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Colorado Blue Spruce And Lush Red Roses

Set in a broad expanse of lush green lawn a length of split rail fence forms a corner. Carpeted with a thick layer of soil preserving and plant protecting cedar mulch, three tall Colorado blue spruce offset the right angles of the fence. Lush red roses climb and meander along the fence setting off the soft color of the spruce and livening up the grounds. A bench of rustic-cut native stone rests casually near the edge of the cedar chip mulch with views of sunset beyond the roses, and lush rose gardens toward the back of a rough hewn log cabin in the foreground.

This ruggedly natural setting implicates something of nature, blended with a cared for garden, a wealth of beauty with little cost. Whether the setting describes the corner of a yard, a cozy corner near the house, or a mirage near the center of a vast hillside, the bench lures the gardener with promise of miraculous sunsets, interesting coffee moments, and restful contentment at the end of a long hard day.

Where you place this corner of Eden is less important that how you arrange it. There must be plenty of room for blue spruce to grow. The fence must be close enough to add ambiance to the trees and support to the roses. The bench must be close enough to absorb the atmosphere, capture the delicate aroma, and lure a guest to catch a moment of sunlight. If by chance the space beyond is laced with aspen trees, whispering in mountain breezes, your cozy sitting acquires a natural characteristic one simply cannot resist.

While corners such as this must be planned into most landscapes, given todays narrow postage stamp yards, the landscaping options of such a corner as this abound limitless.

Pick a tree and buy three, add the color of life in abundant flora, a fence to set off your choices, and a bench to rest your carcass after a long day of work. Dont forget to mulch it well, and brew the coffee.


Author Bio: Jan Verhoeff
Jan Verhoeff Somewhere between college and life, Jan began to focus on other people. Her intense need to feel accomplishment in her life drove her to finding a deeper contentment than just existing in the hoot 'n holler of southeastern Colorado. While the beauty of the prairie never escaped her eye for color and beauty, the intensity of her desire kept her moving ever onward. Summers in Michigan and Tennessee brought her closer to something, but it wasn't until much later, as an adult, mother of four that she began to understand that her need for accomplishment included sharing what she had learned along the way. It also meant that her talent for painting the dream and writing her thoughts had a lot to do with her accomplishments. She began to focus on actually writing down her thoughts and ideas in journals, revealing her prayer thoughts and life events. Bits of paper became treasures of memory, and a notebook became an outlet of hope and a step of faith. Jan put her thoughts on paper, and began to publish them, where she found opportunity, including various magazines, trade journals, and local publications. Her interests in business and new enterprise became a resounding outlet for her talent, and wisdom for those who sought it. Jan's interest in business development became her trademark, resulting in her first book publication in !992, "Building a Business: From Scratch". This 22 page booklet was published by a local printer in a vertical brochure format, selling more than a thousand copies nation wide. It has resurfaced in college classes as the basis for college term papers, graduate thesis, and research documents for small business courses over the past 13 years. Seeking more diverse outlets for her talents, Jan most recently has written several short stories published in various books, including: "Stories for the Trail" with the Lamar Writer's Group, "Prickly Points of Life" a combination poetry/short story collection of Jan's work, and "Coffee Clatter" a bound collection of written works originally published in a newsletter published by her daughter, Brenna, as a Sophomore Year Project when she was homeschooling at Buchanan Academy. More recently her work is available in a newsletter she publishes weekly via email, and various blogs listed on the right side of this page. You may contact Jan at: janverhoeff@yahoo.com