Paradise Lost?

[Tommy T.]

We have been a bit devastated since buying our property and building our home here. About one year after we completed our home, a contractor cut down three beautiful old mango trees across the right-of-way from our home to build a large, ugly building that looks like a clinic. It is a home for some guy and his family, but was hit with an ugly stick many times...

Then, recently, the wealthy landowner of the surrounding lands, decided he wanted to make his properties more appealing to potential buyers. So he commissioned someone to cut down all the remaining mango trees from this old orchard. It is now wide open, hot during the sunny days and just not so nice as before. We are fortunate and pleased that we had the foresight to plant trees and other plants in the almost 1k sqm lots that we had already purchased. So now, our property is like an oasis and loaded with all sorts of trees, nice grass, and a cooling and mellow environment. Going out the front is devastated and ugly, but inside is pleasing and calm and very green!

[graham59]

We have three mango trees in our garden (plus other trees). They do provide some pleasant shade, and in another year or two....hopefully loads of fruit. 

We only have a neighbour (friend of the Mrs) on one side. 

Here's a view over the back wall the other day. At the moment, still rice paddy or beans...fingers crossed. 

(Most of the trees in the background are mangoes)

.

Edited July 29 by graham59

[craftbeerlover]

12 hours ago, graham59 said:

We have three mango trees in our garden (plus other trees). They do provide some pleasant shade, and in another year or two....hopefully loads of fruit. 

We only have a neighbour (friend of the Mrs) on one side. 

Here's a view over the back wall the other day. At the moment, still rice paddy or beans...fingers crossed. 

(Most of the trees in the background are mangoes)

.

NICE!!

[Mike J]

11 hours ago, graham59 said:

Here's a view over the back wall the other day. At the moment, still rice paddy or beans...fingers crossed. 

You may want to apply a coat of mortar to your fence, hollow block is like a sponge when it rains.  The block gets soft and the rebar begins to rust, swell, and crack the concrete inside the block.  Happened to us a few years back at the the father-in-laws place.   

[craftbeerlover]

18 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

We have been a bit devastated since buying our property and building our home here. About one year after we completed our home, a contractor cut down three beautiful old mango trees across the right-of-way from our home to build a large, ugly building that looks like a clinic. It is a home for some guy and his family, but was hit with an ugly stick many times...

Then, recently, the wealthy landowner of the surrounding lands, decided he wanted to make his properties more appealing to potential buyers. So he commissioned someone to cut down all the remaining mango trees from this old orchard. It is now wide open, hot during the sunny days and just not so nice as before. We are fortunate and pleased that we had the foresight to plant trees and other plants in the almost 1k sqm lots that we had already purchased. So now, our property is like an oasis and loaded with all sorts of trees, nice grass, and a cooling and mellow environment. Going out the front is devastated and ugly, but inside is pleasing and calm and very green!

My wife and I have similar discussions all the time.   Especially when it comes to new subdivision development.  Instead of leaving, even a few trees, they completely clear every tree, bush, weed etc... and you end up with exactly what you describe above.   We are in the process of looking for a place to live, and one of our criteria is "Trees".   Given you have 1k sqm of exactly what we are looking for, we are currently discussing squatting somewhere on your land (sometimes the music is loud, but no karaoke, and we do clean up after ourselves)

[Tommy T.]

28 minutes ago, craftbeerlover said:

Given you have 1k sqm of exactly what we are looking for, we are currently discussing squatting somewhere on your land (sometimes the music is loud, but no karaoke, and we do clean up after ourselves)

That sounds good! But you would need to manicure the grounds, clean our house and wash our cars. We need someone to do those chores and finding them is like finding hen's teeth! Oh, and you would have to bring your own beer.

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, craftbeerlover said:

My wife and I have similar discussions all the time.   Especially when it comes to new subdivision development.  Instead of leaving, even a few trees, they completely clear every tree, bush, weed etc... and you end up with exactly what you describe above.

That was also the case in the area near Seattle where the ex and I bought land and built a house. We bought 5 acres and built dead center on it a few years later. We kept it all natural except for the second growth alder trees, then planted our own cedar, spruce and other trees that would have naturally grown there over time. It was great since nobody else built or developed adjacent lands... At the time we bought then built, it was all second growth forest re-building itself after logging from about the WWII era. We could tell this by counting rings from old cedar stumps still remaining from then.

Then we went sailing and rented out our home. During this time, someone bought and then developed a property right adjacent to ours. He was a wealthy Microsofty and put a horse stable right next to our property yet still on his. Imagine horse smells, flies, etc.? And we could see this and his grand new home through the trees from our home. So we sold out. Now our old place is worth three times what we paid for it! Oh well...

Others also bought and developed and split their properties. I could never figure it out, but they always would bulldoze the property flat, including all second growth trees and plants and even the new generation of trees. Then they planted them with whatever they wished from California or wherever - but not indigenous plants or trees. So they wished to remake their land into new California properties. I always try to blend into and use the local vegetation. L has been instrumental for us here since she grew up in a province nearby. So our trees and plants thrive and blend into the local environment. We have our tiny Shang-ri-la.

Edited July 30 by Tommy T.

[graham59]

1 hour ago, Mike J said:

You may want to apply a coat of mortar to your fence, hollow block is like a sponge when it rains.  The block gets soft and the rebar begins to rust, swell, and crack the concrete inside the block.  Happened to us a few years back at the the father-in-laws place.   

That's the only stretch of wall that isn't plastered (both sides). It's pretty solid after 8 years. 

.

Edited July 30 by graham59

[Tommy T.]

I really like your property. It looks so natural and mellow.

[graham59]

Thanks. It's just a simple place, but quite tranquil.

I have my little workshop at the back (pictured) wherein I can 'potter'...as old retirees often do.  

.