When a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do
By AndrewR
9 comments
One of the highlights of the year in my garden is May when the wisteria is in flower. Planted 20 years ago to cover an arch, it ‘adopted’ my neighbour’s conifer, growing bigger and more spectacular every year.
However, there is a down side to this abundance. The host tree is now seriously overburdened with wisteria and starting to splay outwards under the weight. Coupled to this, my neighbour is elderly and in poor health; I have to face the fact she will probably not be living there for much longer. What to do about the wisteria?
After much soul searching, I have decided it needs to be removed from the tree. If the house is sold, the new occupants may well decide to take it down, so it is better to cut back my climber now, at the correct time, than have to do it whenever the time comes. So yesterday, the tree surgeon came in and severed the major stems between the wisteria and the tree. He will come back later in the spring to remove all the growth from the tree, and my wisteria will have to ‘make do’ with the arch I had originally intended for it.
10 Jan, 2017
5 likes
Previous post: Seeing Out The Year With Grasses
Next post: South Africa - Western Cape (1)
Comments
mine is the same age but doesn't flower very often.
it was stunning but that's what they do in the wild isn't it?
sensible move really.
11 Jan, 2017
Oh my goodness....if I was the new neighbour that conifer would be the first thing to go .......sorry Andrew, we moved here 17 years in June with several conifers nearly that height at the back of the garden, it was the first job we tackled, well the tree surgeon! and the neighbours in the house behind bought us a bottle of wine to thank us!! a shame to see your beautiful Wisteria cut down, but as you say it had to be done!
11 Jan, 2017
What a shame after it's given so many years of pleasure, to you and, no doubt, your neighbour.But, it's likely and understandable that any new owner would want to remove the huge conifer. So, a necessary evil really, but a shame, nonetheless!
11 Jan, 2017
Goodness that is a monster mine is approx .15 years old and that takes some looking after it snapped its wires holding it up over the front porch last year , I'm glad you've had 20 years of enjoyment from it Andrew ,I guess your neighbour has as well or she would have complained long ago . sad ...
11 Jan, 2017
That Wisteria must have been a picture in bloom. Can understand your reasons for tackling it though I hate to see anything cut: flowers, shrubs, trees.
Have a sneaking feeling if we ever sell our place trees in the garden will be chopped down.
Memo to self: Never go back!
11 Jan, 2017
Excellent advice Eirlys. Remember what happened when Paul moved house...
Its good that some of the wisteria will be left - can't see an arch in the photo. I was surprised that it hadn't killed the conifer or at least caused a lot of dieback. Really admire your strength of mind in dealing with it!
11 Jan, 2017
What an amazing plant!! But when it has to go....
11 Jan, 2017
Such a shame to cut it down but needs must ....
24 Jan, 2017
Recent posts by AndrewR
- What A Difference A Day Makes
1 Dec, 2022
- The Hauser and Worth Garden
6 Jul, 2021
- Early flowering grasses
30 Jun, 2021
- Species aquilegias
2 Jun, 2021
- Farewell
31 Dec, 2020
- Chrysanthemums
8 Nov, 2020
Members who like this blog
-
Gardening with friends since
17 Apr, 2008 -
Gardening with friends since
9 Apr, 2008 -
Gardening with friends since
17 Nov, 2014 -
Gardening with friends since
22 Oct, 2008 -
Gardening with friends since
26 Feb, 2008
Wow! My Wisteria is about the same age Andrew, but mine is pink. They don't grow as big. I would hate to cut it back. The blue ones grow pretty fast tho'.
10 Jan, 2017