OOOPS!!!! I BOUGHT A TREE....

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So, there I am, merrily pottering away in my garden but getting really annoyed by the spare bit of bed underneath where some leylandi had been cut back. I knew there was room for a couple of shrubs but I needed to improve the soil first.

So, off I trot to the GC to get me some bags of muck. I wouldn’t need much as it’s only a small space so I bought 3 bags. Now, I had no intention of buying any plants yet, but as usual, my willpower stayed at home. I wasn’t sure what would survive in the space but I figured that both Buddliea and Cornus were pretty tough customers, so I bought one of each.

As I have a Cornus Kesselringii with black stems and dark leaves, I thought I’d get a variagated one with red stems, so the Elegantissima jumped into my trolley.

The buddliea is (apparently) a more compact one than normal and doesn’t get as leggy, only growing to 170cms, which suited fine. I have a purple one, but this one is bicoloured. It starts off purple and then goes red. He’s only a tiny little fella at the mo though, about 12 inches. It’s ‘Flower Power’ and I can’t wait to see it grow.

Anyway, I thought that would be enough, allowing for growth and all that. Then….I saw this lovely, tall, graceful foilage waving at me in the breeze. I was compelled to go look. I mean, it would have been rude not to, wouldn’t it? “Ahh”, I thought. “I know this plant. I wonder if I could fit it in” and with that, it also jumped into my trolley.

I paid for my purchases and came home to set to with my muck spreading. I dug, I dug some more and then – I dug a bit more. I got out all sorts of old roots and dead remainders of other poor plants that had long since gone to plant heaven, incorporated the muck and finally, the ground was ready. Then I realised that I couldn’t actually fit all 3 plants in the space, lol. Rethink was needed. I definitely wanted the Cornus in the space and I was going to put the Buddliea at the opposite end to the purple one but I knew the tall, graceful one would look better. But then…something clicked in my ‘not working on all cylinders’ brain. I had a feeling that the plant I ‘saw’ in my mind was not what I’d bought, so I googled. Yep! I was right. Gawd knows what I thought I’d got, but I’d actually bought a TREE! An Acacia Longifolia to be exact. Doh!!!!!

Now, confusion sets in. Some web sites say I’m looking at a tree that can reach 30ft in 5 years and others say it’s a tall shrub, so I’m a bit clueless, lol. Either way, if any of you have seen the pics of my garden, you’ll know I have no room for a tree, lol. I shall have to keep this pruned back somehow whether it likes it or not. I have to say though, it does look rather nice in the bed next to the Cornus – and the Buddleia, well, he went at the front so that’ll have to be kept under control as well.

Other bits and bobs have been done too. My spuds have been earthed up about 3 times this week and one more time will see me to the top of the bags, so then it’s just ‘letting them grow’. My second lot of seeds (after my windblown disaster) sprouts, broccoli and lettuce are all now a couple of inches high, so they really must be potted on or planted in the next day or so. I sowed some sunflower seeds three days ago, expecting a couple of weeks for germination and they’re already coming through!!!! Gobsmacked. I also noticed today that some of my tomato seeds are coming too. :o)

I’ve potted all 5 of my giant fuchsias so I’m really keeping my fingers crossed for those and I’ve also seen to two of my Lady Boothby climbing fuchsias. I’ve got one in a tall coal scuttle that I painted red and one in the ground, so I wonder which’ll do best. I’ve one more L.B. though and don’t know where to put it.

A couple of days ago, I also got a new bird table so I put that together. The birds don’t seem to like it though. I’ve not seen one approach it yet. Good job the old one is still there for them.

I got my camera out and took a few pics of some flowers that are blooming and then sat back with a cup of coffee and just drank in the smell of the lovely, fresh manure, lol.

Oh well, onwards and upwards.
More planting and weeding tomorrow. :o)

• 26 May, 2009
• 12 likes

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