I took this picture of my front yard in late December 2009. In the past two weeks we've had enough snow to completely cover the heads of all but one of the metal dog sculptures shown. The top of the collie's head is just barely above the snow!
I am really looking forward to spring this year. It will be my third spring in my current house. The first spring, everything was hopelessly overgrown. This is the first year that I don't feel that there will be a lot of "new" work needed. Almost everything is how I want it and I'm looking forward to plain old "maintenance." One of the first things I had purchased for the new yard in spring 2007 was a Harry Lauder Walking Stick Tree. I thought it was the neatest thing, a tidy 2' size that I placed in front and center. By the beginning of summer 2009 I was really, really sick of the tree. I thought I liked it, but it had more than doubled in size and added very little value to the front yard. I hemmed and hawed and wanted to rip it out and replace it with something more pleasing to the eye (and less pleasing to the Japanese beatles).
I saw the conifer in this picture, a Pinus contorta 'Taylor's Sunburst,' at a local nursery in May 2009 shortly before I was to debark on a 2+ week training course for my job. For those unfamiliar with 'Taylor's Sunburst,' it explodes with bright neon yellow candles in the spring. The color lasts for a month or more in my zone. This was the first and largest specimen that I saw in-person, standing about 4' high. When I went to look at the price, I nearly fell over backwards. I tried to push the tree from my memory but I thought about it almost weekly. When I returned in the middle of June, the tree was no longer in the front display and I assumed some very lucky individual purchased it.
In October 2009 I went back to the nursery to cruise their 30% off end of season clearance sale. I found a blue weeping conifer and thought "oh, this is cute." I made a mental note and then saw my prize - the 'Taylor's Sunburst' had not been sold! They had just moved it once the candles were not longer prominent!!! I immediately snatched the tree up, paid for it and prepared to have it loaded into the back of my pickup. The nursery store employee was a bit careless and dropped the tree as he tried to load it (I offered to do it myself, but he felt compelled). We both gasped and thankfully the tree was okay. Pines shed needles every fall so this one just got a bit of a head start in that respect. Amazingly, none of the branches were damaged.
I took the tree home on a Wednesday, which is when my husband teaches a college course in the evening. I dug out the Harry Lauder and relegated it to the compost pile. I prepared the hole for the 'Taylor's Sunburst,' got it out of the container (no small feat), loosened the root ball and set it nicely in the hole. I backfilled and watered deeply - everything from purchase to clean-up was completed in less than two hours - then I went to pick up hubby. He was less impressed with the purchase, but he did manage to work up some enthusiasm when I told him what the tree will look like in spring.
My 'Taylor's Sunburst' is now the pride of my front garden area! I'm not kidding myself, it will be a very large tree in 20 years. However, due to its habit, it should be able to remain in that spot with very few changes around it. There are a few very slow glowing miniature and dwarf conifers planted nearby. As the garden matures, everything will continue to improve. The 'Taylor's Sunburst' is lovely in the snow and gives me something to smile about every day when I depart or arrive at the house. I will be sure to post spring pictures when the "real" show begins!
How is everyone else coping with winter? What in your yard makes you smile while everything else sleeps?
Elizabeth
