Monday 9 June 2008

The Broom has gone

Today, I did the dirty deed. I took the loppers to the broom. Now, before you send the hate mail, let me clarify the situation.

Milla said "the other ones, beg their pardons, look a bit more dull and, well, green - can't they be shifted instead??" Well yes but... bear in mind that for the rest of the year the Broom looks a bit dull and, well, green, and after pruning not at all nice. The two 'dull, green' shrubs were looking dull then. One of them is a white Potentilla that flowers its heart out all summer - not like the broom, but for much longer. The other is a miniature lilac. It does not flower for long, it is just coming out now, and is pretty boring for the rest of the time. Then there is a shrub that is good value for its foliage. Can't remember its name, but it was completely buried by the broom, after it spread, so is looking a little unhappy, but will soon pick up now that it is getting full light. then there are oddments that have seeded themselves, as if knowing their time would come.


Gardens are for ever changing. They are made up of living things which start small and young, grow, mature and finally die or have to go. This makes way for change, often for the better. G and I have studied the gap and find that there really isn't one at a lower level - only high up. The space will fill with other things to give us pleasure. We both agree that the replacement I had bought should be found another home. I am sure that in a few year's time it will give us great pleasure, where-ever I decide to put it. That is, if I have the time and energy to give it the careful pruning that the last one had. No clippers for me - each flowered shoot had to be cut back by hand, a long and boring job.


This is the little fellow that is going to have to be found an other home.

8 comments:

Chris Stovell said...

Yes, I'm in two minds about my broom; its flowers are a glorious reddish orange... and then it's just, well, green.

Cait O'Connor said...

I look forward to the picture. I agree, gardens do change, they would be boring if they didn't wouldn't they?

Westerwitch/Headmistress said...

Withy knowing how you love your garden this I know you did not do lightly and that you will have thought it through . . . I am sad because the broom looked glorious . . . but when it comes to gardens you know best . . .

Milla said...

It was clearly the right thing to do - it is very easy to be swayed by a plant in full pomp, but, yes, broom, well all of them really, last so little a time and it's very easy to go off a plant once it's done its bit and is back to being, er, dull and green! My major crime with plants is planting too close. I try to "trick" myself by planting, say, lots of pansies or something to remind me to leave growing room, and to cover the soil meanwhile, but something happens and the wretched things burgeon. Seems I'm a control freak saddled with out of control things (plants, dog, children ...)

Withy Brook said...

Snap, Milla. I always think I have left enough room and then bingo - over-run!

mountainear said...

Gardens as you say are forever changing - they evolve and are never finished. The broom's demise will offer you other opportunities - and so you will move on.

Sam Fox said...

When we lost 5 of our mature trees at the back of a garden bed near the house during the storms last year I was gutted. BUT it gave some of the others room to take off and now a year on it looks great. AND I had room to plant the flowering cherry I was coveting but told I wasn't allowed because there was no room..... heheheheheh

As Cait & Mountainear say - it's all about change and evolution.

xx

Blossomcottage said...

Quite the right thing to do, when a plant has become a "bit wild" shall we say, it needs to be removed and if it won't or can't be "moved" then it got to go back to its maker,its never a waste, its given you joy, filled a gap and now back to the earth, look forward to the pictures.
Blossom