Backyard Bird Habitat Certified!

At some point in December, between birthday parties, holiday functions, and getting ready for out of town guests, I received my Silver Backyard Bird Habitat certification! I had my uncle finish up the last of the planting of the native shrubs I needed to get the secondary layer of the canopy. I purchased those through the fall native plant sale. She calculated all my native planting square footage vs the lot size and I am meet their criteria. The only thing I have outstanding is to have habitat for another species of native animal, so the coordinator recommended I get a mason bee hive. They sell those, bees included, at the Backyard Bird Shop, so I'll head out there one day when I need to get the children out of the house for a showing.
Here I am the day I received my certification and my shiny new sign!With the new barkdust freshly spread, here are some more photos of the backyard and the shed. I've worked so hard back here, I'm a little sad to leave it now!Oregon Grape, our state flower, in the foreground and sword, deer, and lady fern in the bed. In the far corner is a newly planted Mock Orange, one of the secondary canopy plants and another salal.A view of our Douglas fir, our state tree, and the neighbor's laurel, the only remaining laurel in the yard. It sure was private back here when all three sides were hedged in laurel, but it was sucking nutrients from the ground and took up too much space for such a modest sized lot. A sad 'purple splendor' rhododendron in the foreground with another Oregon Grape. Our dueling compost bins are tucked behind the shed so they aren't visible from the deck.Between the Oregon Grape and rhody is a new salal plant that is a spreading ground cover, but will be more like a low shrub. Beneath the deck I have some more sword fern and in the spring native bleeding heart will bloom.
On the far left is an evergreen huckleberry and on the far right is a very happy and established snowberry.Along the rear property line are 3 red flowering currant which will grow into a bit of a thicket to provide privacy. It is supposed to be a very ornamental bloomer. I'm a bit sad I may never see it! When I got them they were just little nubby twigs.A close up view of the finished shed (although I still have to install the door hardware.) I ordered the window box last summer after Mr. W gave me the impression we would never be able to afford the Mt. Tabor house and I resolved to make the backyard a haven for us to enjoy this coming summer. I filled it with some cheery spring pansies since we are on the market.
This is also my test run of exterior paint colors for the house. If we were staying, I didn't think we could go another year without painting. The trim is Benj Moore. #2153-60 Rich Cream and the accent color is #2069-10 Deep Mulberry. I rushed last week to put the last bit of paint around the trim on the shed door before we went on the market.
I had even bought a strand of solar lights to string along the gable and a wind chime. Now I'll have to take those with us and find a spot for them in our new home.