Tree Work Day

We're fortunate to be in a neighborhood with mature trees and homeowners who value trees and green space. We have several trees on the property that, unfortunately, grew beyond their spaces or had some health issues. A local tree service arrived to remove some trees and shrubs, several stumps, and do some selective pruning on the larger branches growing over the roof. It took some negotiating with neighbors to agree how to prune some of their larger trees to their satisfaction, especially the 80-year-old oak with a 1-ton branch hanging over the master bedroom. But with VA property laws on our side, we still had the right to do the work necessary to protect our property. It all worked out in the end. Some pictures to capture the fun...

The arborist estimated that the largest branch growing over the roof was 1-1.5 tons. 

We hoped to take the branch off at the trunk, but the compromise with the tree owner was to cut off the  branch at an  elbow section that removed most of the risk of heavy branches falling on our roof. 

We removed 3 large branches from the oak next door. 

The backyard had 3-4 larger trees that kept things damp and dark. The sun is a welcome addition for the southern and western exposure we have in the back yard. 

This looks like a tree, but it's actually a gigantic yew (shrub) that is probably as old as the house. It grew to a beautiful canopy, but it was too big for the space and very dirty. The neighbors thanked us many times for removing the source of daily needles in their driveway (their roof is at left). It also exposed the peeling paint from the back neighbor's garage. I'll be painting that soon...

Getting down to bare bones before we can work on curb appeal.

Free mulch from the pine tree in front. 

Taking back the back yard.