Longnecker House - User contributions [en]

The Restoration

2025-04-17T20:23:24Z

WikiSysop: /* 2024: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style [https://www.stockmanhouse.org/ Stockman House] up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will try to highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2025:==
* Edge the corner boulevard with field stones to protect from corner-cutting traffic. Planted bachelor buttons (from seed), and love-in-the-mist (seed).
* Planted flowers along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Monitoring the Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortening the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums were used to decorate the front steps again...
* Expanded the round flower bed in the front yard. Shifting the orange day lilies, moving the peonies from the flagpole. Considering castor beans vs cannas for the middle, vs. sundial. Seeing if the milkweed from last year come back up. One of last year's gladiola's managed to survive and bloom.
* Further expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch?
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch?
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstated the vent in the kitchen to vent into the family room/project room before painting the ceiling border?

==2024:==
* Installed a wood duck house on the dead oak near the creek in the back yard (Christmas gift from Sheri and Jason).
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias, dwarf marigolds, dwarf snapdragons, red salvia and purple cone-flowers. We finally had a normal year for rain, so that was great, but somehow the salvia still struggled for awhile. The edge got run over badly before the flowers were established, but most of them came back. The daffodils finally had a decent bloom, until someone (or something) took the flowers. Some large snapdragons that had overwintered were nice. Planted some small burgundy day liles to cover the bare spot when the daffodiles died back.
* Planted scented geraniums by the pink spirea at the front of the driveway bed. Put rocks/bricks around both to keep them from getting mowed over again.
* Planted pink impatiens along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the slowly establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Planted some Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortened the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums were used to decorate the front steps and mostly took care of themselves with the good rains.
* Tried to transplant giant milkweeds to the "new" round flower bed in the front yard, but they died back although new sprouts are coming up. One of last year's gladiola's managed to survive and bloom. Considering cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Saw that the large ash tree with the squirrel hole in the back yard is falling victim to the emerald ash borer, and the crab apple next to it seems unhappy also. (I notice others in the local area also look thin and unwell.)
* Expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Reinstated the vent in the kitchen to vent into the family room/project room (much scrubbing to get the "brass" hubcap-style vent cover back to its original chrome! )

==2023:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with pink petunias, dusty miller, dwarf white daisies, large snapdragons, geraniums, and some zinnias. It was another dry year requiring 9 gallons of water a day for weeks. The snapdragons did really well, but everything did okay with that much watering. For awhile, a frog was in residence. The previously planted daffodils finally bloomed.
* Planted pink and white petunias along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Got two baskets of pink geraniums from Kelly's Nursery to supplement the gift from Runa. Overwintered them all successfully.
* Cleared more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Planted "clearance" gladiolus bulbs in the "new" round from garden. They were a little weak but would have done alright if the deer hadn't decided the flower buds were tasty.
* Found a volunteer pagoda dogwood in a good spot along the fenceline by the Blue Muffin viburnum and caged it.
* Started a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Discovered a woodchuck burrow under the fallen oak along the creek.
* Replaced rusted out boiler vent (OB's Plumbing and Heating were great).

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and left the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again and did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink spirea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time (Cedar Valley Roofing recommended him).
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2025-04-17T20:14:08Z

WikiSysop: /* Overall Plan */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style [https://www.stockmanhouse.org/ Stockman House] up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will try to highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2024:==
* Installed a wood duck house on the dead oak near the creek in the back yard (Christmas gift from Sheri and Jason).
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias, dwarf marigolds, dwarf snapdragons, red salvia and purple cone-flowers. We finally had a normal year for rain, so that was great, but somehow the salvia still struggled for awhile. The edge got run over badly before the flowers were established, but most of them came back. The daffodils finally had a decent bloom, until someone (or something) took the flowers. Some large snapdragons that had overwintered were nice. Planted some small burgundy day liles to cover the bare spot when the daffodiles died back.
* Planted scented geraniums by the pink spirea at the front of the driveway bed. Put rocks/bricks around both to keep them from getting mowed over again.
* Planted pink impatiens along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the slowly establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Planted some Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortened the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums were used to decorate the front steps and mostly took care of themselves with the good rains.
* Tried to transplant giant milkweeds to the "new" round flower bed in the front yard, but they died back although new sprouts are coming up. One of last year's gladiola's managed to survive and bloom. Considering cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Saw that the large ash tree with the squirrel hole in the back yard is falling victim to the emerald ash borer, and the crab apple next to it seems unhappy also. (I notice others in the area also look thin and unwell.)
* Expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2023:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with pink petunias, dusty miller, dwarf white daisies, large snapdragons, geraniums, and some zinnias. It was another dry year requiring 9 gallons of water a day for weeks. The snapdragons did really well, but everything did okay with that much watering. For awhile, a frog was in residence. The previously planted daffodils finally bloomed.
* Planted pink and white petunias along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Got two baskets of pink geraniums from Kelly's Nursery to supplement the gift from Runa. Overwintered them all successfully.
* Cleared more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Planted "clearance" gladiolus bulbs in the "new" round from garden. They were a little weak but would have done alright if the deer hadn't decided the flower buds were tasty.
* Found a volunteer pagoda dogwood in a good spot along the fenceline by the Blue Muffin viburnum and caged it.
* Started a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Discovered a woodchuck burrow under the fallen oak along the creek.
* Replaced rusted out boiler vent (OB's Plumbing and Heating were great).

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and left the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again and did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink spirea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time (Cedar Valley Roofing recommended him).
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2025-04-17T20:13:51Z

WikiSysop: /* Overall Plan */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style [https://www.stockmanhouse.org/|Stockman House] up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will try to highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2024:==
* Installed a wood duck house on the dead oak near the creek in the back yard (Christmas gift from Sheri and Jason).
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias, dwarf marigolds, dwarf snapdragons, red salvia and purple cone-flowers. We finally had a normal year for rain, so that was great, but somehow the salvia still struggled for awhile. The edge got run over badly before the flowers were established, but most of them came back. The daffodils finally had a decent bloom, until someone (or something) took the flowers. Some large snapdragons that had overwintered were nice. Planted some small burgundy day liles to cover the bare spot when the daffodiles died back.
* Planted scented geraniums by the pink spirea at the front of the driveway bed. Put rocks/bricks around both to keep them from getting mowed over again.
* Planted pink impatiens along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the slowly establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Planted some Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortened the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums were used to decorate the front steps and mostly took care of themselves with the good rains.
* Tried to transplant giant milkweeds to the "new" round flower bed in the front yard, but they died back although new sprouts are coming up. One of last year's gladiola's managed to survive and bloom. Considering cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Saw that the large ash tree with the squirrel hole in the back yard is falling victim to the emerald ash borer, and the crab apple next to it seems unhappy also. (I notice others in the area also look thin and unwell.)
* Expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2023:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with pink petunias, dusty miller, dwarf white daisies, large snapdragons, geraniums, and some zinnias. It was another dry year requiring 9 gallons of water a day for weeks. The snapdragons did really well, but everything did okay with that much watering. For awhile, a frog was in residence. The previously planted daffodils finally bloomed.
* Planted pink and white petunias along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Got two baskets of pink geraniums from Kelly's Nursery to supplement the gift from Runa. Overwintered them all successfully.
* Cleared more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Planted "clearance" gladiolus bulbs in the "new" round from garden. They were a little weak but would have done alright if the deer hadn't decided the flower buds were tasty.
* Found a volunteer pagoda dogwood in a good spot along the fenceline by the Blue Muffin viburnum and caged it.
* Started a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Discovered a woodchuck burrow under the fallen oak along the creek.
* Replaced rusted out boiler vent (OB's Plumbing and Heating were great).

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and left the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again and did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink spirea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time (Cedar Valley Roofing recommended him).
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The McGhees

2025-04-17T20:11:40Z

WikiSysop:

[[File:1918McGheeJamesRepresentative.png|thumb|James H. McGhee in 1918]]
[[File:1900sBull Harold&RuthTrimmed.jpg|thumb|Ruth McGhee Bull and Harold Bull c. 1909]]
[[File:1914McGheeLeone.JPG|thumb|Leone McGhee in 1914]]
[[File:1915McGheeJDonald.JPG|thumb|J. Donald McGhee in 1915]]
[[File:McGheeStonesPostville.jpg|thumb|Gravestones in Postville Cemetery]]

After serving as sheriff of Waukon, widower James McGhee came to Mason City in 1903 with his 3 children: Ruth, Leone and J. Donald. His wife had died in 1893 just 2 days after the birth of J. Donald, after several weeks of ill health.

In 1903, James McGhee, a widower, bought the house for himself and his three children, after serving several years as sheriff of Allamakee County.

In 1917, his daughter, Ruth, bought the house from him, having married a young bank clerk named Harold Bull who had been living across the street with his family at what is now 697 East State Street.

James McGhee was elected to the Iowa State Legislature in 1918, serving two terms. In 1922, he was elected mayor of Mason City, but died in office of smallpox in 1924. The newspaper reported that many townspeople went to the doctor to get vaccinated when they heard of his fate.

Ruth McGhee Bull lived at 718 East State Street with her husband and their two children until 1933. Ruth was active in the local historical society. Harold worked his way up the ranks at First National Bank until they moved to Mankato, where he became president of National Citizen's Bank. Harold and Ruth ended up in Sioux City, where he was president of Norwest Bank.

Leone McGhee graduated from Iowa State College in 1916 (?) with a degree in Home Economics. She was teaching home economics in northern Minnesota during the events of 1918 bearing witness to the end of the war, the great forest fires and, of course, the 1918 flu.

J. Donald McGhee, James' son, went to Iowa State College at the same time as his sister, but only graduated from Iowa State College in 1917 and was drafted into World War I in 1918. His diplomas, unit photo, service manuals, letters and other personal effects remain preserved in the home. He went on to be employed in the livestock business after the war.

[[J. Donald McGhee Papers]]

=Interesting Tidbit=
Postville Herald 
Postville, Allamakee Co. Iowa 
April 10, 1930

The UB Church Bronze memorial tablet on the wall of the new Postville Church. It will bear the names of members of the Bethel Church who have long since went to their eternal reward.

