Looks great! I am impressed with your go-ahead attitude, even tho I usually cringe at "hacking" away on trees, lol. This project's outcome is worth it IMO, as it opens up your view very nicely.

As for the ground bees, about which I know little, would it be possible to keep your topsoil additions slightly away from their spot to see if you and they can coexist for now?

I think it will be difficult to work within 8 ft or so of the "Bee Hole". That will restrict my ability to remove some underbrush that needs to come out to complete this. I checked it today and didn't see any bees going in or out. I'm hoping they decided the neighborhood has gone to hell and they moved somewhere else. :o)

Here is a photo where you can see the tree before trimming. It's on the right side of the photo.

That’s an ambitious project SB! But, these unplanned ones often turn out the best. The long, open view you now have is a great reward.

I did some searches on moving an in the ground hive and one suggestion was to gently rake the area of the hive opening and that would encourage them to move. That is kind of what I did before I realized they were there. I've checked it a few times an no activity. It has been chilly and perhaps they are just not being as active. Sunday is supposed to be warming and I'll check again. I really don't want to hurt them, but I do hope they've relocated.

Smart move. The view is much improved since limbing up, it makes the area look so much more expansive rather than being closed in.

Why don't you just put some mulch down and leave the area sans plants for a while. The bees will appreciate it. IMO it looks good as-is --- not every tree needs an underplanting. It might also be difficult to get things to grow well under there anyway due to the root system. I have some limbed-up white pines and nothing wants to grow under there, even the invasvie garlic mustard can't get a foothold because of the dense roots and shade.

All good points @porkchop_z5b_MI. I think I'm too psyched about what it will look like when it's planted to not do something this year, or at least get it started. It will be years before it comes into it's own. I've been checking the hive everyday and haven't seen any activity since the day I first limbed the tree. If they are still there I will do my best to work around them.

SB those are some fine-looking rocks in that last photo lol. (I have a couple of huge boulders and some smaller rocks in my yard and I love to incorporate them into gardens, so I notice them lol.) Is that moss naturally-occurring? Or did you "plant" it on those rocks?

The tree looks great. I think I too would feel compelled to plant underneath it. :) Are you sure those are bees and not hornets? I accidentally disturbed an in-ground hornets nest and I got stung pretty badly. Thank goodness I happened to be watering so I literally turned the hose on myself to get the hornets away. I can only imagine what that whole scenario looked like to any watching neighbor lol. Between raking leaves OUT of the woods in spring and intentionally and suddenly turning a garden hose upon myself I'm sure they think I'm wonky. Anyway, be careful with the nest!

:)

Dee

That moss is brought to you by nature. Here in the PNW anything that doesn't move gets mossed. :o)

They are not hornets. A few years back we did have a hornets nest in the ground and I had to mow around it leaving a funny patch of tall grass. These bees are fuzzy, mostly black with a yellow ring around their middle.

And I did see one today. We had a visit from a bear today. Knocked down our fence.

He then headed for the garden in the round above the trimmed tree.

After this he wandered down under the tree where I lost sight of him. When we walked around, much later, to see what he had done, the top of the nest area was disturbed. I think he may have disturbed the nest and stirred them up and a few were flying around the entrance.

The bees are gone. nope, there still here. Oops, looks like they are gone...And now they're back.

Over the last week I checked on the bee hole (that's what my wife and I call it) to see how they were doing. I didn't see any bees. I then dug out the fern where I'd first seen them. No bees. I figured the disturbance caused them to move on so I cleared the rest of the brush. No bees. I then had 6 yards of topsoil delivered and spread it on the side where I'd never seen any bees...and as I dump soil I see a few bees around the bee hole.

Since then I was checking the bee hole daily, and seeing a few bees, 3 or 4, and then yesterday, no bees at all. I stirred the leaf litter around the hole and no bees. Later that day, no bees so I ordered another 6 yards to cover the other side. I stood on the spot to dump the soil and directed the truck. No bees. An hour or so later I walks by and they're are a dozen or more bees flying around the mound of soil. They would land on it, look around and then fly up and land again, and look around some more. I guess that's what they were doing, I really don't know. I am amazed that I didn't see any while clearing the underbrush as I was standing and digging right in this spot.

I plan to spread the rest of the soil, but will avoid the area under the maple that appears to be their main access. I also hope to not get stung.

Maybe the original hive moved on & these are new bees house hunting? Your new rich soil might be appealing to them as a hive that’s been recently updated and so has great curb appeal? 🐝

Not sure if they were new bees, but they have all moved on. I was saving a space for them in this location as this is where I had seen most of the activity.

A few days after this photo I had some compost delivered to top the topsoil and saw no bees. I then filled in this area with topsoil and compost and did not see any activity. I hope they found a new and better home.

