The forest here simply has no understory of shrubberies. It has plenty of the ephemeral spring wild flowers and a number of herbaceous perennials, but other than smaller trees, it really lacks a middle level element. I want to fix that.
Fewer trees means more sunlight and more room for other plants. From the gardener's perspective this is going to add a lot more plant, flower and textural interest. From the varmint's perspective this is going to add a much higher diversity of plant species for food and cover.
And bad gardener that I am, I have already planted a number of shrubberies on this slope. Most of them fell out of the ground and followed me home. I flagged them for this period of destruction so we would watch where we stepped. Only one of the tiny baby shrubberies was damaged. Not bad for such brutality.
Let me think. What have I planted on this one slope inside the tree line behind the cozy cabin?
Deciduous azalea, lilac, viburnum, oakleaf hydrangea, weigela, camellia, bottle brush buckeye, rhododendron much further back and ramps. I've seeded a number of ramp patches along this slope.
I am just getting started. Now I have room for more shrubberies. I need to find room for another tree. I want to plant some Sourwoods, Oxydendrum arboreum. I'm sure I can find a place for them somewhere.
Gardeners are a crazy lot, cutting down trees just so they can plant more trees. I've planted at least a dozen new trees already in the front half of the garden to be after it was cleared. One day it will all show.
Posts
5 comments:
Oh my...it is going to look awesome! I need to do that at my place, but I hate to take out trees, although I have way more than I can count! One of these days you can help me decide what I need to do. :))
Siria it gets easier to be ruthless when you have gardened as much and as long as I have. The twinge gets less noticeable.
Our understory, on the edges or elsewhere there was light, was full of two particular, pesky shrub-type plants: Japanese spirea, and the dreaded, man-eating Multiflora Rose. We've resorted to pesticides on the latter but I fear it might be like bacteria and developing an immunity - some plants won't die. The saving grace are the American Beech, our four-season trees. I love them in the late days of February when they seem to glow in the dim light. But I can't imagine trying to plant anything among the rocks and tree roots - you are very brave to be digging in the woods.
Such a slope seems made for a tapestry of lovely shrubbery. Good luck with your transformation.
Good for you. I think the understory will look fabulous. We all hate to remove mature trees { or any for that matter} but sometimes it is for the best.
Post a Comment