IN MEMORIAM - BETHEL'S BELOVED

Rev. Robert Laughlin, Mrs. Robert Laughlin, David Jemison, Mrs. David Jemison, Wells Eaton, Mrs. Wells Eaton, William Simpson, Asel Eaton, Mrs. Asel Eaton, James Laughlin, Mrs. Elisha Harris, J.N. Smith, mrs. J.N. Smith, David Smith, E.R.A. Brainard, Asa Cheadle, Mrs. Asa Cheadle, Isaac Brainard, Mrs. Isaac Brainard, W.A. Owen, Mrs. W.A. Owen, Mrs. G.W. Harris, Mrs. Olena Swenson, Mrs. Mary Leet, Mrs. Jennie Waters, Mrs. Carolyn Cook, Mrs. C.B. Miller, Mary Miller, J.F. Miller, Mrs. Clarence Owen, George Jones, Mrs. Jennie Smith, Mrs. Susanah Early, '''Mrs. Ruth McGhee (aunt? Grandmother? other?)''', Mrs. Olive Yarwood, Mrs. Lottie Davis, Mrs. Elizabeth Sawyer, Mrs. Stella Uhl Cook and Mrs. Carolyn Hammel.

J. Donald McGhee Papers

2025-04-17T16:51:58Z

WikiSysop: /* February */

[[File:1915McGheeJDonald.JPG|thumb|J. Donald McGhee in 1915]]
Approximately 10 years worth of letters to J. Donald, dating from 19-- to 1922, and other documents (diploma, college textbooks, WWI unit photo) were found in the house.

=1910=
James Donald McGhee graduated from high school in 1910. We have his diploma.

The Park Inn Hotel and City National Bank, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opened in downtown Mason City across from Central Park

Colby Car Company started operation (buildings are still used, until recently by the Associated Milk Producers, Inc. AMPI)

=1911=

The first airplane flight was made in Mason City

The former fire ‘shed’ was razed, the new fire headquarters was built on the same lot

=1912=

=1913=
Shown as freshman at Iowa State College as a member of Kappa Sigma, p300-301 The Bomb

=1914=
Sophomore in Kappa Sigma, p298-9 The Bomb

=1915=
Junior in Kappa Sigma, profile on pg 89 The Bomb, nickname "Maggie"

=1916=
Missing from the Kappa Sigma page, pp 190-1 The Bomb

=1917=
Junior (!?) in Kappa Sigma, p 252 The Bomb. Graduated from Iowa State College in Animal Husbandry. We have his diploma (on parchment!). We have photos of his fraternity brothers.

J.D.'s father sells the family home to his older sister.

=1918=
Drafted and served in the 70th Machine Gun company. We have the unit photo.

Leone, J.D.'s sister, is working at a school in Biwabik in far northern Minnesota.

J.D.'s father elected to the state legislature, running unopposed as a Republican.

Minnesota was experiencing it's worst drought on record in this year, a terrible set up for the fires. And the refugees from this fire were left especially vulnerable to the influenza.

Minnesota 1918 book by Curt Brown 
John Barry [sic] on the Great Influenza [sic] 
[https://anthropology4u.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/KSnover-Thesis-Final-2020.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1JMjQYd235gj_r3UYkKqhUOydquszBWuv-rrNenq4mMuJJHoGr07l5zuM THE SPANISH INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC OF 1918-1919: THE SPOKANE EXPERIENCE] - Masters Thesis by Keirsten E. Snover

==October==
* [[1 October 1918]] - from Leone McGhee (sister) in Biwabik, MN to Don McGhee, M.G. Co. 70th Infantry, Camp Funston, Kans. - the new school year, missing old friends
* [[3 October 1918]] - from Leone - still too many hairs in the food
* [[4 October 1918]] - from Leone - adventures of a young teacher in rustic Minnesota
* [[6 October 1918]] - from Leone McGhee (sister) by way of the Hotel Holland in Duluth - https://www.perfectduluthday.com/2016/09/04/lobby-hotel-holland/
* [[7 October 1918]] - from James McGhee (father) in Mason City, IA - his election news, family financial stuff
* [[9 October 1918]] - from friend/family in old hometown of Waukon, IA - discusses influenza
* [[9 October 1918 Mason]] - from Carlyle Anderson in Mason City, IA - news from high school, football, odd jobs, inquires if Don has the flu
* [[10 October 1918 Waukon]] - from friend/family in Waukon, IA - discusses family's move to Mason City in 1903, father's election to legislature
* [[10 October 1918 Biwabik]] - from Leone in Biwabik, MN - more trials of a young teacher
* [[11 October 1918]] - from Leone in Biwabik, MN - Army flu quarantine and pyles
* [[13 October 1918]] - from Leone in Biwabik, MN - making fudge, social life, feeling left out
* [[14 October 1918]] - from Leone in Biwabik, MN - the forest fires and influenza
* [[14 October 1918 Mary]] - from Mary Ketcham to Leone which Leone enclosed in her 22 October letter, widespread flu in Iowa - schools, etc. closed, no fall teachers conference
* [[14 October 1918 Evalyn]] - from Evalyn Marston in Mason City - tried to serve in France (nurse?) but was refused because her Lt. Col. father (doctor?) was serving there, asks if Don has had flu
* [[16 October 1918]] - from Lela in Arlee, Montana - stars on Baptist service flag, mention of influenza
* [[16 October 1918 Biwabik]] - from Leone in Biwabik - tales of school illustrated by Edythe
* [[17 October 1918]] - from Leone in Biwabik - more on the forest fires
* [[18 October 1918]] - from Ruth Bull (sister) in this house (!) - flu in Mason City
* [[18 October 1918 to Leone]] - from Harold Bull (bro-in-law) to Leone (sister) which she enclosed in her 22 October letter to Don, presumably the letter that Ruth mentioned him writing above 18 Oct. He mentions the M.C. quarantine, canceling the state IOOF convention and undertakers working day and night at Camp Dodge.
* [[21 October 1918]] - from Leone - teaching issues, preparing clothes for fire refugees
* [[22 October 1918]] - from Leone (enclosed letters from Harold Bull, 18 October above, and Mary Ketcham, 14 October above
* [[22 October 1918 Kae]] - from Kae in Fairfield, IA - jokes about not having influenza, family doing lots of extra cleaning since people are home with school out, says Evergreen Cemetery is busy but doesn't specify why
* [[25 October 1918]] - from James McGhee (father) - worrying about his son, some flu deaths
* [[27 October 1918]] - from Carlyle Anderson of Mason City - school closed 2 weeks, working at the sugar beet plant
* [[29 October 1918]] - from Bid (apparently Leone's sorority sister?, mentioned in other letters) in Fairfield, IA - brief mention of flu at Ames, news of friends in the war
* [[31 October 1918]] - from Leone - Halloween party, snow on the ground

==November==
[[File:20 December 1918 Waukon Card.jpg|thumb|Soldier's Christmas card from Waukon]]
* [[1 November 1918]] - from Lela in Arlee, Montana - barn fire back home, family sick but not sure it was flu since not sick enough to call a doctor
* [[5 November 1918]] - from Leone (sister) in Biwabik, MN - bad influenza up north, school close and turned into a hospital, teachers working as nurses
* [[Blue Ink Letter]] - letter without date/envelop from Leone in Biwabik, MN to ibid.- tending Edythe who has been bedridden with the flu
* [[17 November 1918]] - from Leone - Edythe taken to Duluth for treatment of her flu, "hospital" still going
* [[19 November 1918]] - from Leone - Edythe going home to Fargo to recover
* [[20 November 1918]] - from Leone - a bit of despondency and a whiff of scandal
* [[21 November 1918]] - from Aunt Luna in Waukon, IA - Armistice celebrations and flu news
* [[23 November 1918]] - from Sgt. James A. Cruickshank in Camp Wadsworth, S.C. to Corporal McGhee - transitioning to peace time, mentions a couple deaths (flu?)
* [[late November 1918]] - from Leone - letter for Thanksgiving, Edythe wheelchair-bound recovering from flu in Fargo, life getting back to normal in Biwabik - hospital closed but school still out
* [[24 November 1918]] - from Elizabeth in Mason City - taking care of two flu patients, Don's teaching career, brother recovering from war wound
* [[28 November 1918]] - from Leone - Thanksgiving Day, everything still closed from flu but school to resume Monday
* [[29 November 1918]] - from Ruth (sister) in this house - Armistice celebration, school still closed, names flu deaths

==December==
[[File:24 December 1918 Elizabeth Card.jpg|thumb|Christmas card from Elizabeth]]
* [[6 December 1918]] - from J.H. McGhee (father) in Mason City, IA - farming, legislature, flu news
* [[12 December 1918]] - from Leone (sister) in Biwabik, MN - war news, some flu returning
* [[16 December 1918]] - from Ruth (sister) in this house - flu innoculation and deaths
* [[16 December 1918 Biwabik]] - from Leone - Christmas plans, another flu death
* [[18 December 1918]] - from Leone - flu is "raging" and another death but school is in session
* [[19 December 1918]] - from Aunt Lida in Waukon, IA - school has licensed nurse to send pupils home if any sign of sickness
* 20 December 1918 - Christmas card with no notes postmarked Waukon, IA
* [[21 December 1918]] - from Aunt Lela in Arlee, Montana - Christmas box, flu seems to have passed by
* [[24 December 1918]] - from Leone - life insurance arrangements, Christmas greetings
* 24 December 1918 - from Elizabeth in Mason City - Christmas card with no notes other than name

=1919=
==January==
* [[3 January 1919]] - from Leone (sister) in Biwabik, MN - Christmas wrap-up
* [[5 January 1919]] - from Billie in Des Moines to Leone - family recovering, took serum, pregnant school friend and other deaths of flu, deployment news
* [[early January 1919]] - from Leone, includes above letter from Billie - "all the teachers have a head ache or fever or sore throat...", more Christmas news, insurance questions
* [[mid January 1919]] - on YMCA stationary from Harold in Manhattan, KS at school - news of Aggies vs K.U. basketball games
* [[19 January 1919]] - from E. Morrissy from Mason City - news of Mason City
* [[20 January 1919]] - from Leone - 7 teachers sick with flu but not seriously, Leone healthy
* [[21 January 1919]] - from H.W. Orr (fraternity brother) in Mason City, IA - work plans, news of Ames
* [[24 January 1919]] - from Leone - Leone in bed with flu "temp. is only 99", forced to write in pencil lest the nurse catch her, other teachers sick, "practical nurse" coming tomorrow
* [[24 January 1919 France]] - from Lt. J.M. Chipman, U.S. Army - news from France, flu deaths back home
* [[25 January 1919]] - postcard from Leone - mild fever, Edythe sick but stable, practical nurse tending them
* [[26 January 1919]] - from Leone - practical nurse called away for family illness, hasn't used up her 10 days paid leave yet, sent Dad a card
* [[late January 1919]] - from Leone - feeling better but still cold, no nurse, one teacher still can't get out of bed, can't afford a relapse or pay would be docked
* [[28 January 1919 Des Moines]] - from Dad in Des Moines for legislative term - war death in the family (Jim McGhee?), got Leone's card about the flu
* [[28 January 1919]] - from Leone - Dr. allowing her to move around a bit since temp normal 2-3 days, found out fevers had actually been up to 102, finally got home things from Ruth, sickest teacher has a special nurse
* [[30 January 1919]] - postcard from Leone - well enough to go downstairs, 3 teachers up, but sickest one is still in bed

