It hasn't been easy. Underground utilities meant I couldn't create as wide a border as I wanted to. Plus, there were so many roots from the (now dead and gone) pine trees, that it was virtually impossible to plant anything in certain areas.
But I did what I could and although there are some gaps (see below) that will probably always seem like eyesores to me, our back border, along with the hedgerow behind the wall created a nice back drop for the island beds and lawn.
The hedgerow features in just about every photo I have of the garden.
It's been a backdrop for the many photos I take of the birds who come for the birdseed buffet I put out on the wall (most of whom only have to fly across the road to feast).
So when this sign appeared in the gateway to the field, I felt heartsick. I knew the time was coming when I would lose my beloved hedgerow and probably most of the beautiful birds who live in it.
The sign first showed up about three years ago and since then there have been all sorts of rumors about what was going in there.
Until recently, it was going to be a community of acreage homesites, but just recently, the developer applied for, and got permission to change the zoning to allow him to build some 200+ homes on much smaller "low maintenance" lots.
Several people from our neighborhood went along to the planning meeting and voiced concerns about additional traffic etc. but it seemed the City Council had already made up their minds.
I'm sure no one else really cares about the hedgerow and its inhabitants, but I just feel desperately sad at the thought of losing them.
Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.
10 comments:
I'm sorry to hear that. I know how it feels. The lot next door to us was developed and they took down most of the trees and put in a septic field. I was glad I rescued a few plants before if all went under the bulldozer. I hope they do a sensitive development.
Thank you. I'd never seen a red cardinal or blue jay before moving here "to the country" as it was then. I will be very sad if we never see them again. We used to have trees on lots either side of us too, but we knew they were going to be built on. It was still sad to see them go though.
When we moved here in 1988, there were woods all around. We thought we were moving to the country. But, slowly, over the years - much too fast for me - most of the woods have been cleared and now there are housing developments all around us. It's sad to experience the destruction of so much beautiful habitat, but we do what we can by creating habitat gardens on our own property. Somehow the birds and the butterflies and other critters still find us. I'm sure they'll still find your garden, too.
I only moved to this area in 2011 and I can't believe how fast it is growing, despite the dip in the O&G in the area over the last three years. Do you get the Community Impact newspaper for Tomball? We do and it details out a lot of the planning that will be going around here, including 2920 and 249.
I'm sorry about the change in zoning. Unfortunately I don't see much way out---sometimes I wish I'd moved even further out than Magnolia.
Thank you Dorothy. I'm confident that the hummingbirds and butterflies, at least, will still find us. It's the other birds I'm sad about. I had never seen a Blue Jay or Red Cardinal before moving here because I had always been in built up areas. This was our first venture out into "the country" but sadly, it's not country anymore.
It's crazy isn't it Misti? That Community Impact newspaper is quite depressing to read, with all the development going on, roads being expanded etc. I don't think it matters how far out you move -- Conroe used to be "out in the sticks" but now it's getting developed like crazy too. May have to get a couple of hundred acres in the middle of Montana or somewhere, to get away from it all. LOL
I think it stinks that the developers always win. I've lived in my current house for 16 years and there are lots of woods around. Recently, a road has been started and I've been told that 19 huge houses are going to be built. There won't be a tree left. I feel as sad as you do about all the wildlife losing yet more of their world. Sickening.
I feel sad right along with you Jayne. When we lived in California we lived just below a mountain. It was untouched and just beautiful. We thought there was no way any homes could be built up there but then we heard the dynamite blasts. I don't think I need to say any more.
Oh Phyllis, I'm so sorry to hear that you are losing the woods around your home. Sometimes I really hate mankind :-(
Thank you Denise. I supposed it's never affected me this way before because everywhere I have lived has always been built up when I moved there. I've never been in the position to enjoy nature this way and then experience the loss as it disappears.
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