Pages

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Japanese Maple Mania !

After years of telling husband I have no suitable place for a Japanese maple .. the tidal wave started last year when our Loblaws garden center had them on for $20 .. now how can you not get one ? or two ?
So I expanded my view point as to where to put Fred (Red Dragon) and Frank (Bloodgood) and then proceeded to kick myself for not getting another one .. after all, 3 is a lucky number isn't it ?
Yesterday I ran (OK .. walked) in Lowes garden center .. I hadn't see what they had for plants .. it is harder and harder to find unusual plants for my garden now .. ergo the mail order fiascoes ?
BUT .. I spotted this sweet little girl .. yes, she is a girl with the name of Crimson Queen .. so now I have to think of a girly name for her .. I was so excited .. who doesn't love a beautiful Japanese maple after all ?
Isn't she gorgeous ?? Husband suggested "Natasha" from the cartoon "Boris and Natasha" from Rocky and Bullwinkle .. well I'm thinking that just might be right for her!
I have to let him name one of these babies some time , right?
I love the dissected leaf structure .. so delicate and such a rich deep colour with the promise to look spectacular before she drops her leaves (oops sounds a little naughty doesn't it ?) in the Autumn.
Moving along I have to compliment my other trees or they will be in a state of "we are NOT amused!" by said fawning over new baby .. there must be a balance of affection for a garden to behave ?
So here is our Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry in bloom .. she also has beautiful colours in her leaves when Autumn arrives .. you have to love seeing your favorite colours hanging on trees : )
This is the part that shows why some are labeled "downy" .. doesn't that look amazing ?
OK .. enlarge the picture and you will get what I am talking about .. practically a pillow's worth .. for a very small mammal ??
I have never really noticed how our Pacific Sunset maple actually "flowers" out .. in the early morning sun it was beautiful to see .. the "keys" how ever .. we won't get into that .. jeez !

... and now for the "phew!!" part of waiting each Spring and having a sigh of relief ...
My Staghorn Sumac has started his "feathers" finally .. each year when it is pollard (thank you husband smoochy smoochy), I feel a wee bit tense as to how long it takes him to sprout those wonderful branches again .. bit by bit.
I am a happy tree mom now .. fingers crossed you won't hear me screaming in dismay tomorrow when the big event happens .. swapping plants in and out of their little comfy zones, to places I think will be better for them ? .. OK .. small lie there .. better for me ! JEEZ !!

19 comments:

Rebecca @ In The Garden said...

Lucky you!! I will check if our local superstore carries them, they haven't in the past but maybe this year?...I wouldn't bother planting one here, btu for $20 could justtify keeping one as an annual. :)

Lona said...

She is a beauty Joy. Now I know why you were so excited about her.She will be a great addition to your garden. I don't know why you do not name her after me though. LOL! Just kidding I wouldn't stick my name on anything. It would surely cause her to welt and shed her leaves from crying. LOL!

Karen said...

You have a varied garden! My Serviceberry is blooming...I better get out there and take a pic! I love the look of blooming maple leaves.
Your new little tree is pretty and Natasha is a lovely name!
Cheers

Lisa at Greenbow said...

So much is happening in your garden now Joy. Love the Japanese Maples. Three is a magical number.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Rebecca girl !
This is my first plant purchase from Lowes and it was in the "major" catagory because I really become attached to certain ones and this one with its two other brothers is a big sigh of happiness? LOL You might be able to keep one if you can store it in a garage ? we don't have a garage so I was never able to do that sort of thing .. but yes ! $20 for such a pretty accent is great : )

Lona girl yopu are a HOOT !
Hey I feel the same way about my name .. I can't tell you how many times I was teased about my name growing up .. from Christmas carols to dish soap .. I heard it ALL ! But isn't she a beauty ? I am a proud mom .. but like last year I will worry all winter for them all to come through !

My goodness Karen thank you ! I do love to colect different plants .. now room to plant "drifts" of them so "varied" is the theme ofmy garden for sure : ) Yup Natasha makes me think of that cartoon now all the time, hehehehe

Thank you Lisa I think three is perfect too... it is my birthday number as well : ) I just hope they all grow stronger and happier all season !

Marguerite said...

"There must be a balance of affection for the garden to behave" So THAT'S what I've been doing wrong!!

*~* Linda *~* said...

You know I'm alllll about the Japanese Maple!! I love mine and Natasha is a great name! Good job John!

Darla said...

I want one too....hubby and I have been talking about getting one. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy on your sumac!

Vetsy said...

Joy I understand your excitement about your new Japanese Maple.

My neighbor around the corner from me bought one about 10 years ago, and every time I pass it, I'm in awe of it... It is a beautiful, worth while investment and it is on my future garden list.

What a great deal you found!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Rebecca girl : ) Yup ! for that kind of money you might really enjoy it for a long season then maybe try storing it in a garage ? over winter it has a good chance !

Thank you Lona girl : ) Too funny about names eh ? I was teased so much of my childhood from dish sopa to Christmas carols .. I never liked my name but I'm stuck with it .. I might borrow Natasha's a few times though ? haha

VW said...

I was thinking that must be an expensive mania, but if you can get them at Lowes or HD then you'll have to spend less! I had a pretty green dissectum for a couple of years but it gave up the ghost one winter, darn it. I'll have to look for the zone 4 hardy ones just to be safe in the future.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi there VW girl .. I know what you mean .. cost wise I got good deals and Red Dragon plus Bloodgood did make it through our wacky winter .. but now I will stress over Crimson Queen .. BUT .. they are all in rather protected sites so I am thinking they should be alright .. 3 is enough for me unless some kind of fantastic bargain grabs me again ? LOL

Beyond the Dog Dish said...

We used to have a Service Berry but our yard was much too wet and it died after 2 years.

I have always wanted a Japanese Maple! I will have to stop by Lowes up here and look!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Miss Kodee .. that is too bad about the Service Berry .. they are beautiful ornamental trees.
BUT .. have a look for that Japanese maple girl ! You might just get lucky and find the perfect one : )
Those waves on the beach were beautiful as was the poem !

Rebecca said...

Best of luck with your Japanese Maple! I like the names you've selected.

With your gardening experience, you'll probably do fine, but something in the back of my mind plants FEAR in me about them. My parents have had quite a bit of trouble "raising" a Japanese Maple...so, although I REALLY like seeing them, I'm reluctant to try.

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

I have a crimson queen too(-: From Lowes also. They had a deal last year on them. I got three Japanese maples last year.(-:

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Rebecca : )
Thank you ! .. and I know what you mean about a certain amount of fear with Japanese maples .. I have always had that too, until last year when I said just try it at least (it was such a good bargain I couldn't help but get two) and I was so happy to see they came through the winter and look wonderful .. when a bargain comes along Rebecca .. go ahead and just DO it girl ! haha

Cindee girl I remember you talking about them last year that you had such a good deal ! hey I don't remember seeing pictures of them though ? so how about that ? take some pictures so I can see them !!

RPS77 said...

Hmm, I commented yesterday but Blogger must have "eaten" it. You have me wondering if I should get a Japanese Maple myself. The problem is that I already have lots of small trees and shrubs - but I will probably take some of them out. I definitely won't take the lilac, though, which is blooming now and smells great.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there RP and yes ! Blogger did some strange things .. hope it is back on good standing for a long time now ? another big YES to keeping lilacs .. I love the scent of them too : ) maybe a small space is hiding from you that would fit a Japanese maple just right ?