==February==
* 2 February 1919 - letter from Vina [sic] B. in Iowa City - school struggles
* 6 February 1919 - Letter from Ruth (sister) in this house - Deckers living next door, Betty sick but apparently not flu
* 8 February 1919 - letter from E. (fraternity brother) addressed to this house - in the Great Lakes navy service, photo of unknown naval officers
* [[mid February 1919]] - letter from Leone (sister) in Biwabik addressed to this house so Don is apparently finally home from the service - still a little deaf from the flu, says flu hospital was open 3 weeks, 31 out of 36 teachers got it, finally got out of running the teacher's club
* 21 February 1919 - letter from E. - briefly mentions Don an "attack of the flu or whatever it was"
* 23 February 1919 - letter from E. - possible job for Don

==Spring==
* 11 March 1919 - letter from J.M. Chipman in France - update on service, heading for Germany soon
* 14 April 1919 - letter from Leone in Biwabik - night school, summer school, looking for a new position
* 10 May 1919 - letter from Leone in Biwabik - encloses Home Talent Concert program and two interesting (?) letters from their father
* 22 May 1919 - letter from Mickey (family friend?) in Ladysmith, WI - catching up
* 26 May 1919 - letter from Leone in Biwabik (envelope lost) - school almost done, summer plans

=1920=
The census reported Mason City’s population at 20,065 and was ranked as Iowa’s 11th largest city, and shows J.D. living in the family home with his sister's family.

James H. McGhee (father) elected to second term in state legislature

=1921=

=1922=
James H. McGhee (father) starts service as mayor of Mason City

The Restoration

2024-08-14T01:22:38Z

WikiSysop:

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2024:==
* Installed a wood duck house on the dead oak near the creek in the back yard (Christmas gift from Sheri and Jason).
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias, dwarf marigolds, dwarf snapdragons, red salvia and purple cone-flowers. We finally had a normal year for rain, so that was great, but somehow the salvia still struggled for awhile. The edge got run over badly before the flowers were established, but most of them came back. The daffodils finally had a decent bloom, until someone (or something) took the flowers. Some large snapdragons that had overwintered were nice. Planted some small burgundy day liles to cover the bare spot when the daffodiles died back.
* Planted scented geraniums by the pink spirea at the front of the driveway bed. Put rocks/bricks around both to keep them from getting mowed over again.
* Planted pink impatiens along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the slowly establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Planted some Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortened the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums were used to decorate the front steps and mostly took care of themselves with the good rains.
* Tried to transplant giant milkweeds to the "new" round flower bed in the front yard, but they died back although new sprouts are coming up. One of last year's gladiola's managed to survive and bloom. Considering cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Saw that the large ash tree with the squirrel hole in the back yard is falling victim to the emerald ash borer, and the crab apple next to it seems unhappy also. (I notice others in the area also look thin and unwell.)
* Expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2023:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with pink petunias, dusty miller, dwarf white daisies, large snapdragons, geraniums, and some zinnias. It was another dry year requiring 9 gallons of water a day for weeks. The snapdragons did really well, but everything did okay with that much watering. For awhile, a frog was in residence. The previously planted daffodils finally bloomed.
* Planted pink and white petunias along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Got two baskets of pink geraniums from Kelly's Nursery to supplement the gift from Runa. Overwintered them all successfully.
* Cleared more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Planted "clearance" gladiolus bulbs in the "new" round from garden. They were a little weak but would have done alright if the deer hadn't decided the flower buds were tasty.
* Found a volunteer pagoda dogwood in a good spot along the fenceline by the Blue Muffin viburnum and caged it.
* Started a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Discovered a woodchuck burrow under the fallen oak along the creek.
* Replaced rusted out boiler vent (OB's Plumbing and Heating were great).

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and left the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again and did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink spirea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time (Cedar Valley Roofing recommended him).
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2024-08-13T01:50:19Z

WikiSysop: /* 2023: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2024:==
* Installed a wood duck house on the dead oak near the creek in the back yard (Christmas gift from Sheri and Jason).
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias, dwarf marigolds, dwarf snapdragons, red salvia and purple cone-flowers. We finally had a normal year for rain, so that was great, but somehow the salvia still struggled for awhile. The edge got run over badly before the flowers were established, but most of them came back. The daffodils finally had a decent bloom, until someone (or something) took the flowers. Some large snapdragons that had overwintered were nice. Planted some small burgundy day liles to cover the bare spot when the daffodiles died back.
* Planted scented geraniums by the pink spirea at the front of the driveway bed. Put rocks/bricks around both to keep them from getting mowed over.
* Planted pink impatiens along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the slowly establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Planted some Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortened the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums were used to decorate the front steps and mostly took care of themselves with the good rains.
* Tried to transplant giant milkweeds to the "new" round flower bed in the front yard, but they died back although new sprouts are coming up. One of last year's gladiola's managed to survive and bloom. Considering cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Saw that the large ash tree with the squirrel hole in the back yard is falling victim to the emerald ash borer, and the crab apple next to it seems unhappy also. (I notice others in the area also look thin and unwell.)
* Expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2023:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with pink petunias, dusty miller, dwarf white daisies, large snapdragons, geraniums, and some zinnias. It was another dry year requiring 9 gallons of water a day for weeks. The snapdragons did really well, but everything did okay with that much watering. For awhile, a frog was in residence. The previously planted daffodils finally bloomed.
* Planted pink and white petunias along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Got two baskets of pink geraniums from Kelly's Nursery to supplement the gift from Runa. Overwintered them all successfully.
* Cleared more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better, and transplanted a pink spirea at the front.
* Planted "clearance" gladiolus bulbs in the "new" round from garden. They were a little weak but would have done alright if the deer hadn't decided the flower buds were tasty.
* Found a volunteer pagoda dogwood in a good spot along the fenceline by the Blue Muffin viburnum and caged it.
* Started a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Discovered a woodchuck burrow under the fallen oak along the creek.
* Replaced rusted out boiler vent (OB's Plumbing and Heating were great).

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and left the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again and did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time (Cedar Valley Roofing recommended him).
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2024-08-13T01:36:07Z

WikiSysop: /* 2024: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2024:==
* Installed a wood duck house on the dead oak near the creek in the back yard (Christmas gift from Sheri and Jason).
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias, dwarf marigolds, dwarf snapdragons, red salvia and purple cone-flowers. We finally had a normal year for rain, so that was great, but somehow the salvia still struggled for awhile. The edge got run over badly before the flowers were established, but most of them came back. The daffodils finally had a decent bloom, until someone (or something) took the flowers. Some large snapdragons that had overwintered were nice. Planted some small burgundy day liles to cover the bare spot when the daffodiles died back.
* Planted scented geraniums by the pink spirea at the front of the driveway bed. Put rocks/bricks around both to keep them from getting mowed over.
* Planted pink impatiens along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the slowly establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Planted some Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortened the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums were used to decorate the front steps and mostly took care of themselves with the good rains.
* Tried to transplant giant milkweeds to the "new" round flower bed in the front yard, but they died back although new sprouts are coming up. One of last year's gladiola's managed to survive and bloom. Considering cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Saw that the large ash tree with the squirrel hole in the back yard is falling victim to the emerald ash borer, and the crab apple next to it seems unhappy also. (I notice others in the area also look thin and unwell.)
* Expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2023:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with pink petunias, dusty miller, dwarf white daisies, large snapdragons, geraniums, and some zinnias. It was another dry year requiring 9 gallons of water a day for weeks. The snapdragons did really well, but everything did okay with that much watering. For awhile, a frog was in residence. The previously planted daffodils finally bloomed.
* Planted pink and white petunias along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Got two baskets of pink geraniums from Kelly's Nursery to supplement the gift from Runa. Overwintered them all successfully.
* Cleared more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Planted "clearance" gladiolus bulbs in the "new" round from garden. They were a little weak but would have done alright if the deer hadn't decided the flower buds were tasty.
* Found a volunteer pagoda dogwood in a good spot along the fenceline by the Blue Muffin viburnum and caged it.
* Started a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Discovered a woodchuck burrow under the fallen oak along the creek.
* Replaced rusted out boiler vent (OB's Plumbing and Heating were great).

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and left the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again and did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time (Cedar Valley Roofing recommended him).
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

File:718Tower.jpg

2024-08-11T21:59:29Z

WikiSysop:

The Restoration

2024-08-11T14:14:38Z

WikiSysop: /* 2022: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2024:==
* Installed a wood duck house on the dead oak along the creek in the back yard (Christmas gift from Sheri and Jason).
* Planted the corner boulevard with fresh petunias, dwarf marigolds, dwarf snapdragons, red salvia and purple cone-flowers. We finally had a normal year for rain, so that was great, but somehow the salvia still struggled. The edge got run over badly before the flowers were establish bust most of them came back. The daffodils finally had a decent bloom, until someone (or something) took the flowers. Some large snapdragons that had overwintered were nice. Planted some small burgundy day liles to cover the bare spot when the daffodiles died back.
* Planted scented geraniums by the pink spirea at the front of the driveway bed. Put rocks/bricks around both to keep them from getting mowed over.
* Planted pink impatiens along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the slowly establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Planted some Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortened the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums used to decorate the front steps and mostly took care of themselves with the good rains.
* Tried to transplant giant butterfly weeds to the "new" round flower bed in the front yard, but they did not do well. Considering cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Saw that the large ash tree with the squirrel hole in the back yard is falling victim to the emerald ash borer, and the crab apple next to it seems unhappy also. (I notice others in the area also look thin and unwell.)
* Expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2023:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with pink petunias, dusty miller, dwarf white daisies, large snapdragons, geraniums, and some zinnias. It was another dry year requiring 9 gallons of water a day for weeks. The snapdragons did really well, but everything did okay with that much watering. For awhile, a frog was in residence. The previously planted daffodils finally bloomed.
* Planted pink and white petunias along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Got two baskets of pink geraniums from Kelly's Nursery to supplement the gift from Runa. Overwintered them all successfully.
* Cleared more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Planted "clearance" gladiolus bulbs in the "new" round from garden. They were a little weak but would have done alright if the deer hadn't decided the flower buds were tasty.
* Found a volunteer pagoda dogwood in a good spot along the fenceline by the Blue Muffin viburnum and caged it.
* Started a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Discovered a woodchuck burrow under the fallen oak along the creek.
* Replaced rusted out boiler vent (OB's Plumbing and Heating were great).

