here.

Nobody else would do such tedious work for you; so the 93-year old husband is doing it himself instead!

Figuring out a way how to, and then into action.

That 'toe' pedicure got done with the electric chain saw...

Long exterior wood screws are being used, that are also coated for rust protection...

Drilling in those screws...

Six days later on May 25, and after lots of rainy weather...

Pieter is already working behind the bottle–neck of the huge oak tree!

Our Gardenias Jasminoides Miami Supreme, were lovely but due to heavy rain the turn brown fast...

Yep, the corner has been tackled!

The 2 x 2 edges will hold the wood trail also better together as before, without any support.

But it's still a long way to go, all the way to the greenhouse...

One day, that too will be finished!

We have had lots of rain but one surprise this morning:

Pink Rain lilies or Zephyranthes grandiflora and one of about 70 species in the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis family).

There is a hole in one of its petals...

Another bud to the left, soon to open up...

Related links:

{Cashmere Words of Wisdom & Update} | previous post by me

{Gardenia Dream} | previous post by me

{Gardenia by Royal Albert and our Garden Gardenias} | previous post by me

{Gardenias and Roses as Hostess Gift} | previous post by me

Our Garden in May

 May is still a pleasant month here in the South; not yet too hot and plants and shrubs thrive.

Our Yucca lily is putting on a show again...

Yucca lily is a happy potplant and rewarding us annually with blooms!

So are our loyal Oxalis!

Snapdragons are quite happy and perform if they get plenty of water...

Happy yellow!

Oakleaf hydrangea or Hydrangea quercifolia.

Oakleaf hydrangea with Rose Arbor and Gazebo...

The bumble bee that flew around did not want to pose for me...

Yes, our kitties live in Paradise.

Lounging here under the Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold, left is Tiggy–Tiger and her brother Spooky to the right of her.

Palm tree is doing well and our fragrant Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno' is blooming.

On May 19, Pieter made this photo of a bloom of our fragrant Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno' and it measures 26  cm or 10.5 inches in diameter!

And it is double, two layers of petals.

Happy kitties lounging after supper!

Still sunshine around 18:00 o'clock and I love the shadow of the palm tree on the garage door.

The driveway is very warm from the sun and Spunky girl is stretched out, her brother Spooky in the grass...

Gazebo visible in the back and a tiny greenhouse in the distance to the right of it.

This is from the front, as I walked around our property and on the wood trail.

My first exercise on May 17, after my severe mid–back arthritis pain...

When I opened the repurposed mailbox (bird house now!) in the wood garden, the Carolina Wren flew out and I saw that she had now Baby Birds!

Read more in my previous post with photo of nest with eggs→: Husband Pieter Finished Restoration Work on our Bridges on Wood Trail

So glad that Pieter timely did remove the white egg, the brood parasitic bird one, just before they hatched, without disturbing her! 

Did not want to leave it opened too long, nor disturb the 3 Baby Birds; two beaks are clearly visible here.

Do you have birds nesting in your garden and/or around the house?

Related links:

Variegated Yucca Lily Blooming | previous post by me

213 Countries Visited - Welcome Sint Maarten and my Pinterest + Yucca Lily | previous post by me

Husband Pieter Finished Restoration Work on our Bridges on Wood Trail

When we purchased our lot in 1990, both of us were still 'young' enough to handle its size.

Over the years, as we both age and decline in health; it has proven to be more than big enough!

BUT we still take pride in our Estate:

Photo taken on May 3 and our lawn is nice green again.

This is the bridge closest to the road where Pieter used vinyl picket fence parts, that got damaged from the tree cutting.

Our center bridge restored and wood treated.

Our 3rd bridge that Pieter managed to complete on April 30.

Yes on the day that we had his Birthday dinner in the evening...

Just walked over JIT = Just In Time before it was DONE.

Yep, a 93 year old + 1 day...

Okay, let me take you back into the wood garden after the tree crew cut down several ugly ones or those that were not so healthy.

We let them decompose naturally and it will take but a couple of years.

This was on March 23, just for the oversight of our wood trail.

The trail makes a kind of |_|_| through our wood garden, towards all 3 bridges.

The creek is very calm here and it is forever changing over the years.

We look towards the road, standing on the 3rd bridge and you see the center bridge and the one closest to the road with the vinyl picket fence.

Now looking towards the house and gazebo...

Also on March 23.

On April 30, our Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold was once more at its best.

Each spring the new leaves are golden.

Yes, even live oaks do shed their leaves and renew in the spring!

Our palm trees are growing fast and to the right you see the White Oak towering tall over the more compact Grand View Gold.

Such a perfect day with blue sky and here, you see the Grandview Gold seen from the front.

On May 3, we walked the Wood Trail over the bridge closest to the road and when we bend left, we come past a damaged mailbox that Pieter used for bird house, with a hole made in the pull down lid.

When I opened it, not knowing that it was occupied, a Carolina Wren flew out!

There are 4 eggs but a bit strange that there is one white one...?

Looks like a brood parasitic bird has been in action here.

In certain areas there are short bridges on the wood trail... This one is the first after passing the bird house.

Those are now all repaired and treated in order to preserve the wood.

There were initially ditches dug for letting the water flow down towards the creek, so here is another bridge for walking over.

One can tell that it has been quite windy on and off and blossoms fall from trees down.

And the next one, passing over a former ditch or area where it can be wet in winter time.

This section used to be wet and had a bridge but Pieter is not replacing this one as there is no longer a need for.

A short section.

And now were coming almost out of the woods.

Our gazebo is visible and to the left our house.

But 3 days later, on May 6, this happened in that corner at our neighbor's yard!

We were for 7 hours without power as there were lots of trees down in our area and we had a lot of wind gusts, no tornado warning but a severe storm passed through.

Scary when you see such a giant being toppled!

We're grateful for having cut our weaker trees down early November last year.

Related link:

Bridge and Underbrush Clearing | previous post from January

Our Bridges a Constant Battle with Mother Nature | previous post by me