2 years ago my garden had just few bigger plants and when one of them: 3 m tall, old shrub of Deutzia (I suppose) was killed by unusual cold (-33C) that came in the winter, I was very very sad. That time I decided to not plant anything that is just on the border of hardiness. It is 6 zone here, so it is advised to plant maximum 5th zone hardy plants. I went further and chose 4th as basic standard :) it is difficult to keep, but if I have a choice, I choose more hardy plant.
My killed shrub looked very sad entire spring 2006 - tall, beige (that's natural color, made it even worse) naked branches, while green was exploding around.
I was waiting, waiting and waiting....
In MAY decided to remove it, as there was no sign of life. I cut down branches, but removing stump was too hard. At the ground it was something like 50 cm in diameter, so I asked my son for help. He tried, but being the city boy and not being accustomed with such jobs, and also not having proper tools, he gave up after few trials.
Stump was waiting for somebody else.... maybe my husband... or some rented force....
One day, at the end of JUNE while passing the place, what was my surprise to see the stump 'decorated' with two 30 cm tall FRESH and GREEN shoots!! It decided to live with us! I was so happy!
Today it is bigger that 2 shoots - mabe 20 already and this year it is blooming, what you can see on the picture above. Lovely, light pink flowers are covering the stems - I am very happy to see it in good shape :) So, it was worth to wait...
Here we come to new case, little different, but little similar, eh.....
The naked body you see here belongs to Robinia Umbraculifera. Thinking of previous case, I was giving it time till the end of JUNE to show any sign of life, especially that I have checked the body and it seems to be alive, but no leaves. Dead or not dead?Remove it or not? It doesn't look very pretty - naked thin, tall stick in the middle of the garden.... but I wait... 'good gardener always gives last chance to the plant'....
It was transplanted it in October last year, to give it enough time to get used to new place before winter. I was thinking it will be enough, especially that I have bought it with bare roots just 7 months before... there was also almost no winter this year.... so, in my understanding no reason to be offende... right?
I am frustrated, cos I loved the appearence of the hairy mop head and the leaves dancing at even lightest wind!! We did all to give comfort at removal and watered enough....
Litttle hope appeared... after cutting few branches last week, it popped up some leaves ... on the body! One meter from ground! C'mon guy! I don't want on the body, I want on the head! I pinched leaves, cos who wants robinia umbraculifera with hairy body?
I wait for the upper part to start to show some interest with the world....
Do you think I shall have hope? or what shall I do?
5 comments:
I have the opposite problem--I'm trying to push the limit on Zones--hoping a couple of Zone 10-ll plants can make it through our Zone 9b summers. I lost a lot of plants to a record-setting hard freeze a couple of years ago, so I will no longer plant frost senstitive plants.
Your photo is lovely!
Aiyana
Maybe the tall thin tree needs a little slapping around like the deutzia. Ha... You should leave it one more cycle since it is showign some green. At least I would do this. It doesn't cost anything for it to sit there and vegetate. Good luck. I hope it sprouts from the top soon.
With me it was the Crepe Myrtles. I had three of them and moved them last summer. Then we weren't allowed to use water and I was afraid I killed them. When all those around town started to get leaves mine were still bare. I cut 2 of them back to the ground and finally noticed this week that they are not completely dead yet. I just need to be patient and let them grow again. I would just wait this year and see how it is growing. You can still cut or move it next year.
As I am a both lazy and hopeful gardener I would let it be and just plant a fast growing, compatible in color and shape fast growing vine, like any of the clematises, since I alove them all.
Wait and give it another winter!! I made the same experience with a cotinus purpurea! It is growing again!! Good luck Ewa!
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