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and left the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again and did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time (Cedar Valley Roofing recommended him).
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2024-08-11T14:13:24Z

WikiSysop:

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2024:==
* Installed a wood duck house on the dead oak along the creek in the back yard (Christmas gift from Sheri and Jason).
* Planted the corner boulevard with fresh petunias, dwarf marigolds, dwarf snapdragons, red salvia and purple cone-flowers. We finally had a normal year for rain, so that was great, but somehow the salvia still struggled. The edge got run over badly before the flowers were establish bust most of them came back. The daffodils finally had a decent bloom, until someone (or something) took the flowers. Some large snapdragons that had overwintered were nice. Planted some small burgundy day liles to cover the bare spot when the daffodiles died back.
* Planted scented geraniums by the pink spirea at the front of the driveway bed. Put rocks/bricks around both to keep them from getting mowed over.
* Planted pink impatiens along the top of the east retaining wall in the usual spots, in amongst the slowly establishing snow-on-the-mountain.
* Planted some Stella d'Or daylilies from the clinic around the front hydrangea.
* Shortened the east hedge more to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Overwintered geraniums used to decorate the front steps and mostly took care of themselves with the good rains.
* Tried to transplant giant butterfly weeds to the "new" round flower bed in the front yard, but they did not do well. Considering cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Saw that the large ash tree with the squirrel hole in the back yard is falling victim to the emerald ash borer, and the crab apple next to it seems unhappy also. (I notice others in the area also look thin and unwell.)
* Expanded the new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2023:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with pink petunias, dusty miller, dwarf white daisies, large snapdragons, geraniums, and some zinnias. It was another dry year requiring 9 gallons of water a day for weeks. The snapdragons did really well, but everything did okay with that much watering. For awhile, a frog was in residence. The previously planted daffodils finally bloomed.
* Planted pink and white petunias along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Got two baskets of pink geraniums from Kelly's Nursery to supplement the gift from Runa. Overwintered them all successfully.
* Cleared more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Planted "clearance" gladiolus bulbs in the "new" round from garden. They were a little weak but would have done alright if the deer hadn't decided the flower buds were tasty.
* Found a volunteer pagoda dogwood in a good spot along the fenceline by the Blue Muffin viburnum and caged it.
* Started a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Discovered a woodchuck burrow under the fallen oak along the creek.
* Replaced rusted out boiler vent (OB's Plumbing and Heating were great).

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and left the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again and did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time and recommended him.
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

Foundation

2023-04-02T03:02:45Z

WikiSysop:

Foundation notes

Menards:
* [https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/concrete-cement-masonry/bagged-concrete-cement-mortar/type-s-hydrated-lime-50-lb/1891056/p-1444445321665-c-5648.htm?tid=-4260047804091949451&ipos=1 Hydrated Lime]
* [https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/concrete-cement-masonry/bagged-concrete-cement-mortar/mason-sand-50-lbs/1891110/p-1642874278124702-c-5648.htm?tid=7048785747719049315&ipos=2 Mason Sand]

Foundation

2023-04-02T03:00:06Z

WikiSysop: Created page with "Foundation notes Menards: * https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/concrete-cement-masonry/bagged-concrete-cement-mortar/type-s-hydrated-lime-50-lb/1891056/p-1444445..."

Foundation notes

Menards:
* https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/concrete-cement-masonry/bagged-concrete-cement-mortar/type-s-hydrated-lime-50-lb/1891056/p-1444445321665-c-5648.htm?tid=-4260047804091949451&ipos=1

The Restoration

2023-04-02T02:59:38Z

WikiSysop: /* 2023: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2023:==
* Plant the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well.
* Plant petunias and other hearty annuals from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Consider planting some sort of ground cover around the front hydrangea.
* Clear more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Move peonies from the flagpole base to new round flower bed in the front yard and shift the day lilies farther out. Consider new cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Shift/transplant the pagoda dogwoods and more understory trees for the backyard.
* Make a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?) [[Foundation]]
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time and recommended him.
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2023-03-26T23:37:11Z

WikiSysop: /* 2022: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2023:==
* Plant the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well.
* Plant petunias and other hearty annuals from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Consider planting some sort of ground cover around the front hydrangea.
* Clear more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Move peonies from the flagpole base to new round flower bed in the front yard and shift the day lilies farther out. Consider new cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Shift/transplant the pagoda dogwoods and more understory trees for the backyard.
* Make a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?)
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design in the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s. http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time and recommended him.
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2023-03-26T23:36:00Z

WikiSysop: /* 2022: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2023:==
* Plant the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well.
* Plant petunias and other hearty annuals from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Consider planting some sort of ground cover around the front hydrangea.
* Clear more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Move peonies from the flagpole base to new round flower bed in the front yard and shift the day lilies farther out. Consider new cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Shift/transplant the pagoda dogwoods and more understory trees for the backyard.
* Make a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?)
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design. In the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s, this pattern adapts the common formality of large Neo-classical laurel wreaths with asymmetrical groupings of softly drawn leaves. Each wreath is approximately 12" in diameter, and they are spaced in a diaper pattern at 18" on center. 21" wide with a self match repeat of 26 1/2". http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time and recommended him.
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2023-03-26T23:35:37Z

WikiSysop: /* 2022: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2023:==
* Plant the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well.
* Plant petunias and other hearty annuals from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Consider planting some sort of ground cover around the front hydrangea.
* Clear more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Move peonies from the flagpole base to new round flower bed in the front yard and shift the day lilies farther out. Consider new cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Shift/transplant the pagoda dogwoods and more understory trees for the backyard.
* Make a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?)
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
** "Phillimore Wreath" An English Design. In the style of the Arts & Crafts Movement from the early 1890s, this pattern adapts the common formality of large Neo-classical laurel wreaths with asymmetrical groupings of softly drawn leaves. Each wreath is approximately 12" in diameter, and they are spaced in a diaper pattern at 18" on center. 21" wide with a self match repeat of 26 1/2".
http://www.burrows.com/norwood/wreath.html
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time and recommended him.
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2023-03-26T23:30:20Z

WikiSysop: /* 2022: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2023:==
* Plant the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well.
* Plant petunias and other hearty annuals from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Consider planting some sort of ground cover around the front hydrangea.
* Clear more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Move peonies from the flagpole base to new round flower bed in the front yard and shift the day lilies farther out. Consider new cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Shift/transplant the pagoda dogwoods and more understory trees for the backyard.
* Make a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?)
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a period wallpaper pattern
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time and recommended him.
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

The Restoration

2023-03-26T23:29:49Z

WikiSysop: /* Notes from Google Docs: */

=Overall Plan=
The Longnecker House preceded the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie style Stockman House up the street by just 10 years, so the restoration will highlight the subtle architectural connections between the two.

The plan is to restore the house to an appearance consistent with the residency of the McGhee family (1903-1933, focusing on 1908-1918).

The house was only 5 years old when James McGhee bought it, so the exterior colors, floors, etc. would represent 1898 styles. The interior paint/wallpaper may have been freshened up for the new young family.

The furnishings would probably be a mix of eras.
*James was married in 1888 and his wife died in childbirth in 1893, so he would probably have a significant number of furnishings from that time.
*From the surviving family letters, the McGhees seemed inclined to buy new things on a regular basis, so they probably purchased some new furniture after moving in 1903.
*James' daughter, Ruth, got married around 1909 and then moved back in 1917, so there would likely be furnishings representing those dates as well.

Conveniently, home decorating fashions did not change drastically over most that time, now known as the Edwardian era.

=Projects by Year:=
==2023:==
* Plant the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well.
* Plant petunias and other hearty annuals from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall...
* Consider planting some sort of ground cover around the front hydrangea.
* Clear more of the east hedge to help the hostas and peonies there do better.
* Move peonies from the flagpole base to new round flower bed in the front yard and shift the day lilies farther out. Consider new cannas for the middle, vs. caster bean, vs. sundial.
* Shift/transplant the pagoda dogwoods and more understory trees for the backyard.
* Make a new wildflower bed in the middle of the back yard.
* Look at patching the spot on the front roof that was damaged by the oak branch.
* Finish repairing the upstairs porch
* Repoint the foundation with period lime mortar (lightly tinted?)
* Paint the front hallway?
* Reinstate a vent in the kitchen before painting the ceiling border?

==2022:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with petunias from Kelly's nursery, and lefte the dianthus that had overwintered. It was another dry year. The dianthus struggled with the droughtiness and getting run over. One volunteer marigold came up again did well. The previously planted daffodils didn't bloom yet.
* Also planted petunias from Kelly's nursery along the top of the east retaining wall, which managed the drought for awhile. The previously planted pink tiger lily from Fleet Farm came back nicely. Planted Mexican lilies and __ from M. Jean in front of the side door steps. Some of them came up, but didn't bloom.
* Transplanted the backyard hydrangea that wasn't doing well to the curve in the front sidewalk and it bloomed very happily. Transplanted a pink hydrangea volunteer from the clinic to the front of the hedge along the front drive removing the hackberries there with great effort.
* Cleared a new round flower bed in the front yard for a patterned "annual" bed and transplanted day lilies for edging on put the canna bulbs from Rosemary D. in the middle. Only a couple of them came up and weren't very happy.
* Stamped the blue parlor walls with a golden laurel wreath pattern carved from pink boark insulation based on a
* Finally got the leaking flat roof over the project room replaced, thanks to Orrie Germundson and his crew, since none of the regular roofing services had time and recommended him.
* Discovered that an oak branch was rubbing shingles off the roof of the front gable and climbed up on a ladder to use the pole chainsaw to cut through it enough that it broke off within a couple of weeks. (Didn't dare cut it all the way through for fear the saw would pull me off the ladder when the branch gave way.)
* Halloween spider re-stuffed with packing peanuts instead of the heavier crumpled newspapers.
** Didn't get off work in time to do trick-or-treating
* Got a support post to support the rotting front corner post of the upstairs porch.

