My Intro

Here's what I want on my shirt....

With the previous owners, we did carry one line of t-shirts... don't remember exactly what they said, but something about "Life is good.. gardening makes it better"... or along those lines. They sold relatively well but I like Cam's ideas better, and I'm SURE I could work out something for more plants for him. (Pssst Cam, do you mind if we just sit here and talk about you as though you weren't here?) heehee

Hahaha, Speedie... love the sense of humor ! And no commission or extra plants necessary. Use those altered quotes at your will !

Speedie, you didn't get to see Catbird's Swap T shirt......

I take thread and bits of cloth
and turn them in to Quilts.
What's your super power ?

Of course, I'd advocate for locally sourced fibers for same and natural dyes!

I think Sallyg's A to Z plant names to count instead of sheep when sleep won't come would be cute with each sheep the flower or leaf of the plant would be cute and probably way too much work!

My OTHER garden is filled with perfect roses and is in continuous bloom.

Dead heading is a way of life.

Garden Math: Divide to Multiply

Good ones! I can't think of anything original, so I'll go with a quote from a plaque:

Garden as though you will live forever.

Here's one more for you:

MLK's photo in the background.... I Have a Dream Garden.

Judy and Cam, those are GREAT!!! I shared some ideas with Mrs. Boss Lady at work today and she really liked 'em... AND she has a wonderful idea of her own that she's looking into. She's going to find floral print t-shirts and have "GARDEN CAMMO" printed on them. I LOVE THAT!!! < =D
Now, the floral/plant print will have to be of "REAL" flowers/foliage etc, not some made-up things. After that she wants to go with our idea. We're gonna be famous!! =)

Ha.... That is very cool, Speedie ! :))

A new candidate for that spot at the peak of the I've been discussing.

Cornus Kousa "Summer Fun". Stuinning small three in three seasons.

http://www.buchholznursery.com/plant_page.html?id=bf5c2


http://florawonder.blogspot.com/2012/08/buchholz-plant-introductions.html

I love Kousa dogwoods, especially if their fruits are tasty! (some cultivars are better eatin' than others... the ones on our cul-de-sac island are mostly good as a novelty, you get a couple licks of sweet juice, and that's about it)

I love the colors of this one, Jill. Foliage comes out green with pink edges. Variegated edges turn to white as they get more sun. Blooms later than most dogwoods, when most of us are hitting the bloom lull period. Then in autumn, foliage turns to orange-red.

If it got a little taller than 8 -10 feet, it would be perfect for my spot.

If I go with it, I'll let you come over and taste the fruit. :)

I love kousa dogwood! I saw a mature specimen at an arboretum a couple of years ago. Gorgeous!

So that appears to be a yes vote from SSG.

Anyone ever seen this cultivar in person... Summer Fun ?

I think the fact that it will bloom in June/July gives it a leg up on the competition. The cherry and plum trees that it will have on either side of it will bloom earlier so this little gal will bring some summer interest to the front yard. along with the purple and white rhodis I just put in the other front bed.

Definitely a yes from me! I've never seen this cultivar in person, though.

Thanks for your input, SSG. Based on the photos, it's interesting and gorgeous. Going to have to call around to local nurseries for availability and go see it.

If it looks that good in person, it gets my vote too. Nice to have one that blooms after the others and the interesting foliage.

Appreciate your input, ecnalg. Anyone who can figure out what that was in my hanging basket as fast as you did... your vote counts double. :)

If only David went with that thought! Thanks.

By the way, I think he said the spirea that we have is the variety you are wanting, and it is about to bloom.

Ha... want me to talk to David for you ? ;)

You mean the Spirea "Goldflame" ? I already got and planted two of those beauties.

I'll say Yes also, to the Kousa, and to Pat counting X2!!

Ha.... Got your vote recorded, Sally. Thanks! :)

Yes, I believe that is what David said we have. Thank you both for giving me extra votes! And Speedie's boss seems on board with the T-shirts. That would be so cool if that happened.

Really need Coleup (she's the one that pointed out to me that I need a taller plant in front of that high spot of the house) and Speedie to chime in on the Kousa Dogwood "Summer Fun" before I get serious about it. :)

OK let me take off my kerchief and put on my thinking cap.


You mention many great points for 'Summer Fun'. It is a beautiful tree (so is Wolf Eyes) and I am partial to variegation and later bloom...what's not to love?

