HAVE BEEN READING THIS FORUM AND YOU SEEM VERY HELPFULL SO HERES MY SAD STORY!!I,M LOOKING FOR A TREE FOR MY FRONT LAWNWHICH I WILL DESCRIBE AS BEST I CAN.ITS A CORNER LOT IN ZONE 3 FACING NORTH BUTTHE SIDE I WOULD LIKE THE TREE GETS SOUTHSUN AROUND NOON THEN WEST TILL SUNSET.MY HOUSEIS A TWO STOREY WITH A VERANDA AND BALCONY SO I WOULD LIKE A TREE TO GROW 15-20 FEETAND WOULD REALLY LIKE A FLOWERING TREE IN PINKS OR WHITE BUT DO NOT WANT FRUIT.WE WOULD LIKE SOMETHING TO GIVE US SOME BLOCK FROM THE STREET BUT MAINLY SOMETHING TO ENJOY FROM BOTH DECKS.THANK YOU
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miss talking to u...hope its just you are busy for the coming season of planting...sure hope u have a bumper season for your business
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME WNDY I KNOW YOU ARE A VERY BUSY GIRL!!!
I MYSELF JUST STARTED A NEW JOB SO HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BUSY AS WELL BUT AS YOU SAID OUT HERE IN ALBERTA I DO HAVE TIME ON MY SIDE FOR PLANTING.
THE PRUNUS SERRULA SOUNDS JUST PERFECT!! I WANT A SHOW STOPPER AND IT SEEMS TO FIT THE BILL.I WILL START WITH MY LOCAL GREENHOUSE AND LET YOU KNOW FROM THERE,THANKS ONCE AGAIN
VOGUE SIGNING OUT!!!
hi there wendy (also my eldest daughter's name)...
as for the pond leak...it was just there was a small trench formed in the liner (wasnt flat enough) and it had to be reformed but all's well as far as I know...will know more when we add the pump (we took it out for the winter)...
I will have to keep an eye on the japanese maple for sure..altho it survived nicely in all last year's heat....it was the only thing the nursery wouldnt guarantee...
I am definitely gonna check out the bamboo...I am all excited thinking of all the plantings I am going to do...
My other daughter lives in Vienna and she gets Ground Force too and she tells me that Alan Titmarsh isnt on it anymore...how sad...but sure do love Charlie...always wanna send her a bra and something to hold her hair back...drives me nuts...but one thing for sure...u can always tell when its chilly there LOL
Schatzi...I was thinking about your pond and it's leak. It may be too late now, but check out Ground Force on HGTV and BBCCA. It has got to be one of the best garden programs I've ever encountered.
Almost every show, Charlie Dimmock [of Charlie's Garden Army] builds some kind of water feature. Her creations are amazing and she makes it look amazingly simple. She's a very good instructor and demonstrates all sorts of tricks of the trade. She doesn't concentrate as much on the plant choices as the hands-on techniques for pond building.
A most trusted, informative and entertaining show.
I love your analogy about weed-wacking the ex-husbands. When I get nostalgic I just think "Reasons he's an ex-husband" and revel in my freedom. I'm glad you found your Mr. Right. I'm always singing "Someday my Prince will come..." I must admit I'm not waiting by the phone until then and am not at all bitter [unless I'm bitten in the wrong place]. When the time is right, someone worthy will come along.
Back to gardening! Keep an eye on your maple if it's in allday sun. Most of the time , they survive quite nicely - they're just not as robust as they could be, don't worry. If you find branches with "burnt" foliage during the season, it may be necessary to prune out the affected sections. Consult with a local arborist before you do too much hacking.
As to bamboo hardiness, check your area for a Hardy Tropicals specialist. There is an amazingly huge number of bamboo species available commercially. They all vary, so read the labels and buy from reputable sources.
PS Thanks for all the mole info. If ever there's an excuse for a pasture, that's a good one. Oh, and roll after you've seeded to make sure they get in good contact with the soil.
ut oh...i DID plant the japanese maple in full sun :(...did the same thing at the other house and it thrived in spite of me..altho it was somewhat shaded by the fence...i think I blew that one...as far as the pond liner is concerned...we hired a landscaper to do it and he used a kit...have no idea what the liner is made of but it has several layers as we kept having a leak...
bamboo sounds great...had thot of that myself...would it survive a cold ontario winter?
Also do love your humour...where would we be without it?
I look forward to your answers...and experience.