==2021:==
* Planted the corner boulevard with celosia, dianthus and gypsophylla. It was another dry year and a lot of watering was needed. The dianthus did okay. The other flowers struggled a fair bit. One volunteer marigold came up among the dianthus and it did very well.
* Painted the lower front porch (with Sheri’s help) and painted the tower (with great difficulty and ingenuity).
* Finished painting & reglazing the east attic windows.
* Found out that the east driveway plantings need to be 3 feet or less tall for at least 20 feet from the property line (which is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk).
* Halloween spider stuffed with newspapers inside of plastic grocery bags since the air pump was broken. Inflatable dragon blew off the roof one breezy day, but survived.
* Was given beautiful old curtains by friend, Jutte/Ruth Thorson. Sheri hemmed them to fit the parlor, entry and dining room windows.

==2020:==
* Spread wild seed mixes from Prairie Moon along the backyard borders.
* Took the red door off the porch to open it up.
* Installed the big “chained” neoclassical main kitchen light and moved the neoclassical globe light over the kitchen sink.
* Finished painting the parlor, the master bedroom walls, the kitchen entryway and the base coat of the kitchen
* Redesigned the kitchen stencil when couldn’t find the original design (not painted yet)
* Extended the east side yard grassy area a few feet farther south, transplanting the displaced daylilies under the retention wall (after digging out all the volunteer saplings there)
* Edged the front driveway, finding almost another foot of cement hiding under the dirt.
* Cut a thin slab off the biggest stump from the fallen front red cedar section and counted 73 rings the first time, and 80 rings the second time, confirming the aerial photos showing the 4 cedars along the front walk by the 1930s, so at least 80 years old, probably closer to 90 (since the property was rented after 1933 and the main tree trunks are much larger than the one sampled)
* Dug the hole for the tractor tire garden pond and put the tire in it.
* Transplanted the 3rd struggling yew from the east fence line to the east side of the house to eventually screen the electrical box.
* Improved caging around the hydrangea and viburnum in the back yard. Transplanted new oak saplings to replace the one group that died. (The other two were still okay.)
* Planted the corner boulevard area with marigolds (dwarf gold and regular yellow), stocks and dusty miller. The stocks quickly died. The dusty miller survived. The marigolds thrived although the front edge was a little droughty (watered as needed) and occasionally got trampled by turning traffic (put a few small rocks between the plants to decrease crushing).
* One of the neighbor’s silver poplars tilted over onto the creekside oaks over the winter. After a few days of spring rain, it fell the rest of the way on the creek bank and only took out a few (big) oak branches. (A few weeks later, its “twin” silver poplar fell into the creek - not our problem.)
* Last surviving 2018 gingko killed by the neighbor's landscapers (overzealous weedeater).
* Second floor windows on west and north reglazed and painted, including giant kitchen storm window (thanks to loaned 28-foot ladder).
* West gable and soffits painted (thanks to the new 32-foot ladder, no thanks to the cat).
* Windows on east side reglazed and painted, and gable and soffits painted.
* Second story porch, windows and south gable painted.
* Transplanted two lilacs from the west side to the east side to face the tennis court driveway, transplanted the struggling hydrangea from there to the curve in the front walk, and shifted the lilac in the front away from the neighbor's spruce trees.
* Painted the front doors a warm, chocolate brown.

==2019:==
* Insulated the basement with initial layer of R10 foam panels
* Transplanted peonies, ferns and day lilies from the neighbors across the street. LOTS of peonies (along front drive, side garden, rail fence), ferns (west side of the house and under the white pines) and daylilies (under the white pines).
* Also transplanted a few patches of lilies of the valley to the west side of the house.
* Shifted a sprout of the mock orange farther from the future location of the handicap ramp
* Cut back the mulberry by the rock wall next to the neighbor’s spruce tree
* Moved 2 of the 2016 yews from the upper back yard (where they were unhappy) to the border by the traffic circle, joined by a stray burning bush found along the creek
* Cleared out old porch screens and painted frames dark gray to let the architecture stand out
* Reseeded backyard with old grass seed.
* Chopped back the brush/weeds on the hump next to the fire pit to reclaim as lawn
* Marked volunteer pagoda dogwoods in the backyard in the western mulch border and along the creek
* Laid old porch carpet to smother the grass in the backyard for the east wildflower border (didn't work)

==2018:==
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room ceilings.
* Painted upper border in kitchen
* Fixed broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Planted 6 little gingkos in west yard
* Planted oaks in backyard (multiple times!)
* Dealt with sweaty floor problem - partially. Eventually got de-humidifier.
* Finished clearing side yard, planted grass and started mowing it
* Took down old curtains in master bedroom
* Acquired expanding table and black “leather” sofa for parlor
* Put white/red enamel table in kitchen
* Cleaned walls in master bedroom
* Painted exterior kitchen window trim
* Patched putty on east windows on first floor and covered raw wood
* Scraped loose paint and applied temporary white paint on exterior porch
* Halloween dragon, spider web, expanded cemetery, hosted beggars 1st time framed by the open porch door window
* Improved winter window insulation
* Insulated mail cabinet (structure done, out of a strange old child’s desk, needs to be refinished yet)

==2017==
* Fix running toilet upstairs
* Strip wallpaper in parlor.
* First coats of paint: parlor, dining room.
* Patch/repair rotten window sills: kitchen, stairwell
* Antique light switches/covers: parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen (powder room 2016)
* Cleared side yard, including sand box.
* Transplant giant hostas, day lilies, lilacs, yuccas (!).
* Start clearing driveway “hedge”.
* Fix broken “chain” in downstairs toilet.
* Mulched property line.
* Unclog kitchen sink.
* Patch/repair rotten window sill: dining room lead glass window
* Re-putty/paint storm windows: stairwell, ⅔ dining room.
* Put trim pieces back on stairs
* Halloween - moved spider to oak tree
* Moved tractor tire.
* First coat of paint in kitchen.
* Two-story Christmas tree in tower.
* Designed kitchen stencil frieze
* Transplanted lilacs that were crowding the mock orange and Persian lilac

==2016:==
* Privacy curtains
* Prepping for electricians
* Strip wall panels and scrape most wallpaper in powder room
* Porch - peel carpet, strip vinyl siding
* Get rid of radiator covers
* Clean garage eavestroughs
* Seal roof temporarily
* Move railroad ties
* Patch roof
* Plant forsythias, 3 yews, 1 hydrangea, 1 blue arrow viburnum
* Transplant smothered peonies from east side yard to flag pole hole.
* Re-putty/paint windows and storms: porch, kitchen side windows.
* Professional electrical (new electrical service, grounded outlets, basement conduit, knob-and-tube replaced where accessible, exterior outlets)
* Self electrical - moved ceiling fans to bedrooms, installed antique lights (parlor, hallway, dining room, kitchen)
* Backyard fence/barrier - split rail
* Halloween decorations - cats eyes, spider out bedroom window, skulls in parlor windows
* Christmas trees

Main Page

2023-03-26T00:05:24Z

WikiSysop:

In July of 1898, Jennie V. Longenecker purchased the eastern 5 rods of the George Vermilya property, creating the lot on which this house was built later that year. This was the third house Jennie and her husband built (and sold) on other properties on this block on the north side of East State Street after 1885. In 1900, they sold this property also.

In 1903, James McGhee, a widower, bought the house for himself and his three children, after serving several years as sheriff of Allamakee County. In 1917, his daughter, Ruth, bought the house from him, having married a young bank clerk named Harold Bull who had been living across the street with his family at what is now 697 East State Street.

Harold and Ruth McGhee Bull lived at 718 East State Street until 1933 when they moved to Mankato, where Harold became president of National Citizen's Bank. For several years, the home was rented out and its tenants included Stuart and Helene Grummon. Stuart Grummon was a member of the Iowa National Guard and served in WWII starting with the rank of Captain and ending the war as a Lt. Colonel.

In 1949, Ralph and Dorothea Wallace bought the home and Ralph lived there until his death in the 1990s. (Ralph and Dorothea divorced in the 1970s.) His second wife, Muriel "Queenie" Wallace, a nurse, ran "Parents United" out of the home for many years until she died in 2015.

The Longenecker House has clearly been well-loved and well-taken-care-of during most of it's existence. A new chapter has begun.

[[Timeline]]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T23:54:14Z

WikiSysop: /* Driveway Bed */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
===Driveway Bed===
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 56 ft along driveway, so about 42 plants (4-ft diameter)

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by.

*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6' - also https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/madame-plantier
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937 - also https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/ballerina but "one of the best roses for hedging" 5-6 ft, Zone 6
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211

*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

===Side Yard===
Transition the wildflower border to heirloom flowers, irises, roses, lilies, sedum, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
*Roses - the side yard edge flower bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade", so might consider these:
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters

*Heirloom Flowers
**Old-Fashioned Vining Petunia - soft pinks, trails 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/old-vining-petunia-organic-flower
**Firmament - vivid blue, 14-16 inches, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/firmament-flower
**Love-in-a-Mist - blue, feathery leaves, 18-24 in, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/love-in-a-mist-miss-jekyll-flower
**Sweet William Electron Blend - reds/pinks/whites - https://www.seedsavers.org/sweet-william-electron-blend-organic-flower
**Blue Hungarian Poppy - mauvey purple, 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/hungarian-blue-breadseed-poppy-organic-flower
**Gatterman Heirloom Poppy - fuschia, 2-2.5 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/gatterman-heirloom-poppy-organic-flower
**Globe Amaranth - mixed pinky-purples, 30 inches, butterflies, dried flowers - https://www.seedsavers.org/globe-amaranth-flower
**Mixed Bachelor Buttons - blue to lavendar pink, 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/mixed-bachelors-buttons-flower
**Zebrina - striped pink, 4 ft, self-seeding, reblooms if cut down - https://www.seedsavers.org/zebrina-flower
**Sensation Cosmos Mix - shades of pink/white, 4-5 ft - https://www.seedsavers.org/sensation-cosmos-mixture-flower
**Giant Spotted Foxglove - shades of pink/fuschia, 5-6 ft (!), toxic, biennial - https://www.seedsavers.org/giant-spotted-foxglove-organic-flower

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the border.
* Culver Williams Asparagus - https://www.seedsavers.org/culver-williams-asparagus
* Red Kalibos Cabbage - https://www.seedsavers.org/red-kalibos-cabbage
* Velvet Red (Cherry) Tomato - silvery folicage - https://www.seedsavers.org/velvet-red-organic-tomato
* Painted Lady Improved Runner Bead - pollinators, ornamental, tasty - https://www.seedsavers.org/painted-lady-improved-runner-bean
* Summer Crookneck Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/summer-crookneck-organic-squash
* Boston Marrow (Winter) Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/boston-marrow-squash
* Table Queen (Acorn) Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/table-queen-squash
* Turks Turban (Winter) Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/turks-turban-squash
* Etc.
* Seneca Red Stalker Corn - https://www.seedsavers.org/seneca-red-stalker-organic-corn
* Glass Gem Corn - https://www.seedsavers.org/glass-gem-organic-corn
* Japonica Striped Maize - https://www.seedsavers.org/japonica-organic-corn
* Aurora Pepper - purple, yellow, red - https://www.seedsavers.org/aurora-organic-pepper
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron? short serviceberry?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Get more viburnum by the gate. Highbush Cranberry seed packets starting at $3 - https://www.prairiemoon.com/viburnum-trilobum-american-cranberrybush-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples and/or Washington hawthorn along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard, aprox. 900 sq ft.
*Short Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/short-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Tall Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/tall-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Shady Woodland Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/shady-woodland-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T23:42:10Z

WikiSysop: /* Side Yard */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
===Driveway Bed===
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 56 ft along driveway, so about 42 plants (4-ft diameter)

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by.

