We still buy the soil, compost, peat moss and mulch that go on sale .. drive around with bags of the stuff in the back of our vehicles (slight odor of cedar with the mulch .. not that bad a thing .. worse scents have emanated from vehicles , right ? )
We also tend to buy shrubs and trees that we have been thinking of for years ..
OK .. maybe that is more me than most other gardeners but I like to think of it all from common ground lust of plants we just have to follow through with.
I have always wanted a Dogwood tree .. Kousa ... those beautiful white flowers have always intrigued me .. My point of plan is that it would be an under story tree to my Pacific Sunset maple.
Taking the place of two past failed Japanese maples (slightly broken heart over those episodes)
Sometimes you just have to throw the towel in on particular plants that can't be.
There was no specified cultivar to the Kousa I bought from the big box store .. so that kind of ruffled my feathers but it was not going to stop me.
Pre-planted by the shed .. to give you a sense of size .. it is just a baby.
It is between the BIG maple and the obelisk .. planted April 29th
Then .. the matter of deciding on a crab apple ... Garden PA and I had two different choices but I finally came over to Garden PA's side with Profusion ... for the front garden.
Another badly lit picture, on a gray day , but I think you can get the idea ?
But it is the digging out of old trees and shrubs that can be the killer ...
Garden PA worked very hard to help me with his trusted little axe !
I also planted two dogwood shrubs in the back garden .. Ivory Halo and Elegantissima
I guess it is the year of the Dogwood in my garden .. fingers crossed they all take and are happy !
10 comments:
Yippee dogwoods are so pretty. Mine is finished blooming and it has been snowing white petals for a few days. The crab apple is my favorite spring bloomer. It smells so good. I love to sit outside and enjoy the strong scent it produces. The fall crab apples are a PITA though. But I guess you have to put up with those to get the beautiful tree. My tree lost a branch from the snow we had, but it is otherwise doing fine. It is about 29 years old. Those Japanese maples are touchy. I have lost some over the years. I hope your Spring happens soon! I can't wait to see all the pictures of your beautiful flowers!
It must be a dogwood year. We moved a redtwig dogwood shrub this past week. I hope your little dogwoods don't disappoint you by dying. Spring doesn't want to come stick around. Here it has been warmer and wetter than last year. Wetter than the last 4 years. You just never know any more.
Enjoy your Kousa Dogwood. Spring has been dragging its feet around here with cold and rain, but at least it's not snowing.
It's going to be a beautiful collection of new trees, mingling with the old established plantings...I do love your garden Joy.
Looks like we are about the same stage as you as far as leafing out goes...bring on spring I say.
Jen
Spring has actually arrived down here, sorry that I can’t share. I have Kousa Heartthrob, and I don’t recommend it, sad to say. It’s just underwhelming at all stages. It only blooms well every other year, and since it blooms AFTER the leaves emerge, they aren’t very noticeable. By August the leaves try to color up with little success and mostly just brown and drop. I hope yours is better! I have three crabapples growing in the city easement, no idea what variety. I dearly love them, but after 15 years have been infested with scale. Trying to get the city to spray horticultural oil since they line the whole block.
Hey there Cindee .. thanks ! .. I am really excited about the two new trees .. it will take a while for them to reach a noticeable ? size but I am patient when it comes to that.
Yup .. I still have a few Japanese maples left but I was sorry two particular ones just couldn't make it .. I am looking for another one though .. I just can't seem to let go of them? .. LOL
Lisa girl I have never seen a sorrier Spring in so many years .. it is such a disappointment.
But we still have to work on the garden no matter what the weather is eh ? I have bags and bags of soil/compost/mulch to get down .. just hoping the weather will cooperate a little?
Yup .. happy to have this dogwood : )
Ah ... Jason ... hopefully we won't get any more snow ? LOL .. who can tell though, this has been a crazy year so far .. you can't count on the weather at all !
Jen I am so sick of asking "WHERE IS SPRING ???" .. really ? I am so disappointed to be looking at such sad beginnings .. but I know once it gets going it will be a mad house !
Robin I wish I knew for sure what cultivar the dogwood was .. but I will have to take a leap of faith ..I saw your gorgeous post pictures and I am completely jealous of course .. BIG sigh ! I tried to pick a crab apple that is disease resistant .. so another crossed fingers on that one .. it is all a just wait and see type of program here.
Ha! I had 16 bags of manure in my car yesterday :) A Kousa dogwood is on my list as well, but not for this year yet - my "to purchase now" list is already far too long!
Hey there Margaret .. I filled up my hubby's car too with mulch, more soil combo and peat moss and I still NEED loads more ... could have kicked myself when I saw a Kousa "chinensis" at Costco for $20 less ... but that is the game .. you grab while you can ? LOL
I have a bunch coming from mail order too .. I hate LONG winters ? LOL
Joy:
I'm thrilled to say that yours is the first garden aside of my now that I am visiting this Spring! I am just getting over emergency eye surgery, so home recuperating, and have time to actually sit and watch my own garden come to life this year! Corns kousa is a sublime species, regardless of which one came home with you. I always try and carry a few at the garden centre - I am a fan of the variegated one 'Samaritan' but have never planted one in my own garden. Something to be said for the inventory that the damned big box stores now have available. I bang my head when I realize how much competition we independents have to contend with, but totally love to find a deal myself...... sort of the great conundrum! Alas, best of luck, and I'll be back to check up on you more frequently, I promise!
Barry ! ... I have been thinking of you so much and have meant to email .. now here you are "awake" from this ridiculous winter we have suffered through! .. I had been so low after losing 2 Japanese maples .. but this dogwood and the special crab apple have given me some smile time, that helps ;-)
I'm so sorry about the eye surgery emergency .. I am going to send a short note off to see if I can pry some details from you ? .. meanwhile take good care of yourself !
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