BTW...i have been thru 2 exes too and married a third (and last)...also raised two great girls...now both married ( I guess being gardeners, we just have to weed em out)
Hey again...
I love to answer questions and help people get more enjoyment from their gardening experience. It makes me feel good to "use my gift for the benefit of gardener-kind"
Now back to the matter at hand...
Your japanese maple should be very happy in it's shady situation. Too much sun, especially hot afternoon, will "fry" most acer palmatums [think palm=fingers=leaf shape]. I wouldn't put much faith in the sumac. They self-seed and can become a nuisance. If you don't have much space, I would suggest you devote to more worthy specimens.
All willows love a moist location. The salix tomentosa [Curly willow] has got a nice shape and twisted yellow branches. It grows quickly and can be pruned to shape easily. The cuttings can be used in floral arranging or to make new plants. If you know someone with one, cut off a nice branch and just stick it in moist soil [in a pot or where you want it to be in the garden]. Doesn't need rooting hormone or much of anything else. Turns into a specimen rather quickly. There are many other varieties of salix to choose from. The "pussies" come in many different colors - including black!
The large, CLUMPING Bamboos would look tree-like in a pond setting. Don't even consider the rampent running- style ones. They'd take over and probably work their way through the liner. *Speaking of liner - I hope you used a butyl rubber one. The PVC ones [usually cheaper] break down quickly in the sunlight. The butyls are guaranteed for 10 - 20 years. The PVC considerably less so.
If you really love the japanese maples, invest in some other variety. Coral bark maple is my favorite one. Between them all, they vary as to tree shape; bark color and texture; and leaf color and shape. A good garden center should have fall-color pictures of the varieties they offer. It's been said that the best time to pick a japanese maple is fall when they're in full color. What looks similar in spring and summer can be seen to be quite different in the fall.
I'll be on the lookout for more wet-feet trees whilst I do my usual reading and research.
here's my question ( I know I have lots of them)..what would be a good tree to plant near my pond that wont have a large root system that might get under the pond liner? So far we have a japanese maple (prolly too sunny for it but will see how it survived the winter) and a sumac...its doing well in spite of a rabbit or something that chewed some of the bark off..our garden is just a year old so we have NO trees to speak of other than the ones I mentioned and a small maple we planted for shade at the other end of the lawn...the whole yard is just l00 feet wide and maybe 30 feet deep not counting the patio so we are somewhat restricted to what and how many we can plant...any suggestions?
Schatzi...
That's another good suggestion. The one I was thinking of is like that guy's uptown cousin. The bark [ shiny and stripey burgundy] is it's main claim to fame.
I thought that if it's a focal tree then find something outstanding [Rather than just all of us "outstanding in our fields"] The Shubert cherry is very pretty and I think we should just inundate Vogue with so many suggestions that she'll want to plant them all :-]
have u considered the "shubert cherry"? its a hardy tree that is often planted by cities for urban gardens...it flowers in the spring...NO fruit..the leaves are green till about June then they turn a dark purple...the grow about to 20 feet and require little care and they are relatively inexpensive...
Hey, Vogue...Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I was recently elected the President of the Downtown Chilliwack Farmers' Market Society. [Yay!] We're gearing up for our May opening - new vendor guidelines, advertising, site logistics, and special event planning. We've got a great group of people together - and I make them call me "El Presidente" :-]
Put alot of thought into your request for a flowering tree. The first one that comes to mind is a flowering cherry - specifically Prunus serrula. It flowers in early spring but doesn't set fruit. It won't get too tall - you can easily control the size and shape by pruning. [Dormant oil spray over the winter will help with bugs and the occasional "shot hole" fungus.] The bark in winter on this variety is nothing short of spectacular - a beautiful shiny burgundy. Brian Minter highly recommends it and laments that not nearly enough people utilize it - a true hidden gem.
Check with your local Garden Center to see if they have them in stock. A good one will order one in for you if it's good for your zone [I'm pretty sure it should be OK]
Thought I'd better check in with you. Since you have a little while before planting season in your neck of the woods, I'll come up with some more suggestions in the next little bit. Happy Plant Fantasies in the meantime...Wendy
thank you thank you i knew you would come through you garden guru you tee.hee! cant wait to hear from you!!!!
I'd love to help with a tree suggestion. I have a beauty in mind but will have to check my magazine archives to confirm if it's good for your zone. Will put forward a few suggestions for your consideration. By the way, that was an excellent description of your site. What kind of light your tree will be exposed to and when, can make a huge difference.
Pondering plants on your behalf...Wendy