*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211

*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

===Side Yard===
Transition the wildflower border to heirloom flowers, irises, roses, lilies, sedum, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
*Roses - the side yard edge flower bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade", so might consider these:
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters

*Heirloom Flowers
**Old-Fashioned Vining Petunia - soft pinks, trails 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/old-vining-petunia-organic-flower
**Firmament - vivid blue, 14-16 inches, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/firmament-flower
**Love-in-a-Mist - blue, feathery leaves, 18-24 in, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/love-in-a-mist-miss-jekyll-flower
**Sweet William Electron Blend - reds/pinks/whites - https://www.seedsavers.org/sweet-william-electron-blend-organic-flower
**Blue Hungarian Poppy - mauvey purple, 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/hungarian-blue-breadseed-poppy-organic-flower
**Gatterman Heirloom Poppy - fuschia, 2-2.5 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/gatterman-heirloom-poppy-organic-flower
**Globe Amaranth - mixed pinky-purples, 30 inches, butterflies, dried flowers - https://www.seedsavers.org/globe-amaranth-flower
**Mixed Bachelor Buttons - blue to lavendar pink, 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/mixed-bachelors-buttons-flower
**Zebrina - striped pink, 4 ft, self-seeding, reblooms if cut down - https://www.seedsavers.org/zebrina-flower
**Sensation Cosmos Mix - shades of pink/white, 4-5 ft - https://www.seedsavers.org/sensation-cosmos-mixture-flower
**Giant Spotted Foxglove - shades of pink/fuschia, 5-6 ft (!), toxic, biennial - https://www.seedsavers.org/giant-spotted-foxglove-organic-flower

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the border.
* Culver Williams Asparagus - https://www.seedsavers.org/culver-williams-asparagus
* Red Kalibos Cabbage - https://www.seedsavers.org/red-kalibos-cabbage
* Velvet Red (Cherry) Tomato - silvery folicage - https://www.seedsavers.org/velvet-red-organic-tomato
* Painted Lady Improved Runner Bead - pollinators, ornamental, tasty - https://www.seedsavers.org/painted-lady-improved-runner-bean
* Summer Crookneck Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/summer-crookneck-organic-squash
* Boston Marrow (Winter) Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/boston-marrow-squash
* Table Queen (Acorn) Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/table-queen-squash
* Turks Turban (Winter) Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/turks-turban-squash
* Etc.
* Seneca Red Stalker Corn - https://www.seedsavers.org/seneca-red-stalker-organic-corn
* Glass Gem Corn - https://www.seedsavers.org/glass-gem-organic-corn
* Japonica Striped Maize - https://www.seedsavers.org/japonica-organic-corn
* Aurora Pepper - purple, yellow, red - https://www.seedsavers.org/aurora-organic-pepper
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron? short serviceberry?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Get more viburnum by the gate. Highbush Cranberry seed packets starting at $3 - https://www.prairiemoon.com/viburnum-trilobum-american-cranberrybush-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples and/or Washington hawthorn along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard, aprox. 900 sq ft.
*Short Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/short-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Tall Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/tall-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Shady Woodland Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/shady-woodland-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T23:27:38Z

WikiSysop: /* Side Yard */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
===Driveway Bed===
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 56 ft along driveway, so about 42 plants (4-ft diameter)

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by.

*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211

*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

===Side Yard===
Transition the wildflower border to heirloom flowers, irises, roses, lilies, sedum, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
*Roses - the side yard edge flower bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade", so might consider these:
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters

*Heirloom Flowers
**Old-Fashioned Vining Petunia - soft pinks, trails 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/old-vining-petunia-organic-flower
**Firmament - vivid blue, 14-16 inches, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/firmament-flower
**Love-in-a-Mist - blue, feathery leaves, 18-24 in, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/love-in-a-mist-miss-jekyll-flower
**Sweet William Electron Blend - reds/pinks/whites - https://www.seedsavers.org/sweet-william-electron-blend-organic-flower
**Blue Hungarian Poppy - mauvey purple, 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/hungarian-blue-breadseed-poppy-organic-flower
**Gatterman Heirloom Poppy - fuschia, 2-2.5 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/gatterman-heirloom-poppy-organic-flower
**Globe Amaranth - mixed pinky-purples, 30 inches, butterflies, dried flowers - https://www.seedsavers.org/globe-amaranth-flower
**Mixed Bachelor Buttons - blue to lavendar pink, 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/mixed-bachelors-buttons-flower
**Zebrina - striped pink, 4 ft, self-seeding, reblooms if cut down - https://www.seedsavers.org/zebrina-flower
**Sensation Cosmos Mix - shades of pink/white, 4-5 ft - https://www.seedsavers.org/sensation-cosmos-mixture-flower
**Giant Spotted Foxglove - shades of pink/fuschia, 5-6 ft (!), toxic, biennial - https://www.seedsavers.org/giant-spotted-foxglove-organic-flower

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the border.
* Culver Williams Asparagus - https://www.seedsavers.org/culver-williams-asparagus
* Red Kalibos Cabbage - https://www.seedsavers.org/red-kalibos-cabbage
* Velvet Red (Cherry) Tomato - silvery folicage - https://www.seedsavers.org/velvet-red-organic-tomato
* Painted Lady Improved Runner Bead - pollinators, ornamental, tasty - https://www.seedsavers.org/painted-lady-improved-runner-bean
* Summer Crookneck Squash - https://www.seedsavers.org/summer-crookneck-organic-squash
* Seneca Red Stalker Corn - https://www.seedsavers.org/seneca-red-stalker-organic-corn
* Glass Gem Corn - https://www.seedsavers.org/glass-gem-organic-corn
* Japonica Striped Maize - https://www.seedsavers.org/japonica-organic-corn
* Aurora Pepper - purple, yellow, red - https://www.seedsavers.org/aurora-organic-pepper
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron? short serviceberry?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Get more viburnum by the gate. Highbush Cranberry seed packets starting at $3 - https://www.prairiemoon.com/viburnum-trilobum-american-cranberrybush-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples and/or Washington hawthorn along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard, aprox. 900 sq ft.
*Short Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/short-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Tall Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/tall-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Shady Woodland Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/shady-woodland-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T23:03:24Z

WikiSysop: /* Side Yard */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
===Driveway Bed===
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 56 ft along driveway, so about 42 plants (4-ft diameter)

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by.

*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211

*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

===Side Yard===
Transition the wildflower border to heirloom flowers, irises, roses, lilies, sedum, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
*Roses - the side yard edge flower bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade", so might consider these:
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters

*Heirloom Flowers
**Old-Fashioned Vining Petunia - soft pinks, trails 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/old-vining-petunia-organic-flower
**Firmament - vivid blue, 14-16 inches, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/firmament-flower
**Love-in-a-Mist - blue, feathery leaves, 18-24 in, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/love-in-a-mist-miss-jekyll-flower
**Sweet William Electron Blend - reds/pinks/whites - https://www.seedsavers.org/sweet-william-electron-blend-organic-flower
**Blue Hungarian Poppy - mauvey purple, 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/hungarian-blue-breadseed-poppy-organic-flower
**Gatterman Heirloom Poppy - fuschia, 2-2.5 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/gatterman-heirloom-poppy-organic-flower
**Globe Amaranth - mixed pinky-purples, 30 inches, butterflies, dried flowers - https://www.seedsavers.org/globe-amaranth-flower
**Mixed Bachelor Buttons - blue to lavendar pink, 2-3 ft, self-seeding - https://www.seedsavers.org/mixed-bachelors-buttons-flower
**Zebrina - striped pink, 4 ft, self-seeding, reblooms if cut down - https://www.seedsavers.org/zebrina-flower
**Sensation Cosmos Mix - shades of pink/white, 4-5 ft - https://www.seedsavers.org/sensation-cosmos-mixture-flower
**Giant Spotted Foxglove - shades of pink/fuschia, 5-6 ft (!), toxic, biennial - https://www.seedsavers.org/giant-spotted-foxglove-organic-flower

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the border.
*
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron? short serviceberry?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Get more viburnum by the gate. Highbush Cranberry seed packets starting at $3 - https://www.prairiemoon.com/viburnum-trilobum-american-cranberrybush-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples and/or Washington hawthorn along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard, aprox. 900 sq ft.
*Short Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/short-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Tall Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/tall-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Shady Woodland Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/shady-woodland-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T22:43:17Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
===Driveway Bed===
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 56 ft along driveway, so about 42 plants (4-ft diameter)

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by.

*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211

*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

===Side Yard===
Transition the wildflower border to heirloom flowers, irises, roses, lilies, sedum, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
*Other Roses - the side yard edge flower bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the border.
*
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron? short serviceberry?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Get more viburnum by the gate. Highbush Cranberry seed packets starting at $3 - https://www.prairiemoon.com/viburnum-trilobum-american-cranberrybush-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples and/or Washington hawthorn along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard, aprox. 900 sq ft.
*Short Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/short-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Tall Sedge Meadow Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/tall-sedge-meadow-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html
*Shady Woodland Seed Mix - https://www.prairiemoon.com/shady-woodland-seed-mix-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T22:34:49Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
===Driveway Bed===
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 56 ft along driveway, so about 42 plants (4-ft diameter)

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by.