I do have several 'considerations'. If I was going to place Summer Fun in my yard, since I like it so much, I would want it where I could enjoy multiple views, many times a day, so your peak area seems too far away. As to impressing neighbors and filling said peak space, I wonder how much of Summer's main feature of variegated foliage would simply be lost against the light colored brick? (As opposed to how all of its 3 season color would look with that huge dark green juniper you just took out as a backdrop) Perhaps the inside out view from those two windows would offset the lack of contrast with the brick? I guess in my mind's eye I saw a more 'structural' tree than gangly Kousas tend to be.

So, I vote yes to Summer Fun, but think there is a better location for it. As to the peak awaiting a tree, I see a personalized Quilt Block (See Barn Quilt Trails) or a PA Dutch Hex sign in muted colors, including the new blue of the shutters!

Well, them's my thoughts and do look around as I believe you will know it when you see it! And gangly or lopsided is good as that peak isn't exactly centered, but something you can live with.

The more I look, the more and more I like the idea of that Kousa just where you're thinking about putting it. While I agree with Judy in that it's great to consider multiple views of things we install, sometimes it doesn't always work out that way. I also like to consider stuff like... it's 6:30, I've just put in a hard grueling 11-hour day at work and now I'm just about home... turn to pull into the driveway, and what view is there to greet me? What a sweet spectacular greeting that Kousa would be! And just like Judy said, the "irregularity" of its growth would offset the non-centered peak very well. Summer Fun gets my YES vote.

I knew you'd give some valuable feedback, Coleup. :)

Yes, my brick is fairly light colored and that Summer Fun Dogwood would stand out better with a darker background. My bigger issue was with the height only being 8-10 feet at maturity. I think something in the 15-20 foot range would look better there.

I have a very nice spot for one... but only me an my house guest would appreciate it... outside my kitchen window, in the back of the house. But hey.. we don't need to plant everything for curb appeal, now do we ?

I checked out Wolf Eyes and it doesn't get much bigger. Keeping in mind I am going to expand the depth of that bed in front of the house, perhaps one of the other dogwoods would make a great addition to that spot. I'll do some more research and next weekend I'll be touring some local nurseries to lay my eyes on some small trees in person.

As for the barn quilt or Dutch hex sign... some barn quilts are gorgeous but I don't think my HOA would approve. :)

Thanks again for your input !

Getting the bones of a garden right takes a lot of due diligence pre trial and error and a lot of time travel imagining what 10, 20 and multiple decades will be like. On my paper route I could show you numerous examples of landscapes that got it right and those that missed (or really missed) the mark. What may be curb appeal today can be an overgrown, house swallowing mess in 5 - 10 years. And a word to the wise as you are 'looking': not every plant that looks good at point of sale has been well-grown. If you select a tree/shrub look at its root ball. too. Problems early on will not cure themselves! This multibillion dollar industry has lots of tricks and shortcuts.

While you are out and about local nurseries check out the Japanese Cedars. I could see a Crytomaria "Black Dragon' in the spot below your peak. SSG speaks Cryptomaria...there may be others that would work...ie, an evergreen might just be the 4th season maypole around which your other three seasons dance!

PS I'd get a Hex sign to ward off over encroachment by HOA!

I love cryptomeria! Such fantastic evergreen trees with lots of character. :)

Thanks, Coleup and SSG.

I could definitely see an evergreen that gets about 12-15 feet tall there. I'm particularly fond of ones that have an irregular branch pattern, like the blue atlas cedar. It's obviously too big for that spot and the dwarf variety of that tree only grows to about 10 feet.

I reviewed the cryptomeria and it only gets 10 feet tall also. I'm thinking a little too short for that spot.

Also, Jill was over here today, brought her little girl over to see my cats. She made an obvious point that evaded me.... can't believe I never noticed. The peak of the roof is not in between the two windows. It's over the edge of one of the windows. So now I'm wondering if a tall and narrow tree with look right there at all. If so, do I center it on the peak or between the two windows ? I'm now thinking a fairly tall crape myrtle with a pendulous growth pattern.

Okay, going to some nurseries next weekend and just take a look to see if anything jumps out at me. Thanks everyone for their help and ideas.

Japanese Snowbell, like the baby I planted to replace the blighted ornamental pear in our front yard!

I like the idea that emerged as we were walking around the house -- putting a larger tree further out from the house, even with the "peak" in your roofline, and using it to center and anchor the tiered bed you want to build in front.

That 'Summer Fun' dogwood would be so pretty out back, planted where you can see it from the kitchen... you'd enjoy it from the enclosed porch and back patio, also. It could go further back, too, like halfway between the end of the patio and the shed, with your neighbor's evergreen as a backdrop. Nice to have something to see when you're grilling out back or washing dishes inside!