It's now ready for planting, with plants we have not yet acquired (time to go shopping!). A bench, that we have not purchased yet will go in the upper area where the wood chips are spread (more shopping!).

It's coming along nicely!

ETA: When you go shopping, make sure you focus on plants that can take dry shade/part-shade. The roots need to penetrate deeper than the layer of topsoil you put down, and the spruce roots suck the moisture right out. Whatever you plant needs to be able to duke it out with the spruce. You can line the planting hole with plastic garbage bags with large drainage holes or bottomless nursery pots to help retain more moisture that will nurse the new plants along. I've also used Soil Moist in the past, and it works well; it has, however, gotten quite expensive so I haven't resorted to that product in a long time.

I am looking to get hosta, astilbe, rodgersia, epimedium and others I'm not thinking about at the moment. I'm honestly not to concerned about the two trees, the spruce and the big leaf maple, stealing too much water. It's still a good concern to keep in mind. I laid down 10 inches of top soil and 5 inches of compost. I will also add some kind of sprinkler/watering system as I've done in other beds. It has worked ok for those beds which are also in and around trees.

SB, your project is looking great & I like your planting plan. It’s great that you’re adding a bench too. I imagine with a property as large as yours having various seating spots around on it provides great opportunities to sit a spell to contemplate & take a break while you’re working outside or just walking around. Very inviting. For your hosta selection I was wondering about choosing ones that are either very bright green such as ’Stained Glass” or, ones with lots of white patterning in their leaf. My thought was that the bright green color & the white would really show up & pop under the dark green of the huge conifers. Maybe use some euonymus too - the low growing golden wintercreeper variety. I have these plants in my backyard because the yellow & bright greens look to me like sunshine when seen against the backdrop of huge Doug Firs on the large property behind me.

I love variegated plants especially in shady areas, as you noted they add a bit of brightness. This bed has a split personality. The south side is fairly sunny for several hours in the afternoon, north is always shady. I've had trouble finding plants for mostly shade with afternoon sun. Around our upper pond, which has this condition, we planted some ligularias, Rocket and Othello. They are thriving, but every day from noon to 3 they wilt and look very unhappy. Sun goes down and they come right back to the party. Not ideal, but they've seeded around, bloom like crazy and so we leave it.

Bench arrived. Just need to get some plants.

And now planted. I almost said complete, but with gardening, what does that even mean? :o)

Your new garden spot looks lovely SB! I really like the bench & I love the turquoise door / gate in the distance. Is that an arbor with a vine to grow up? Your plantings are great & include many of my faves. I think I see hosta, astilbe, heuchera (absolute fave), day lily, cone flower? What’s the shrub up slope from the day lilies - looks white on top & is in same level as heuchera? This all looks like a nice room to come sit on a hot day & survey your property with all the lush green around it. So peaceful….

It is a door and their is a trellis on either side, though no vines are growing up it. The trellis is there because when the fence was built the opening was made an arbitrary width as we didn't know what we would put in as a gate, which opens onto a path through the woods. Growing something up it is a good idea, thanks.

You are spot on with the list of plants, but there are no day lilies. Those faux lilies are a hosta called curly fries. :o) And the shrub nearby is a Hakura Nishiki.

This new bed is one of my favorites. It is a peaceful spot to sit on a sunny afternoon with a lovely beverage.

Dappled Willow! I am familiar with that plant and love the pink & white colors of its new growth. What a nice contrast to the surrounding green backdrop in your spot. Curly Fries Hosta! I’ve heard of it but haven’t seen one. Maybe you might think again about opening your garden to next year’s local garden tour after creating this lovely oasis? 👨‍🌾 💐

@KW PNW Z8 Was reading through this thread and noted your suggestions for hosta, and while we didn't fund Stained Glass, we found several yellow and variegated hosta, Sum and

Substance, Great Expectations, Fortunei, Brother Stefan, First Frost and the aforementioned Curly Fries. Just have to wait a few years for these to come into their own.

@porkchop_z5b_MI I also noted your concerns about the water greedy spruce. I will be installing micro sprinklers and this will get watered regularly. We have an irrigation well and water is plentiful.

Thanks for everybody's thoughts. You all contributed to how I was thinking about this spot and how it has progressed.

I am in love with that door! A white rambling rose up the sides? I say this knowing nothing about rose culture…only that they need lots of sun. Roses are the only flower I can think of that would bloom all summer. They do here in Vancouver which is hotter I think than where you are - Snohomish area? I did notice, and appreciate, the varigated hosta you planted. Happy to know that I provided some inspiration.👩🏻‍🌾

It's looks really nice, SB! Smart to put in the microsprinklers. Love the door! I am thinking of doing something similar with a piece of gate I have at the back of the property.

Darlows Enigma is a fragrant, white climbing rose that does well in partial sun and we just happen to have one. That's a great idea. Thanks.