*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211

*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

===Side Yard===
Transition the wildflower border to heirloom flowers, irises, roses, lilies, sedum, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
*Other Roses - the side yard edge flower bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the border.
*
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron? short serviceberry?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Get more viburnum by the gate - https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=viburnum

Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples and/or Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T22:28:33Z

WikiSysop: /* East Side Yard */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
===Driveway Bed===
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 56 ft along driveway, so about 42 plants (4-ft diameter)

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by.

*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the 42-ft-long side yard edge bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters
*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

===Side Yard===
Transition the wildflower border to heirloom flowers, irises, roses, lilies, sedum, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the border.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron? short serviceberry?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Get more viburnum by the gate - https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=viburnum

Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples and/or Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T17:55:10Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, iris, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 42 four-ft wide plants
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 56 ft along driveway plus most of the side yard, another 42 ft
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the 42-ft-long side yard edge bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters
*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by. May reduce to "singlets" along the side yard?

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Get more viburnum by the gate - https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=viburnum

Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples and/or Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The McGhees

2021-11-27T17:45:48Z

WikiSysop:

[[File:1918McGheeJamesRepresentative.png|thumb|James H. McGhee in 1918]]
[[File:1900sBull Harold&RuthTrimmed.jpg|thumb|Ruth McGhee Bull and Harold Bull c. 1909]]
[[File:1914McGheeLeone.JPG|thumb|Leone McGhee in 1914]]
[[File:1915McGheeJDonald.JPG|thumb|J. Donald McGhee in 1915]]
[[File:McGheeStonesPostville.jpg|thumb|Gravestones in Postville Cemetery]]

After serving as sheriff of Waukon, widower James McGhee came to Mason City in 1903 with his 3 children: Ruth, Leone and J. Donald. His wife had died in 1893 just 2 days after the birth of J. Donald, after several weeks of ill health.

In 1903, James McGhee, a widower, bought the house for himself and his three children, after serving several years as sheriff of Allamakee County.

In 1917, his daughter, Ruth, bought the house from him, having married a young bank clerk named Harold Bull who had been living across the street with his family at what is now 697 East State Street.

James McGhee was elected to the Iowa State Legislature in 1918, serving two terms. In 1922, he was elected mayor of Mason City, but died in office of smallpox in 1924. The newspaper reported that many townspeople went to the doctor to get vaccinated when they heard of his fate.

Ruth McGhee Bull lived at 718 East State Street with her husband and their two children until 1933. Ruth was active in the local historical society. Harold worked his way up the ranks at First National Bank until they moved to Mankato, where he became president of National Citizen's Bank. Harold and Ruth ended up in Sioux City, where he was president of Norwest Bank.

Leone McGhee graduated from Iowa State College in 1916 (?) with a degree in Home Economics. She was teaching home economics in northern Minnesota during the events of 1918 bearing witness to the end of the war, the great forest fires and, of course, the 1918 flue.

J. Donald McGhee, James' son, went to Iowa State College at the same time as his sister, but only graduated from Iowa State College in 1917 and was drafted into World War I in 1918. His diplomas, unit photo, service manuals, letters and other personal effects remain preserved in the home. He went on to be employed in the livestock business after the war.

[[J. Donald McGhee Papers]]

=Interesting Tidbit=
Postville Herald 
Postville, Allamakee Co. Iowa 
April 10, 1930

The UB Church Bronze memorial tablet on the wall of the new Postville Church. It will bear the names of members of the Bethel Church who have long since went to their eternal reward.

IN MEMORIAM - BETHEL'S BELOVED

Rev. Robert Laughlin, Mrs. Robert Laughlin, David Jemison, Mrs. David Jemison, Wells Eaton, Mrs. Wells Eaton, William Simpson, Asel Eaton, Mrs. Asel Eaton, James Laughlin, Mrs. Elisha Harris, J.N. Smith, mrs. J.N. Smith, David Smith, E.R.A. Brainard, Asa Cheadle, Mrs. Asa Cheadle, Isaac Brainard, Mrs. Isaac Brainard, W.A. Owen, Mrs. W.A. Owen, Mrs. G.W. Harris, Mrs. Olena Swenson, Mrs. Mary Leet, Mrs. Jennie Waters, Mrs. Carolyn Cook, Mrs. C.B. Miller, Mary Miller, J.F. Miller, Mrs. Clarence Owen, George Jones, Mrs. Jennie Smith, Mrs. Susanah Early, '''Mrs. Ruth McGhee (aunt? Grandmother? other?)''', Mrs. Olive Yarwood, Mrs. Lottie Davis, Mrs. Elizabeth Sawyer, Mrs. Stella Uhl Cook and Mrs. Carolyn Hammel.

The Grounds

2021-11-27T17:13:14Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* Viking Queen, pink, continual, 1963, Zone 4 - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/climbing-roses/viking-queen.html
** all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, iris, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 42 four-ft wide plants
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 56 ft along driveway plus most of the side yard, another 42 ft
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the 42-ft-long side yard edge bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters
*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by. May reduce to "singlets" along the side yard?

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T02:34:54Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, iris, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 42 four-ft wide plants
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 56 ft along driveway plus most of the side yard, another 42 ft
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
*** Alba Maxima - Zone 4
*** Belle Amour - Zone 5
*** Blush Hip - Zone 3, 8-10'x4-6'
*** Felicite Parmentier - Zone 4
*** Great Maiden's Blush - Zone 4
*** Mme Plantier - Zone 3, 6-8'x6'
*** Queen of Denmark - Zone 4, 5-6'x4-5'
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** Ballerina - Zone 5, sl fragrance, bees like, continual, 4'x3', 1937
*** Bukavu - Zone 5, sl fragrance, continual, 4-5'x4-5', 2000
*** Lexy - Zone 5, mod fragrance, continual, 5-6'x4-5', 2000
*** Pink Prosperity - Zone 4, mod fragrance, repeat, 4'x4'
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the 42-ft-long side yard edge bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters
*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Plant the bushes in pairs along the driveway for better visual impact as people drive by. May reduce to "singlets" along the side yard?

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-27T01:01:34Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, peonies, iris, hydrangeas, bridal wreath/pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall - about 42 four-ft wide plants
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 56 ft along driveway plus most of the side yard, another 42 ft
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the 42-ft-long side yard edge bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters
*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:51:31Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 56 ft along driveway plus most of the side yard, another 42 ft
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the 42-ft-long side yard edge bed is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, "very fragrant" - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters
*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:46:11Z

WikiSysop: /* Original Form */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park (8 sections of driveway each 8 ft long = 64 ft). The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc. This area is 42 ft long north-to-south measured from the edge of the step platform

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters
*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:29:44Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters
*Roses at Point Ellice historic property noted here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_-LdsV9xbALLfSLeVcepKQhVrWOBv0R5zWvx197vWUs/edit#

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:27:55Z

WikiSysop:

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:26:40Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Clear the aggressive hedge.

Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/products/seven-sisters

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:22:28Z

WikiSysop: /* Changes so Far */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
A clump of yucca has been planted to define the end of the flower bed by the sidewalk. Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:20:13Z

WikiSysop: /* Changes so Far */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and at the traffic circle inside the park.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:18:51Z

WikiSysop: /* Changes so Far */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the corner of the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and inside the park.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:18:16Z

WikiSysop: /* Changes so Far */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the corner of the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and inside the park.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

The boulevard at the corner has been turned into a small annual bed.
* The first year it was mostly marigolds which did well. The stock in the middle died quickly.
* The second year it was mostly dianthus that survived, but were a bit grouchy about the drought. The celosia in the center, and the gypsophila at the edge suffered even more.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:11:25Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the corner of the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and inside the park.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses - about 128 ft along driveway plus part of the side yard
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses - part of the side yard is a bit more sunny but still technically "partial shade"
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T23:02:10Z

WikiSysop: /* Changes so Far */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the corner of the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and inside the park.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

The neighbor has planted 4 spruce on either side of a maple along their property line.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T17:40:12Z

WikiSysop:

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the corner of the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and inside the park.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle, very fragrant - https://www.heirloomroses.com/hawkeye-belle.html
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T16:51:41Z

WikiSysop: /* Original Form */

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the corner of the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and inside the park.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle -
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank.

To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall).

To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T16:50:57Z

WikiSysop:

=Overview=
The grounds of the Longnecker House consist of a roughly 80 x 400 ft corner lot extending from a standard street front to a perennial creek that forms the border of the back yard on the edge of a city park, with an elevation change of about 20 feet from front to back.

Two established city bicycle routes pass by the property.

[[File:718EastSatelliteViewTrimmed.jpg]]

=Front Yard=
==Original Form==
The grassy boulevard is interrupted by several street signs, and a fire hydrant. There is a granite plaque in the sidewalk marking the house's place on the Architectural Tour route.

The front sidewalk is 5 feet wide and generally in good condition apart from two sections with severe pitting near the fire hydrant.

[[File:1930sAerialTrimRotate.jpg|right]]
Lining the sidewalk are 4 evenly spaced medium-sized red cedars of similar age but not similar shape, having obviously been variously sculpted over the course of time. It is hard to see on the old overhead photos available at the [http://ortho.gis.iastate.edu/ Iowa Geographic Map Server], but it seems that 4 small trees are visible on the image from the 1930s. One of the trees lost a major branch and we counted about 80 growth rings, and the property was rented out after 1933, so the 4 trees must be almost 90 years old.

The sidewalk to the front door has a curved deflection revealing the past location of a very large tree just to the east, which is also revealed in the lean of the oaks that line the front drive. There is a depression in the yard to the west of the sidewalk closer to the house where there was, evidently, another large tree in the past.

The yard is lined by 3 burr oaks along the driveway to the east, and the neighbor's line of young spruce trees along the west. There is a cement base for a flag pole under one of the oaks.

Mature, slightly overgrown yews form a foundation planting at the base of the porch on either side of the cement front stairs (which replace original cracked stone steps visible in a c. 1908 photo) with wide, stone railing. On the west end of the yew plantings, the yew on the end has grown vertically higher than the front porch and has interesting, peeling red bark.

==Changes so Far==
Some over-shaded peonies have been transplanted to a happier spot around the flag pole base.

