Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Garden Dreams - Ornamental Trees

I always get 'itchy' for spring around February or so. It's not that bad yet, as our winter came so late this year. 

But it's starting. 


The gardening magazines and seed catalogs are arriving in the mail. 

I'm starting to dream about my garden plans for spring. 


Last spring I was so busy moving into the house and just getting settled that I barely did any gardening. Well, for most people it may seem I did a lot but for me it was minimal!


I also had to live through the garden for a year to see what was already there. 

I added a few perennials and shrubs here and there but nothing crazy. A few shrubs along the edge of the front lawn, some roses and a few clematis, and some various ground covers up the garden steps. 


Oh, and about a million Hostas in varying shades of chartreuse and blue. 

Seriously - this was my Hosta order when it arrived in the mail. I might have gone a little crazy when I placed my order - oops!!


I also planted 240 spring bulbs in the fall...half of which were immediately dug out and eaten by the critters. 

Mommy was NOT happy. 

I think the place I'm going to focus first is on the little circular bed in the center of the front lawn. There's a Dogwood tree there now and it does absolutely nothing in my zone. It doesn't flower, it has no redeeming foliage or form - it's going. 


I'm not saving anything that is planted around it, either. I gave it a season to see what came up and there's nothing worth saving.  

I'd like to find a tree that has 4 seasons of interest and plant some annuals around the base.  

I have always loved an Eastern Redbud - that's a strong contender. 

Via
The form is gorgeous in all seasons and that spring color is one of the best around!

The Malus Prairifire Flowering Crabapple is a lovely option as well. 

Via
My sweetie has these at his house and they look so lovely in spring. Again, the form is rather nice also. 

I also adore a Weeping Cherry Tree. I had one in my marital home, it was a gift from my daughter. 

Via
I absolutely hated to leave that tree behind. 

Another tree I drool over is the Bloodgood Japanese Maple. This tree has red leaves and striking fall color. The form is terrific, and it stays relatively petite. 

Via
I will have such a tough time deciding which to go with but I want to plant it in Spring so it's time to do my homework!

I am open to other suggestions - I'm trying to find something hardy to zone 4 although technically I think I can go to zone 5. 

Do you have an ornamental tree that you absolutely love? 












35 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Do you have one? They are so lovely, aren't they? Such a happy tree in spring!

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  2. I love all those trees too. I can not wait to see all your pretty things you will be growing. Some times if you plant bulbs and put a chicken wire in the dirt lying over the bulbs...it keeps squirrels and such from digging them up. This is what an old tulip grower told me. We have a weeping cherry, flowering crabapple , redbud and a couple Japanese maples. I have planted a lot of Dwarf trees. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

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    1. What zone are you in, Susie? I had a few Japanese maples at my marital home but it was down in the valley, not on the mountaintop. I'm a little worried they may not make it up here!

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  3. I really love the Eastern Redbud. That is gorgeous. I have only planted a cherry tree since we moved here last year. Not much happening with it yet. I am so ready for spring, too. I'm already looking at potting sheds. Counting the weeks. (10 btw) Hugs, Deb

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    1. Ten weeks? That's nothing in the grand scheme of things! I might have to find room for more than one ornamental tree because I don't know how I can pick just one!

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  4. I think any of the trees you mentioned would be beautiful. I haven't seen the Redbud before. What spectacular color! Spring will be here before we know it.

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    1. I'm surprised, Courtney - I would think you would have them in your area as well or at least in the mountain house area. I see them often around here and they always draw my eye when they are in bloom - simply gorgeous!

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  5. I love the redbud trees but I also really love our pink-turn-to-white flowering crab with persistent fruit (that doesn't drop little crab apples all over. I cannot wait for Spring- we will have this winter-of-angst behind us. Trying to get a few blog visits in tonight while hubby is feeling good. xo Diana

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    1. Glad to hear Hubby had a good evening, Diana - thinking of you both. xoxo

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  6. Thank you so much for visiting my blog. February is the toughest month for me. I can hardly wait for spring and warm days. The Redbud is the only one of those tree that I have and I love them. Dogwoods do really good here too. The weeping cherry is beautiful. Looks like you have a beautiful place. Glad to have found you!

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    Replies
    1. February is a tough month up here also but did you notice the light is changing? We're past those dreary winter days and heading back into Spring light - it makes me happy just to see it! I'll be giving my Dogwood to one of my family that live South of me, it's a shame it won't flower up here, it's just too cold. Glad to have found your blog also - I added you to my blogroll so I can keep up with your little farm!

