Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Caught in a moment of weakness…

Andrew has always hated the pair of inherited Pieris japonica growing at the front of our house. While I didn’t particularly love them I valued their size. In my book having a few established plants of size to counterbalance a young garden is a very good thing.

However when he recently asked “can we get rid of those “old-lady shrubs” in front the house” I realized the time had come. Of course he also managed to ask at just the right moment, when I’d been lusting after a Pineapple Guava (Acca Sellowiana) with no place to plant one…I'd been caught at a weak moment. So there will be no more Pieris japonica blooms in my Bloomday posts.

And I’ll never have to look at this ugly mess again…

Let’s have one final close up look at them…

How nicely this one by the drive disguised the size of the a/c unit.

And this one hid our huge mailbox (which you can’t see here, but you will in just a few pictures).

Out with you!

Andrew declared this “garden art”…(I didn't fall for it)

I should share a little back story about the Pineapple Guava. The first plant was procured by my friend Ricki (Sprig to Twig). She lives relatively close to Mean’s Nursery and I'd heard they had 5 gallon plants for a decent price. She kindly conformed this and picked one up. Then she did the ultimate favor and hauled a very heavy 5-gallon pot to a Hardy Plant Society of Oregon meeting downtown where I could get it (we plant people are enablers aren’t we?).

Well to be honest I then started to doubt my decision. While it was a lovely, bushy, healthy plant it was so small (compared to the existing Pieris), how could I possibly have the patience to wait for it to grow up?

While I was pondering whether or not to proceed with the “old lady shrub” removal I happened to stop at The Gardener's Choice in Tigard and discovered another Pineapple Guava.

It doesn’t look like much in the picture above but when I pulled out and looked it over I realized it had a great form to it, and more of a trunking base. I was smitten. But I already had a wonderful plant at home!

And right there a plan begun to take shape. You see I wasn't planning to replace both Pieris with Acca sellowiana, but there’s been a huge container sitting unused in our garage for a couple of years. What if the bushy plant went in the container…

And the other one with more of an established trunk went over by the driveway?

As you can see that’s exactly what happened. I decided having a "matched" pair again would be a good thing.

Am I thrilled? I’m still not sure. I love the plants. They are gorgeous even if they never bloom (but I hope they do!).

But so small! I mean look at that huge a/c unit dwarfing that small plant…

I tried to divert my eyes from this problem by planting some fun small plants around it…

And luckily the Rheum palmatum is starting to explode to help fill up the space by the front door…(Heather if you look close you can see Lila at the front door, for scale)

Love the crinkled leaves…

With their bright red undersides.

I also planted this Chondropetalum elephantinum in what I hope will be a little heat pocket between the stairs, house and container.

It wasn’t doing very good in its container on the patio, hopefully will respond well to this new home.

The other side of the a/c unit should be hidden soon by the leafing out Edgeworthia and growing yellow variegated yucca.

There are a couple of plant exchange babies here too. An iris from Ricki…

I commented about how beautiful the color was and she kindly gave me a division at our Garden Blogger plant exchange last fall. The funny thing? I can’t remember what color it was! (don’t tell me Ricki, I’m looking forward to the surprise). These Lewisia came from Steven at the same exchange and they’re about to bloom!

So that's my story of how in a "moment" of weakness I got rid of a pair of established shrubs and replaced them with something I love...even if they're tiny! Before...

After...

So now the only plant that's left from when we bought the house is the giant rhododendron under the living room window. Andrew would be happy to rip it out tomorrow. Me? I think it will be awhile before I'm willing...

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

29 comments:

  1. Oh yes, I know that feeling well...it's only a matter of time before the Privet and Laurel are history...but I'm the same way...they DO act as anchors (boring ones), and the idea of having to look at our a/c unite for a few years until whatever I plant gets up to size isn't super appealing.

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    1. Speaking of Privet we're starting to talk of removing the mass at the north end of the patio next spring and putting in a fence. I love the idea and it terrifies me at the same time. I just now realized I should be buying plants this year and letting them "bulk up"...

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  2. I must admit the only time I pay attention to pieris is when they're in bloom. They're gorgeous then! But it seems that the rest of the year they aren't that attractive. I understand why you wanted to replace them.

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    1. I even liked the leaves, but as Mathew points out (below) the legs on mine weren't all that attractive.

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  3. Don't worry. The pineapple guavas will get huge soon enough. I planted a tiny one in front of our garage last fall and it has already grown about a foot.

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    1. Thanks k, before planting I thought of two local plants one frozen in time and not looking so good...one all grown up and looking fabulous. We'll see which club mine get to belong to.

