Tree Plantin'

It is a goal of mine to plant a tree every year. This year I decided that I wanted to plant something on my parents' property that would add some nice fall color. So far nothing in their yard does that. I decided on an Autumn Brilliance Amelanchier tree that turns a fiery red-orange in the fall. I know it doesn't look especially tall here, but it's actually as tall as me.

And this spot below was once one of my most hated parts of the yard. It used to be just towering weeds and there's that water meter and the gutter...it was all just so unpleasant. It is the corner of the house that is most visible from the road so I decided it was the eyesore that needed my attention most. The containing wall of bricks made it look like it should be a spot that's taken care of...but it wasn't. So I weeded the hell out of it, planted some andorra juniper shrubs that will spread horizontally, but not much vertically, and then I also planted some perennial meadow sage so the spot had some color. Add some mulch and the area looks a thousand times better.
On the same wall of the house but towards the back there is a similar containment wall that I weeded and put down mulch around the pine tree. Also, I planted two Green Giant Arborvitae trees to hopefully block some of the wind (in a few years, I mean).

Oh, and here's an update on the flower pots, because I know ya'll were pretty concerned with how they were doing...

I re-potted a lily that was inside the house and stuck it on the front porch for the summer and then I planted some meadow sage, which is the tall, purple-flowered plant.