We had a huge weeping willow, it was cool! Climbed it, built a bench up in it. Got an internal rot and fell one day under a clear blue sky.
A big weeping willow next to a pond, how pretty a picture!
Our next tree to remove will be the Norway shading my vegetable garden- but that may turn my 'natives' bed suddenly too sunny. And it has the kids rope swing, so there's the sentimental thing to get over. Maybe we'll do it next year when we finish burning last year's removed maple. Gardening is good for playing god. "You, go. You, stay"
PLANT ADDICT'S CHAT #1
who can resist the siren song of "A new post was made to the thread!!!" LOL
I'm tickled, one new neighbor immediately planted fringtree and redbud! He's a keeper. Fingers crossed for ya.
yes, next to a pond definitely--and a meadow nearby! :-)
Removing big trees has such an impact on our little microsystems, doesn't it? Too bad about the kids' rope swing. Maybe you could attach it somewhere else so at least you have that part of it?
Haha...the 'siren's song' LOL so true
I agree Cat. I saw a huge oak downed yesterday on the way home and it was sad. A healthy tree removed for no apparent reason. Our local school is doing some sort of construction project and removed about 8 50+ year old oaks. Probably red or white oak....terribly sad.
8 50+ year old oaks! yes, that is sad. It's really too bad that so many people view mature, native trees as so expandable...
Yes, expendable indeed. No one appreciates the time it goes into growing a tree of that size. It bothers me the most when excavators go into a place and level all the trees. Then all these new homes have no shade at all. I better stop there before I get on a tangent :)
Sequoia I hope those trees are going to good useand not filling up land fills! I'D make a weekend of it to make lumber out of them. Sad sad.
Yeah well my guess is they weren't going to good use. It's a really sensitive subject for me. I almost take it personally when someone cuts down a tree for what I see as to be no reason. Seriously....I don't know why I get like that.
UGH.
Though those in construction might say. Well, we have to excavate so much, it will damage many roots, weaken the tree, might fall later and damage buildings...It's no doubt easier for them to go blank slate. There's a huge gi-normous mountain of mulch right down the road here- the corner across from WAWA was an old property with empty horse barn and overgrown field. Soon to be townhouses. At least it comes with a sedimentation pond for better groundwater infiltration, and frog habitat.
Jeff---you are "get like that' because you care.........
Paul--I was thinking the same thing....Oak lumber??? A gold mine.
The owners should have looked into selling the trees for that purpose...
Lumber companies would come and buy it. $$$$$$$
G.
You have a good point Sally and I can respect that some need to come down to make construction easier and more efficient. But when they take down all the trees, that's ridiculous. I get just as offended when Asplundh comes through and maims trees near power line rights of way. Shame on the owners but still. There's a new development on my way home and the builders put in a long row of white pine near the street......and utility lines....stupid, stupid.
Last year we had Asplundh come through and cut down ~ 50' tall black walnuts that were "near" high tension lines. The trees were at full height and still 20' below these lines but they were chopped to the ground. It's like, why now, after 40 years or so did you just decide the trees were in the way??? They weren't even under the lines.
Sorry, I'm getting all fired up now.
The oaks should have been sold as lumber but I'm guessing they weren't because it was a public school and I doubt anyone thought of that. Also, when I drove by the workers had quit for the night and one tree remained. This tree had it's lower branches shredded off. The branch stumps on it were split into several pieces. It literally looked like a tornado ripped off the branches. I figure whoever does that sort of thing is not making use of it for lumber in addition to not giving a rat's patoot about trees in general. At least cut it down with dignity...geez!
The oaks probably went for firewood and our prized shredded hardwood mulch. That's a much heartier industry around there than lumber. Where's the nearest sawmill? How much would it cost to send a crew who knows how to harvest trees for lumber, and then transport the trees to the mill. Will that really pay off, versus the established areas for oak timber? Would be interesting to look into, if I had the time.
I believe, for the most part, that economics drives many things pretty well. If the crew knew they could make money from the oaks for timber, they would. The economics of many industries are hard to fathom. Countertops= Why is it cheaper for me to buy a slab of rock from halfway around the world, than it is to manufacture me a slab in the US, using trash glass and resin? It's easy for me to imagine the same thing applies to lumber VS rounding up the trees from suburban construction. Then again, maybe nobody has just had the bright idea of getting more value from these trees.
You do sometimes see trunk sections on a truck here, rarely. I wonder where they're going.
There's a large paper mill in York county where I work. Occasionally I'll see a truck with timer going that way. Sometimes you can smell the stench from the mill as you cross the bridge over the Susquehanna. It's pretty wretched.
Aspenhill, Catmint and I met up at the Potomac Behnke's to check out their 30% sale.
