Field of Science

Garden death list

This was the worst winter in 30 years and a lot of plants took a beating.  Here's the obits so far.  Two species of beauty berry (2 bushes of each), one well established, one new last year.  Status: to be replaced unless some sprouts appear from the base. A rough-barked Japanese maple - ouch!  This was no big-box store cheapie and it was doing very well.  Status: no breaking buds and no sprouts as yet. This one will be hard to replace without visiting crazy Japanese maple guy again.  Vitex (chaste tree) frozen back or frozen in toto?  This has frozen back before and then sprouted from the base almost growing like an herbaceous perennial, so we'll wait some more. New little plum yew died; it had not yet gotten well established and probably wasn't quite hardy either.  Status: already replaced by bigger and better shrub in its 1st appearance in local trade.  Heliantheum (Cistaceae) - no sign of life after surviving previous several winters.  Sad.  Status: will seek hardier replacement. They said zone 5, but not sure this means what its supposed to mean.  Leptodermis - Again, zone 5?  Who are they kidding?  Status: An underwhelming plant; replacement uncertain. An ornamental hemlock; it was ailing from the heat and drought, and the winter and rabbits did the rest.  Status: if replaced, it will be in a different location. TPP's hemlock batting average is terrible - zero for several plants. Established trees do OK here, but tough to establish in our hotish and dryish summers.  Bought and planted B&B Japanese snowbell in place of the hemlock, but it has failed to break bud - seems it didn't survive over-wintering at the nursery. Someone owes TPP a new tree, but another of the same? Status: rethinking the whole idea about what to put in the center of this bed.  It's been a tough spot for some reason. Corylopsis (winter hazel) - hasn't broken bud yet, but holding out hope still. Status: uncertain. If replaced it will be in another location. Several others were damaged, frozen back, but expect them to recover, eventually.  All the rosemary and lavender froze, but the sage is tough. Lost a really good dwarf Nova Spy apple tree.  Status: will replace.   New Pterostyrax  (epaulette tree) was a worry, but it was undamaged as were the pearl bushes (Exochorda) and one even flowered! OK, they're hardy.  Itea took a beating but is now showing signs of life - a close call. Tree peonies all survived with minimal damage - yea!  

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am awash in sympathy - too many springs of waiting and watching - are the buds breaking? Are there sprouts coming? (But think of the years lost). We try to work with our unpredictable weather, and the threat is for worse to come? We're still waiting for the good/bad news here at the edge of the Bay of Fundy, waiting with bated breath. Good luck to you, and may there be many sprouts to come, many buds left to break.

heide said...

Leptodermis still alive in NJ - has yet to send out any growth but there is green in the stems and that is a fabulous plant in the front of a rock wall that reblooms every year for me. Also , just showing signs of growth in the last two days , all my Callicarpas that I thought were goners. Maybe there is still hope