I loved seeing your new place, Chris! From the wood burning fireplace, wood beams, and skylights in the family room to the cat tree in the study, it's got a lot of warmth and appeal, and you're already putting your stamp on it both inside and out.

It was nice to have you and Joyanna here today, Jill !

And thanks for the idea... Japanese Snowbell is a lovely tree. And yes, if I come out further from the house, I can put a larger tree in because it will be down the slope and won't be even with the Cherry and Plum trees on either side of it. I think that's an important consideration, I don't want this tree to be taller or equal to those two trees, wouldn't look right.

And yes, including it in the bed that will be part of the retaining wall would be quite attractive, I think.

Yes, I think that Summer Fun Dogwood in the back yard is an excellent choice, although my poor neighbors will have no idea what they're missing. :) Except the one behind me which is good because she's also into gardening.

Thanks again !

Ok, no one will believe me, but I was thinking a large crepe myrtle there, once coleup pointed out how the variegated Kousa leaves won't stand out well on light brick.

I believe you Sally. :)

I sure wouldn't rule out a Crape Myrtle... nobody ever said you can only have one ! :) A choctaw would like great there.

I like the bark on crepe myrtles, also... they look nice even when they're undressed. And the finches nibble on the seeds all winter.

I think you need another area in back, maybe a little "island" with the lovely kousa dogwood in the center... a place for bird feeders, houses, birdbath, etc... in view from the enclosed porch and the kitchen windows, so they can serve as Kitty TV!

Yes, I do love Crape Myrtles but I also love the idea of that Japanese Snowbell too... what a gorgeous small tree. Either one would look good in the spot we're talking about, Jill.

Oh yes, I have a beautiful bird feeder in storage, it gets mounted on a 4 x 4 pole. It would look perfect in the bed with the Summer Fun dogwood, along with a bird bath and some beautiful small flowering plants. And kitty TV is right, I may never get them to come back in the house. Haha.

Thanks for your ideas !

Okay. So... just got notice that I had a tree delivered today. It endured a three day trip.

Going to go home and give the roots a good soaking and let it get out of the shipping box and into some fresh air.

Question: Better for it to stick it in the ground ASAP or better to let those roots stay wet for a couple of days and let it recover from the journey before taxing it further by planting it ?

Just my opinion, but a couple of days might be too much, maybe just a handful of hours or so, just keep it in the shade in the interim. What sort of tree is it, by the way? B&B or bare root? Any chance you can take off work tomorrow? (heehee). You could pop her into a 5-gallon bucket of water late this evening, and then get her planted first thing in the morning... if that darned *cough-cough* summer cold gets much worse *cough-cough*. ;)

Ha... I wish I could take off... too much work and I get buried in it if I take an unexpected day off.

It's going to be easy to plant. The roots are in very loose potting soil, like you would find locally but without the pot. I sat it in a pot and gave the roots/soil a good soaking. First time I'll have a good chance to put in the ground is Saturday morning. And in the meantime, yes, sitting it in a shady spot to let it recover without more stress.

I got the beautiful little Dogwood I mentioned recently, the Summer Fun. Could not find it locally at any nursery, called around to at least a dozen of them. Ordered it from the west coast, they shipped it by air, took three days to get here.

What kind of tree? Size? Balled and burlaped, bare root, container?

Take pics of what it looks like when you unpack it. Usually there are 'planting instructions with the plant. If company ordered from has a garantee, then their recons must be folliwed.

There are some products that help a plant adjust to new home...Super Thrive, etc. Maybe some one can recom one?

Roots need water and air to function so soaking for a short time ok, but longer can do more harm than good. If tree is dehydrated, water well several times or soak until the root ball is wetted and then let drain. Keep in shady spot. Keep foliage dry (fungus/mildew). Hopefully there is little to no leaf drop. If going in full sun spot, I'd give it a day or two to gain a little equilibrium and maybe think about rigging up some shade cloth shade depending on the weather and temps.

The ground is so dry here that any watering in of your new tree will quickly be taken up by the surrounding soil. so also consider some sort of drip irrigation ar one of those tree watering rings (not a sprinkler...dry humid = fungus mildew; cool nites, wet foliage = fungus mildew) Pour a gallon of water in that 2-3x planting hole and watch how fast it drains!

That's all the top of my head thots for now. This weekend seems a good tree planting time.
Measure twice dig once!

Just my opinion, too.

Thanks, Coleup. See above your post for some of the info you asked me for.

Yeah, I have it in a pot now with extra room around the dirt ball. And I gave the dirt/roots a good soaking.

Instructions said if you can't plant it right away, then take the dirt ball out of the plastic bag, give it water, and sit it in the shade. Check. Check. And check.