Paul, their hosta selection is down to maybe 8-10 varieties, and only a few plants per cultivar. They did have a couple of really nice hostas, but I imagine there won't be much left after this weekend.
They have a ton of azaleas and rhodies left, and some nice trees. Their perennials selection is dwindling fast, but there were plenty of annuals left.
I got my Black Dragon Cryptomeria! :) I realize this is literally the worst time of the year to be planting a tree, but I'm going to keep this one alive!
Hmmm..I might have to go over first thing in the morning.
Thanks for the report!
Yes, it was great seeing SSG and Aspenhill at the sale! Several plants jumped unbidden into my cart before I could fend them off. They had a couple hosta varieties that seemed more off the beaten path than the typical 'Patriot' and 'Frances Williams'. They also had a few Columbine Little Lanterns on the perennial clearance rack for 50% off! Weren't you looking for this one? :-) Great idea to get there early tomorrow morning!
I find it so hard to resist a sale :) I got a Redbud 'Avondale', a winter daphne, and I talked both myself and Catmint into a Quince 'Pink Storm'. I also picked up odds and ends of perennials, but I'm most excited about the tree and the shrubs - biggest bang for the buck on the discount too. The Black Dragon Cryptomeria that SSG got is beautiful. Honestly, I know absolutely nothing about conifers and actually have never paid attention to them - but walking around with SSG and her interest in them has opened my eyes. They are really nice and gives me something to think about!
Yes, it took a lot of arm twisting to get me interested in that Quince 'Pink Storm'--NOT! LOL! It looks beautiful and I'm really looking forward to the lovely blooms next spring! I agree about the conifers--there are some pretty ones out there. My favorite was a little dwarf blue one.
This message was edited Jun 20, 2014 8:39 PM
Oh hey, speaking of Columbine Little Lanterns; Paul, did your seeds arrive yet? :)
Was out wandering the yard at work yesterday, familiarizing myself with the new arrangements of things in the beds, and I found a couple of cuties that made me think of you, Jeff... :)
Does this little beauty look familiar at all?
Edited to say: Ooops! Catmint, yes please, I would LOVE a bit of either one of those Salvias, please and thank you! (or, dare I ask, both??) < =D Whatever works easiest for you!! :)
This message was edited Jun 20, 2014 5:50 PM
no problem, Speedie--just remind me when we put out our haves and wants list for the fall swap! :-)
Oh thank you very much! Heeheeheeee, I sent myself a D-mail reminder. ;) LOL!!!
I brought home from work some various seeds that I plan to pot up this weekend so I'll hopefully have some more goodies to share. I think I'll also split up some of my Hostas that are doing so well; surely someone should love one!? =)
Yes, it's so much fun to have enablers with you when going plant shopping. :)
Speedie, is that a sequoia tree? I hope is doesn't rain for you tomorrow, but I'd better get some rain just over my house to make up for the last two days!
Haha nice. Is that a dawn redwood? I'm on my phone right now and the pic is a little tough to see.
Lovely tree, Speedie! :-)
BINGO Jeff, you win!! That is one of our 3 Dawn Redwoods that we've got at work. Happily, the other 2 sold earlier in the week. < =D ... I guess that might sound a little weird, that we only started with 5, but the Bossman wanted to widen our selection from which to choose while working within the limited space that we have and still maintain a good sized stock of the "basics" that people 'expect'. The Metasequoia was just one of those "must haves" when it came to widening the variety of the stock. :)
It looks pretty cloudy and gloomy out there right now, gonna wait just a little bit longer before I go out... wanna try not to be too much of a disturbance in the force. ;) heehee
I remember when my metasequoia was salable size, it was so much more full and lush than the nursery offerings. I think if I were to grow another one, I'd grow from an Arborday seedling again. Mine has grown so fast it doesn't seem necessary to purchase it any other way. I'm so glad that I planted it in our front yard. It makes a statement like BAM look at me!!!! LOL
This message was edited Jun 21, 2014 8:24 AM
Speedie, I'm not sure I have been away. I will be back tonight. Fingers crossed.
SSG and Aspen good thing we went yesterday to Behnkes. The perennials look more picked through and *all* the soil amendments are gone! They probably moved them to the other location.
I picked up a couple tools, another trellis, and agastache 'summer glow'. I considered a hosta but think I'll wait.
Trellis! Great idea.
Speedie the seeds arrived thanks!
I made one, as a bit of support for the back-side of my Coreopsis.. I think I'm gonna need to fix it up a bit, it looks sorta tired. (how embarrassing!) =/
YAY!! You're very welcome Paul; sorry about the chaff, those things can be pesky to get out of their pods.
Speedie, that is a great looking trellis and looks like it works perfectly! Your coreopsis is very pretty!