The overgrown yews are being gradually trimmed back into shape.

Large leaf hostas have been transplanted around the base of the tall yew at the west end of the porch. The foundation yews are being gradually trimmed back.

A forsythia, which suffers from deer, and a clump of transplanted lilacs now lie along the west side of the yard.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but the shade was not sufficient to protect two of them from the summer heat. And the last survivor was claimed by deer in the fall.

A common lilac that was crowding the Persian lilac and mock orange was split and a third of it moved to the west side of the yard.

The "triangle" of boulevard at the corner of the intersection was planted with flowers inspired by the plantings near the Frank Lloyd Wright house up the street and inside the park.

A hydrangea was transplanted to "account for" the curve of the sidewalk.

==Future Plans==
Consider a geometric Victorian flower bed with a sundial in front of the porch to the west of the sidewalk. (Gifted some red cannas for this.)

Front porch options:
* clematis next to the steps vs climbing roses
* Veilchenblau, 1909, the "Blue Rose", spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/veilchenblau
* American Beauty Climber, 1909, medium mauve pink, spring bloom - https://antiqueroseemporium.com/collections/all-roses/products/american-beauty-climber
* John Cabot climbing rose, 1978, fuschia pink - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/winter-hardy-roses/john-cabot.html
* all of above fragrant (Cabot "moderately")

A ramp from the front steps to the west side of the porch would be nice for disabled access.

=West Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The yard along the west side of the house drops about 8 feet mostly from the dining room bay back. Upper level foundation plantings consist of a mature mock orange (which is a little too close to the porch and the tall yew) and a mature Persian lilac. A large standard lilac was crowded between the mock orange and Persian lilac.

Wild cucumber vines and Virginia Creeper and a few wild grapes volunteer along the foundation as well.

The downslope along the house is planted with common day lilies which struggle to bloom and suffer from deer and wild cucumber overgrowth. A mature burr oak grows among the day lilies and leans over the house to a fair extent. There are some pagoda dogwood samplings struggling also.

Along the west property line is the neighbors mature crabapple, a young mulberry (which always has bland berries and is crowding the neighbor's nice spruce tree), and a "mini" Virginia Creeper along a low rock retaining wall on the neighbor's property which confines a planting bed of river stones, hostas and a large mature spruce. Farther back along the west property line is a cluster of three young white pines on the neighbor's side, and a young-ish black cherry tree. The mossy, grassy yard between the house plantings and the property line plantings curves down the slope in a way to suggest that it is flowing down the hill.

==Changes so Far==
The large standard lilac that was between the mock orange and Persian lilac has been split into three clumps and one planted along the west property line in the front, and two moved to the east property line across from the tennis court drive, after first being planted along the west property line in too much shade.

A cluster of 3 gingko sprouts was planted in the shadow of the lilacs, but they have not survived the deer and the neighbor's wayward weed eater.

Some lilies of the valley and day lilies have been transplanted along the neighbor's stone retaining wall and down the slope to the black cherry to define the flowing path down the hill.

The young "bland" mulberry tree is being replaced by mountain ash a little farther from the neighbor's spruce, hopefully.

==Future Plans==
Shifting the mock orange a little away from the porch and the tall yew

Rock garden with shade-loving woodland flowers and pond on the slope next to the house.

Improve the ground covers

Pulley bird feeder set up from the porch

=East Side Yard=
==Original Form==
The east side yard starts with the 5 foot-wide planting area between the front drive and the retaining wall along the street into the park. The strip contained the regrown hedge (Siberian elm?) that the previous owners failed to remove c. 2015, some wild flowers, and lilies of the valley.

The hedge strip widens under the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway next to the front porch. This area was planted with day lilies and some over-shaded peonies..

On the east side of the house, the area between the side path and the house is thickly planted with lilies of the valley with a few jack-in-the-pulpits and a couple of volunteer gooseberries. Virginia Creeper climbs the sandstone foundation.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall was previously a giant wildflower patch with a large covered sandbox. The flowers include yucca, columbine, "bluebells", milkweed, chives, tulips, etc.

The north border has a clump of trailing junipers draped down the retaining wall.

==Changes so Far==
Some rescued hostas and peonies have been located along the driveway. Snow-on-the-mountain has also been moved there.

The area between the side path and the retaining wall is now a rectangular yard with a wildflower border (although some yuccas keep poking up through the grass).

A couple of Autumn Joy sedum, iris, and rescued peonies have been added to the wildflower border.

Transplanted some day lilies along the base of the retaining wall, along with a few annuals left over from the boulevard triangle planting.

==Future Plans==
Roses, lilies, columnar juniper, bridal wreath spirea, pink spirea - on top of the retaining wall.
*Shade Tolerant Roses
**Alba - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/albas.html
**Hybrid Musk - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/hybrid-musk-roses.html?hardiness_zone=98&rebloom=211
*Other Roses
**Apothecary Rose - https://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/old-garden-roses/apothecary-s-rose.html
**Iowa Belle - https://www.heirloomroses.com/iowa-belle.html
*** https://www.heirloomroses.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/926507dc7f93631a094422215b778fe0/i/o/iowa-belle-2.jpg
**Hawkeye Belle -
**Seven Sisters (from dad) -

Transplant the remnant peony to a more visible spot

Plant some ornamental heirloom vegetables in the wildflower border, maybe some prickly pear cactus, hens & chicks.
* Patio Berries - https://www.heirloomroses.com/garden-companions/patio-berries.html

Need to do something with the corner of the back stairs/retaining wall - columnar juniper? rhododendron?

=Upper Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the garage to to the park gate.

This area was dominated by a large, overgrown fenced dog run that had been roughly pulled out prior to sale of the property. Otherwise, it was a rough yard with various trees growing in the fence lines.

On the west side, there was a large black cherry tree, a large and small mulberry tree, and a black walnut. On the neighbor's side, there was a shaded honeysuckle, a couple of blue spruce, a burr oak, and the edge of the silver poplar grove.

On the east side, there were 3 burr oaks in a diagonal 20 ft north of the corner of the garage to the property line, then a large ash, a "half" crab apple, a linden, then another burr oak next to the post of the park gate. There was a large tractor tire sandbox next to the first burr oak.

==Changes so Far==
Leveled the ground where the dog run was pulled out, removed stumps, planted grass seed.

Transplanted day lilies and ferns along the west property line to continue defining the flow of the path down the hill. Had the neighbor's landscapers lay down a thick edge of mulch along the west property line when they put in their arbor vitae hedge (in repayment for using my property for ease of access).

Installed a cedar fence along the east property line to stop people thinking our back yards are extensions of the adjacent city park.

Planted a couple of forsythia between two of the diagonal oaks on the eastern upper yard to screen the few from the street. Transplanted some rescued peonies there, too. Planted a pink hydrangea, volunteer pagoda dogwood, and three yews along the fence between the burr oak and the ash to screen the view from the tennis court driveway. After a couple of years, it was clear that none of these plants were happy, so the hydrangea and the yews were transplanted elsewhere.

Planted a cluster of large tiger lilies under the crab apple, and transplanted rescued peonies around it's base.

Moved the tractor tire to the slope of the west yard and dug it in, by hand, to form a small pond in the future rock garden.

==Future Plans==
Plant sumacs around the western mulberry? Replace the small mulberry with a serviceberry?
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/search.html?Search=serviceberry

Plant small grove of fruit trees in the middle of the yard?

Add a couple of flowering trees to the half-crab apple along the eastern yard

Put an American bittersweet on the split rail fence? https://www.prairiemoon.com/celastrus-scandens-bittersweet-unsexed-prairie-moon-nursery.html

=Lower Back Yard=
==Original Form==
From the park gate to the creek. The area will flood periodically.

The lower back yard was primary grass, with a few burr oaks (including one dead oak for bald eagles and such to perch in), a couple of hackberry trees, box elders, mulberry and weeds and day lilies along the creek bank. To the west, was the neighbor's grove of silver poplars (that hosts turkey vultures in the fall). To the east was the street and the park's traffic circle with a spruce and mature arbor vitae, and its accessory traffic "triangles" with plantings by the local garden club that takes care of the park plantings.

==Changes so Far==
The burr oak that had fallen into the creek like an arched bridge c. 2015 was caught in the strong spring flood of 2017 (?) and pushed onto the bank where it has made a perfect bench and its limbs are protecting the back from erosion.

The northernmost of the the triple oaks came down one quiet day, taking out a big branch from the riverside oak (that had survived the fall of it's twin tree above). It also damaged the little riverside mulberry.

A sidewalk circle was rescued from another house and put near the "bench oak" to define a seating area around a tractor tire rim fire ring.

Three new burr oaks were planted in the western part of the yard to eventually replace the dead/fallen oaks. The neighbor has planted a long row of arbor vitae along the west property line.

In 2020, when the ground was soaking wet in the spring, one of the neighbor's silver poplars tipped over along the back, further damaging the riverside oaky. Thankfully, the neighbor's grounds people were able to clean up the fallen poplar without too much trouble.

In 2021, the largest burr oak along the street was found to have at least 4 vertical cracks in the trunk. This tree had long been known to be hollow and occasionally sheltered ducks and other small creatures. The city decided enough of it was on city property that they were kind enough to promptly take it down before it could fall into the street.

A split-rail cedar fence was installed to separate the yard from the adjacent park.

A wildflower bed has been started along that fence. A viburnum bush has been planted along the fence by the park gate. A couple of "swamp roses" have been planted by the twin oaks and along the fence near the traffic circle. A pyramidal yew and a spreading yew were transplanted along the fence next to the traffic circle to try to block the traffic lights from the neighbor's house for him.

==Future Plans==
Extend the split-rail fence over the side of the lost hollow oak, and plant a virgin's bower in its spot.
* https://www.prairiemoon.com/clematis-virginiana-virgins-bower-prairie-moon-nursery.html

Plant some crab apples, Washington hawthorne along the fence.

Put a large wildflower bed in the middle of the yard.

Nesting Sites?
* [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_rm/rm_rn535.pdf Constructing bald eagle nests with natural materials]

The Grounds

2021-11-26T16:21:45Z

WikiSysop: /* Lower Back Yard */

The Grounds

2021-11-26T15:46:10Z

WikiSysop: /* Original Form */

The Grounds

2021-11-26T15:34:46Z

WikiSysop: /* Changes so Far */

The Grounds

2021-11-26T15:34:00Z

WikiSysop: /* Future Plans */