When I ordered Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' from one of our local nurseries, the 'expert' said it would most certainly die in our area from the dry heat. So I smiled, took it home and planted it in the broken shade of a red-leaf plum next to a fountain for humidity. I guess it paid off. Confirmed zone denial is not a crime...lol.
Another view. It's a treat to have one where it absolutely will not grow...lol.
Congratulations -- at least thus far! I think we all like to push the envelope. Just be prepared to lose sometimes.
Guy S.
hiya StarhillForest,
Yep, my Michelia champacas got their butts kicked last winter during a rather freak (50 year) frost that wiped out the strawberry crop just north of us a bit. Temps in the low teens for one night. So I shake my head when we lose and make sure to take a bit of joy out of the successes.
Nice to meet you,
Don
Back atcha!
drdon, congratulations, i too am in zone denial quite often and feel lucky when things work. that is a very pretty corner in your photo. Did you put together the gorgeous fountain. DonnaS
hiya rutholive,
That's all the space Pam would sacrifice for future rose gardens to allow me a little Asian garden space. I casted the fountain out of concrete and fiberglass (fibercrete). It is casted in sand and then I had to grind on it for about a week to get it smooth. Then I stained the darn thing with a concrete acid stain....several coats..lol. My error was that I didn't make the bottom reservoir big enough and with its' black color, water evaporates too quickly and it needs refilling too often and I didn't make enough space for a filler/leveler valve. This was my third sand casting project and I'm still learning how to get a smooth finish on the concrete during casting.
good to see you,
Don
I have a Japanese maple and even though it says it needs full sun I have to plant it in the shade too because of out dry heat.
hiya Mobi,
I'm thinking that's why the nurseryman at our local nursery said that mine would die for sure. We get months on end of 90deg+ weather with little or no humidity. The shade it gets in our little spot seems to be exactly what it needs here to thrive. I don't think I'll try an A. dissectum, but I may splurge next winter for green leaf A. palmatum for a spot under a cottonwood. Right now I'm researching some heat tolerant lilacs (Syringia spp.). I'd really like some early spring color along the lower entrance to our ranch, but so far all we've planted there is a line of Poplars.
