Gossip in the Garden

We’ve all seen it.  We’ve all done it.  Insisted the plant tags were incorrect and planted a 4′ shrub in a 2′ space, figuring we’d just ‘keep it pruned’.  Or talked ourselves into believing that when the tag says ‘full sun’ it really means ‘mostly shade’.  Or, my own personal favorite mind game: when the tag says ‘invasive’ it really means ‘in other people’s gardens’.  I’ll admit it – I like to push the envelope. And why not? There’s been many times that I’ve planted a ’shade only’ plant in partial sun with great success, and visa-versa. Though their tags said ‘full sun’, I have some plants that have never seen a ray of sunshine, and they couldn’t be happier! Check out my Phlox, Daylillies and Elfin Thyme in the full shade, (their tags clearly said they want sun). Ha Ha! Score one for me!

Phlox

Daylillies

Pathway groundcover.

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Regarding the ‘Light Requirements’ on the those plant tags, here’s a little tip I was told by a nurseryman: those tags are quite often printed with a nation-wide ‘blanket statement’ approach to a plant’s light needs.  When it says ‘full sun’ – it probably means full sun in the midwest, where they also get supplemental summer rain.  It’s not necessarily saying ‘full sun’ out here in California where it’s dry as a bone in the Summer.  So if you’re not sure yet and still want to gamble on a plant’s light requirements, it might pay to do a little research first (maybe checking our regional Sunset Garden Book for their advice).  Or then again, maybe not.  Sometimes I’ll take the risk, and personally, I like my own little success stories.

Sheared lavender

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When the tags says a plant gets to be 3×3, it means it!  Whether you live in Chicago or California, the size specifications are usually non-negotiable. The only way you’ll have luck in altering this is if you plant it in a container.  When a plant’s roots are forced to stay confined, it can ’stunt’ it’s ideal growth, keeping it much smaller than it wants to be.  However, if you’re going to plant it in the ground, please make sure you give it enough space or your lavender could end up looking like the one above!!

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When things REALLY get ugly, is when a tree is planted in the wrong space.  Not only is the horrible pruning job evident on a HUGE scale, but it becomes very expensive to fix your mistake.  And, if a tree is planted under city power lines, LOOK OUT!  The city will swoop in and be-head your trees (and they’re not exactly known for ‘taking their time’ while pruning, either)!!

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You can see these ‘Flat-Top Trees’ EVERYWHERE in the mountains. I’m not exactly sure why so many people think planting a pine tree under a power line would be a good idea.  Maybe it’s the high altitude causing a classic case of ’Size Denial’…

Hacked tree

Another hacked tree

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Another ’size denial’ tree is the Coast Redwood or the Giant Sequoia.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen homeowners plant them 15 feet from the foundation of their home!  Those trees want to get 50 feet tall – what are these people thinking?  And in the war of Roots vs. Foundations, the roots will always win.  I know someone who ended up paying $20,000 to have the foundation of their home completely re-done because of a Redwood’s roots.  Ouch.

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Another classic mis-planted tree is the statuesque Oak.  Like the Pine trees above, Oaks are another favorite that seems to get planted under power lines. Or, perhaps the telephone lines are run directly over them – either way, it’s awful.  And what happens to them?  The trees end up absolutely butchered. I can hardly look at this tree when I pass it, it’s THAT painful. An arborist told me that when Oak trees have their tops cut off like this, they’ll eventually die within a few years.  Oh, great.

So please – read the plant tags, gamble a bit if you’re feeling lucky, but know your limits – or rather, your plant’s limits -and give these guys a fighting chance.