Thursday, April 7, 2011

Trans Plant



Finally I have found a new home for my climbing hydrangea (I have two). This vine, a favorite, was pulled out of a garden I planted in 2003. When I found out that the lot was being razed for a building I pulled out everything I could fit into our little side yard (which got me into gardening there). What was missed: two 5 foot tall quinces, a twenty foot tall white birch, a 16 foot tall ornamental spruce, and peonies, and perennials, and a whole lot else. Many of our plants, including the 'New Dawn' rose, monkshood, clematis, and more are from that razed lot.

This was its old spot in the side yard. I raked, cleaned out the garbage and will now leave it to the Norway maple seedlings that love this spot under the yew tree. The hydrangea moved to an oak/laurel forested yard in Stony Brook, LI. It's a perfect fit, and I hope it survives its second major transplant in 8 years. Also, I hope it flowers in its new home because, although it flowered profusely in its first home, these two transplants have never flowered for me. Everyone suspects the soil, although everything else flowers just fine.

Do save plants from the bulldozer, if for nothing else than the satisfaction of getting an enormous, well-established specimen for only your labor. This vine/shrub, Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris, would probably sell for over one hundred dollars retail at this size.



3 comments:

  1. I've defied a few bulldozers over the years.A thoroughly satisfying exertion every time!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I fear that this is what I'll have to do when we move (that's a long way off). Deep down I'm hoping that the garden I've put so much time and effort into will be some kind of legacy left to all the future tenants of the building. But common sense tells me that the landlord would be more likely to pave over everything than just leave it be.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Its probable. Then the garden restoration team will have to come in!

    ReplyDelete

If I do not respond to your comment right away, it is only because I am busy pulling out buckthorn, creeping charlie, and garlic mustard...