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  4. Bye, bye "old lady shrubs!" It was nice while it lasted but the Pineapple guavas seem much more in keeping with your garden. I'll bet they bloom for you because they do here and you have even more heat. Congratulations on this time of transition!

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    1. That moniker leaves no doubt about how he feels does it?

      I'm hoping you're right. Being up against our (dark painted) house will hopefully help too.

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  5. It isn't easy to make those decisions, but it looks so much better when it's done and you can replace them with plants you like better. Brilliant solutions too. The front does look more like your style even though the pieris blooms were gorgeous.

    The rhody will go when you find the right plant.

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    1. Thanks for the encouraging words Shirley, I flip-flop between seeing them full size and loving them and then seeing them now and thinking "WWIT" (what was I thinking).

      Of course you're right about the rhody...I wonder what it will be?

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  6. I think you made the right choice, while some older Pieris can have great trucks and branching, yours were not quite there. It's better that you pulled them out and planted something you feel passionate about. I can appreciate a nice Pieris in a mixed boarder and there are some really cute dwarf varieties. I have several growing under Walnut trees and they are lovely all year round.

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    1. You are so right! (yours were not quite there) and I was by no means was in the pieris haters club, I can appreciate their beauty.

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  7. I say the sooner these oldies are out, the faster the new ones can get in the ground and start growing.

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    1. Hans you are so right. I've actually thought a couple of times "if I had done this years ago..." of course years ago I might not have chosen a plant I'm crazy about now either (I'm "newish" to the shrub loving club)

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  8. Oooh, I like them gone. (Air conditioning in Portland? Really?)

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    1. a/c...damn right! We finally caved after a week of temps above 100 and then it finally cooled into the 90's. We believe in sleeping at night and in that heat...not possible (ask Heather and Scott, fellow Portland a/c lovers).

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  9. It looks better already, even if they are still small. And you know what? And thank you--Lila is the perfect scale indicator! They should use her on maps.

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    1. I like it...sounds like we could earn a healthy income licensing her image.

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  10. You know your garden is full when you have to rip out mature shrubs to find room for new ones! It sounds like a new shrub you love is the perfect reason to do it, too. Enjoy your new babies. I bet in Portland's gentle climate they'll grow super fast to hide the A/C. I inherited a fence line row of pineapple guavas when we bought our current house. The drought took out a couple of them, but the others are doing well and bloom regularly.

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    1. I hope you're right Pam, I fear to really get going they might need more heat but we'll see.

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  11. The two guavas almost look like completely different plants to me. I like what you've done with them. You now have enough things of size that I hardly miss the Pieris. Lucky for you the guy who does the digging is the one who wants them out...unless, of course, he is the type who is likely to take matters into his own hands when your back is turned (don't think so).

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    1. Thanks Ricki! It means a lot to me, that you approve, since you were part of the force behind the change.

      He threatened to prune the street trees while I was out of town. Luckily I convinced him to wait and we brought in someone who really knows what she's doing (future post topic).

      (thanks for not spilling the beans on the iris!)

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  12. I've always though Acca sellowiana is fairly fast growing, if I'm right then it shouldn't be a long wait before its big enough to start concealing the AC unit. A good decision me thinks, the Pieris wasn't bad either but sometimes its best to let go of certain plants and that time has arrived for the Pieris.

    Did you place the other one in a pot because you're not sure yet whether to place that one permanently in that spot, or did you just want to find use for that pot?

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    1. I hope you're right about the growth!

      I put it in the pot because I wanted a little variety and also some substance immediately. It's a huge pot so I think the plant will be happy in it for many years. Since I already had a container grouping nearby it just seemed right to continue the theme. I also like bringing that element of my planting style more to the front garden.

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  13. I think it a great improvement. You have a husband just like mine. I have never heard him say, "Don't pull that out" and he delights when I say I think so and so has to go. Glad I have a strong arm for those occasions. I want to see those Lewisia flowers.

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    1. Yes! Our husbands are very alike in that way. We pruned the neighbors Laurel a couple of weekends ago (it hangs over our fence in the back) and I kept having to say "NO! not that one"...he just loves to chop. Why take away branches that are giving you privacy and creating no harm?

      Hopefully the Lewisia will bloom for GB Bloomday!

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  14. Yay for pineapple guava! Mine have been in the ground only 6 weeks and have put on a fair bit of growth -- they'll fill up the space in no time -- enjoy!

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    1. Thanks for the thumbs up and growth report!

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  15. Those changes look wonderful - good choices! I like the way it opened up the front door...looks super inviting....

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