New tree to plant

[Smart Red]

Someone stopped by with a weeping cherry tree today. I plan to add it to the memorial garden. It should look beautiful in the spring with Clayton's rhodies and azaleas in the background. I've always wanted to expand the garden and now I'm free to do whatever I want.

Ideas anyone? Eventually I see the garden as a sitting/contemplation area.

Yes, it needs mowing. . . .perhaps Sunday. We've had a lot of rain lately and when I got the chance to mow, I found that son had put the last of the gas into the old tractor.

 

[Nyboy]

I love weeping cherrys, I think I killed about 7 of them before I gave up on having one.

 

[Smart Red]

I have an old one West of the memorial butterfly garden that the granddaughters (nearly ten years apart) used to use as their play house. Lots of tea parties and pretend cookies were eaten under the weeping branches of that tree. Although, it never has fully flowered as it should. Probably late frosts.

This one I hope to keep smaller. It will be more sheltered from prevailing winds and hopefully will put on a good show since it will be seen from the road.

 

[Smart Red]

I have never bought/planted a tree quite this large. Being cheap, I go for the babies that I can watch grow. This tree is hardly a sapling anymore. Still, this way the tree should be of flowering age.

Son seems to agree with my plans for the space. At least he hasn't said, "No that's stupid," and he'll have to do much of the work I want done.

 

[Nyboy]

Trees that size are usually pot bound, make sure you loosen up the roots.

 

[Smart Red]

Planting the weeping cherry may be the first task done with my new tractor when it arrives Tuesday afternoon.

The delivery comes with instructions on how to use the machine. Dealer suggested I come up with a couple of projects to learn while doing. I have about 5 on the list now and son is considering other suggestions --like grading his man-cave hide-away to be a bit smoother.

 

[Nyboy]

Good for you

 

[catjac1975]

I love weeping cherrys, I think I killed about 7 of them before I gave up on having one.

I keep telling people that many places sell plants inappropriate for their climate. Technically I am zone 7 but our temps go down well into the zone 5 range. I would not even buy a zone 6 plant. Companies stretch their zone limits. Zone 6 plants always die eventually and often the first winter for me. A friend of mine was showing me her very expensive garden that she had built into a hillside. It was stunning. Every plant was planted too deep and she had some very expensive shrubs. The designer sends the hole diggers to plant. She kept talking about being a plant killer. I think the sellers don't care what you buy from them as long and you keep buying. This makes people think they are bad gardeners.
I asked how her garden was doing and one shrub was almost dead-apparently the irrigation was not reaching it and she didn't notice until it was too late.Every landscaping show I have ever watched shows people digging holes and throwing a beautiful inbloom plants in the hole without loosening the roots. I never buy plants anymore since my obsession with daylilies took over my life. But when I used to buy annuals I made sure that I chose the ones that were not yet blooming. This way it gave them a chance to actually grow a bit before blooming.
There are very successful nurseries around here. I came close to buying a flowering shrub a few years back. Very expensive, zone 6. I knew it would not over winter and somehow fought the urge to try anyway. So NYB Try a local grower that will guarantee the plant. I know you love Home depot plants because they are cheap. But, how much money have you wasted on dead plants? In fact a few of my neighbors have planted weeping cherries in the last few years-all dead.

 

[Smart Red]

Catjac, thanks for lifting the gardener in Nyboy up and bringing me down.

Actually, the large old weeping cherry I have is in a far less sheltered spot than this new one is going. 'Sides, I haven't spent any money on this one so, nothing ventured, nothing gained (or lost).

 

[Nyboy]

I have a long list of trees that should grow in my zone, yet no matter they die. Dogwood, cherry ( all kinds) plums. I do think your right trees I have gotten from nursery do much better then big box store's.