There was a client who hired a reputable landscape company to plant a live screen between himself and his neighbors. Spruce were chosen for the spot and they looked great. But they died, one by one. The company came out and replaced them with more spruce, with the same result. Fortunately, the client asked around, then contacted a friend of mine who is known for his reputation of tree knowledge. The trees were planted in a swale, which is a low place in the property that collects water. Dave told the client he needed to plant to the swale.
“What does that mean?” he asked. Dave said, “Let’s plant something that likes the conditions in a swale.”
More important than size, appearance and growth habit, and what is often overlooked, is preferred growing conditions. Different plants have different needs, and when not met, the results are certain to be a disappointment, to say the least. A spruce will not tolerate wet feet for extended periods, while a bald cypress will love you for many years for putting it there. And while not fatal, siting a tri-color beech where it receives hot afternoon sun can turn its beautiful pink leaves’ margins to a “What’s wrong with my tree?” tan.
A tree planted in the wrong place will not maintain the qualities you selected it for. In other words, you are not getting what you wanted.
Yeah, we’re all in a hurry, we all want to save money, but fast-forward to 5 or 10 years from now. When you are looking at the plant that has not given you the shade you hoped for, or the flowers, fall color or screen you wanted, (fill in the blank here), what price would you put on having gotten it right in the first place?
The easiest way is to start with a professional who is passionate about what you want. Make sure what you choose is planted correctly by someone who is passionate about that. Then, nurture your investment by following the care instructions to make sure your perfect choice gets the love it needs to love you back like nobody’s business!
We can give you all that, plus referrals for others who are as passionate as we are.
So if you choose not to consult, at least consider doing this. Before making a final decision on a plant, go to your favorite search engine and type “Growing conditions for _______”. If you know the botanical name, it can weed out unuseful results. (Pun intended, as usual) Choose a source from a university or arboretum for the best information. If your planting site does not meet all of the criteria, keep looking.
We really do want you to be happy. The more people who are happy, makes the world a better place!