I've been busy, but not to busy to shop. Lowes has been selling their dwarf? Asiatic lily's for $2-3. They come usually 4 to a 6" pot. They are great in beds & borders. I think I may get more. LOL
We have spiderwort, I like it and never pull it unless it's in the way. When I was a student (read broke) and lived in Trenton my bed had a lot of volunteer blue spiderwort. It made the few plants I could afford look good, and the beds full and lush.
It's a shame about those walnut trees, if they were of any size they were very valuable for lumber, or depending on the log size and quality they could have been used for veneer, even more valuable.
making note to check out Lowes...
Speedie, that's a TALL coreopsis! I always have big DIY ideas about trellises, and then my plants flop around. LOL
I wouldn't mind getting some Asiatic lillies. Maybe I'll check out Lowe's next week.
--I picked up 2 more pots of Tiny Ghost Asiatic Lilies--(3 in each pot for $3)--
--3 hellebores in 8" PW pots (color??--$3--not interested in keeping these)--
--And a pretty nice mixed flowers HB--$6.98.
The Bell Nursery people were clearance some plants...Good deal!
It is getting crunch time--as ALL plants that have been on racks in the "Corral' area--
on the parking Lot--will have to be hack on the "apron" outside the garden gate.
That is a lot of plants to absorb back in the garden area. They are tossing out a lot...
marking down a few things...Look for markdowns at your HD.
Gita
"Look for markdowns at your HD.
Gita"
(dramatic sigh) Oh, if I must...lol...
Always glad to get the inside scoop from Gita! And I know somebody will be happy to take those hellebores off your hands... I won't holler "dibs" for them, as I'm not sure when I'll see you. :-)
Seems like it's taking the daffodil foliage forever to die back this year! I've finally resorted to making knots or big braids of it in places, just so I can get in there to weed and plant and mulch. I made good progress in one section of the perennial bed out back, put in a bunch of my new phlox plants. I'm looking forward to having those dwarf phlox take off... I have a couple others that I put in last year; they are definitely "sleeping" this summer, hopefully growing lots of roots under their spindly stems!
My new apricot tree has one luscious looking little fruit on it! The apricot & aprium in the orchard don't seem to be doing anything this year; might have been nipped by frost at the wrong time. Picking plenty of pie cherries and black raspberries this last week, though! Even if you don't like cherry pie (but who doesn't?), plant a Montmorency Cherry if you can find a spot for it (they come on dwarf rootstock!)... they are beautiful in fruit as well as in bloom... bright shiny red cherries!
my Santa Rosa plum didn't (seem) to have a single bloom this year- might be right about a frost. I wish I had chosen Montmorency cherry instead. Dumb plum is gigantic already! Are Monmorency sweet enough for fresh?
Jill--and everyone else---
--We have a bunch of those Dwarf Phlox still hanging around.
They are so pretty! There are 2 price points---
1--plain, black "trade gallon" pots--$6.98
2--Not much bigger plants in 8" deco pots--$14.98.
Pretty colors! Deep pink....paler pink with darker dot in the throat....
and pure white (my fave!) Every day I see them--i am so tempted.....
--Have lots of Pentas--another one of my favorite flowers.
--Still oodles of the red Mandevillas.
--Lots of large Butterfly Bushes
--Lots of really large pots of "Fire and Ice Hydrangeas....$40--I think.
--Lots of potted Cannas--especially the dark-leafed ones-- everyone always
wanted from me. All in bloom.
--Lots of asst kinds of Coreopsis--even the one with tiny, 1/2" purple blooms.
--Loads of KO Roses.
--And--TOO many of these asst blooming HB's in the Coco liner pots.
OK! Not all HD's have the same.....You will have to check.
We are a low-volume HD on Rt. #40 (Pulaski Hwy.)--HUH?? Where's THAT???
No glamor location here....but we are tops!
Gita
I forgot to mention that i also have a couple daffs whose foliage ALWAYS
lingers longer that any others.
1--The very fragrant, clumped "daffs" (or whatever they are) in my YUK bed.
Theit leaves grow SO huge--and are still sprawled all over totally green.
2--The leaves of the "Salome" Daffs--they not only bloom later that the others--
but their foliage takes forever to die off...mine is almost hampering the stems
emerging on my KK Hibiscus. They are all there--(I fenced them in a bit) doing nil.
If I don't put a folding, wire fence around them--I would never find a spot to plant
the edging flowers in this small, round bed.
NO Zinnias this year--just the annual (?) dianthus.
Jill--I always use the green Velcrto ties to shore up bunches of the Daff foliage.
I, pretty much, use them for anything...so handy and easy. $2.37 (?) a roll.
Bracing for all the crowded blooms of all my Day Lilies....The bed is FULL!
G.
These ties are re-usable for many other things...tomatoes and Clematis.