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  7. I love all of the choices. I really don't know enough about any of them and what growing conditions they need or how disease resistant they might be. Whatever you choose will be lovely in your yard. :)

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    1. Let's hope, Debbie! And I'm also hoping the hole won't be too tough to dig since there was already a tree planted there not too terribly long ago! We have such a tough time digging up here with all the rocks (we are on a mountain, after all!) and the clay soil. It's tough!!

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  8. All the trees are beautiful, so whatever you choose, I'm sure it'll be lovely :)

    I'm a huge fan of weeping willows (my favorite tree in fact), but I've never had one, so I think I'll be planting one in my back yard.

    xo,
    rue

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    1. I absolutely love Weeping Willows, Rue - when we drive to Vermont we see them at so many houses along the road and I just adore them! My parents have one. Just remember that they love a wet spot in your yard. And you need to keep it as far from the house as possible as those roots will STRETCH and work their way into your foundation! I have a small one down my driveway - I look forward to watching it grow through the years! It wouldn't be the spot I would have planted it but oh well, Nature took over!

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  9. Oh how pretty to shop and dream of spring! I really like anything with a flower, but right now, anything with leaves would make me smile!! ;)

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    Replies
    1. Ha ha well if it's any consolation Spring will come a lot quicker to you than to me!!

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  10. These are all so beautiful!! See, there is where I get hung up! I love the colors of spring and all the beautiful flowers and when I see them, I want it to hurry up and get here. But I hate spring because it starts getting muggy and then there's all that pollen and I want the fall and winter back...LOL. I need to make up my mind! LOL Hugs!

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    1. Isn't that why we love living in places with 4 seasons, Benita? Just when you're getting tired of one season in comes another!!

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  11. I have 2 Japanese maples...I love them. Mainly because they are beautiful for 4 seasons...and those leaves...such brilliant color! We redid a lot of our landscape last year...mainly because the polar vortex did a number on a lot of my evergreens. I made a hosta garden... loving that, and planted several hydrangeas. Looking forward to seeing what you will do...and seeing what havoc the Wisconsin winter has done to ours! ;)

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    1. I may be swinging towards the Japanese Maple for that very reason, Donnamae - I love the fact that it's gorgeous for all 4 seasons. I had a few at my marital home but I left them behind...only because I had no garden to put them in when we split up. Too bad - oh well. New life, new garden! I put in some hydrangeas also this past summer, along the edge of the front lawn where it meets the 'wilds' of the woods. And some lilacs there, some barberry, and something called lemon ninebark. They are all small now but I look forward to seeing the contrasting foliage as they grow!

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  12. You're giving me Spring Fever - Stop it! LOL
    Your photos are beautiful. I'm partial to the Redbud trees.
    Our little town, Edmond, is the Redbud Capital of Oklahoma.
    Will be anxious to see all the trees in bloom this Spring!

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    Replies
    1. That must be so gorgeous in spring!! I know, sorry, I guess I have a little spring fever myself!!

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  13. Weeping cherries are on of my favorite trees. I get spring fever in December. I am just not a winter lover. xo Laura

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    Replies
    1. That's rough....that's a long time to be itching for Spring!!

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  14. I have just place our order for seeds for our veggie garden and ordered some shrubs for the side of our house. We cleaned up the yard good last year. I will be planting flowers in pots this year instead of the yard.

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    1. How exciting, Betty! I haven't done much with seeds the past few years as I was renting but this year I might just have to start again. I can use a warming mat and grow light in my garden cottage! Exciting!!

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  15. The seed and plant catalogs make everything look so tempting! We had a redbud tree that we finally had to take down. I think it was original to the house which was built in the mid-50's. It was all gnarled, spread out and gorgeous. Lot of character in that tree...

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    1. Oh, that's too bad, Donna! I hate when good old trees need to come down - so sad!!

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  16. I did have a magazine (guess I don't have it anymore) that showed all kinds of trees you could grow in containers. Wish I still had it. I love redbuds.
    Brenda

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    1. I tried a Japanese Maple once in a whiskey barrel - it didn't come back after the winter. Good thing it was an inexpensive one!

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  17. We are hosta lovers here too! With as much shade as we have they're a given, them and ferns.

    While I love the Eastern Redbuds here and they're sprinkled through the hills around us, they do tend to get their blossoms frozen here in TN with frosts. And so many Japanese Maples died one year here with an early May freeze.

    I've never met a crab apple I didn't love though, beautiful all year round and fruit for the birds. I think Tasha Tudor's book hooked me on them.

    Bought your new gardening gloves yet?

    Dewena

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    1. No new gardening gloves yet, Dewena...although I do need a new pair of Foxgloves and a pair of rose pruning gloves to keep me from getting torn up by the thorns!

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