On 4/12/06 17:37, in article , "Hake"
wrote:

Hello,

I have the above robinia in my front garden (planted last year) and am
concerned for its welfare. It suffered badly in winds, it had poor roots
when i got it & it has had a branch snapped off. To me,it looks like it is
in too windy a position ( front garden, we live in a housing estate on top
of a hill). My question is, should I leave it to fight on & pull through? -
does someone own one that has grown up in such a situation? Or should I just
cut my loses and find somthing more tolerant of exposure?

You could try Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst'. It does the same job as to
colour but is a much less brittle tree and according to my husband, has a
better root system, too. In fact, he says that if anyone brings a tree back
because it can't cope with wind, you can bet it will be a &*^^%$ Robinia! I
mentioned your post to him specifically and he said "Robinias are like
matchsticks". They are famed for doing just as you describe and if we have
customers in the position you also describe, we recommend Gleditsia. It is
best planted where the sun can shine through its leaves and show its real
beauty. (There is also a lovely bronze leaved one but it's less spectacular)
However, only you know JUST how windy your site is and if the wind is a
serious threat to plant life, you might be better going for shrubs,
selecting a Choisya 'Sundance' for that particular colour, perhaps.
If you're new to that house, I'd suggest you look at what your neighbours
have planted and how those trees/shrubs are faring. People often plant
what looks 'pretty' on e.g. a garden programme on tv or in the garden of a
friend who lives in a low lying, sheltered area etc. but it might not suit
your locality.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/