View Single Post
  #4   Report Post  
Old 21-04-2010, 11:08 PM posted to rec.gardens
Jean B. Jean B. is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jun 2007
Posts: 63
Default The Dandelion King from NYT opinion

Bill who putters wrote:
In article , "Jean B."
wrote:

Bill who putters wrote:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/the-dandelion-king/
I may be a Dandelion court jester.

Yes! Go people! (Yeah, it's an unpopular viewpoint, but the
alternative is far worse, IMNSHO).

BTW, are you the man whom I used to discuss J. maples with? if
so, how have you evolved as far as they go?


Yes I am the same guy. Changed handle from Bill to Bill who putters.
Still into growing Japanese Maples with one noticeable change . We now
try to give 15 to 20 away each year as big is getting hard to dig.
Frees up more space for new interesting Japanese Maples. Just
discovered a full moon Japanese maple light green tinge of yellow about
30 inches high. Seems a few years may be needed for personality to show.
Now the issue is where to plant it and should it give it more sun then
our small vegetable bed gets?

Anyway made a list the other day of plants we try to grow. Forgot to
mention laurels .

Here it is.

Astibles
Asters Died out
Andrometers (SP)


Andromeda. I kind-of like those.

Anemones White and Purple
Azaleas and Rhododendrons
Black Bamboo


Here in the Boston area, mine died this past winter.

Golden Bamboo
Bamboo Scubs
Bleeding hearts Red and White
Coneflowers many colors
Day Lilies
Epimediums
Inpatients Double and single a annual
Ferns Japanese


I have some and will transplant them.

Flowering Almond Bush


I was admiring those today.

Japanese Hollies
Japanese Maples


Yeah!

Geraniums


I saw some TINY ones today.

Hellebores
Hibiscus
Deciduous Holliy


Hmmm. Deciduous?

Hosta about 10 varieties
Stewartia Tree


Those have been recommended in this area.

Franklinia Tree
Dogwood Trees


I have two here.

Kousa Dogwood Trees


I have one. Any idea why its babies have never flowered? It
doesn't seem to make sense to bring any of the babies to the new
house.

Flowering Cherry


I have two tortured ones at the new house. I am thinking I will
put fruiting cherry trees near them, and then possibly remove the
others when the new ones are bigger.

Weeping Crabapple Tree


I think there are two crab apples at the new house, and I have a
dwarf here in a pot.

Sugar Maple Tree


I have some sort of maple, apparently not a norway maple, in front
of the house. I haven't explored the wooded and hilly areas yet.

Solomon Seals

Love 'em. I wodner whether any of mine have survived in my
naturalized area.

Red & White Oaks


Have some here--and there.

American Hollies


Am planning to get some of those.

Sweet Woodruff small 2² high ground cover edible flowers May Wine
Pachysandra


Ooops, I have bad memories of that.

Phlox Many colors
Moss


I love moss!

Some grass lawn and not smokeable


Grass, ugh. Unfortunately, I probably am expected to have some
lawn and am thinking of the slow-growing stuff. Better if other
low green things take over...

Magnolia Trees

Nice. I think the realtor ruined the one at the new
house--cutting every single branch. It looks very sad. She did
that to many of the plants in the front yard.

Peonies
Tree Peonies
Japanese Pine Tree

I have one here. No babies, alas.

Umbrella Pine

I may get a small one. I like them a lot.

White Pine


I have them here and there--plus one I grew from a baby in a pot.

Monastery Pine Tree
Various Milkweeds


I want those.

Kerria Japonica Double Yellow Single Yellow and a Single White
Virginia Bluebells
Hops Ajuga both weeds

I am debating about taking some ajuga with me.

Caladiums bulbs treated as annuals
Daffodils many types

Some here, some there.

Crocus

Those are nice in the spring.

Mints
Rosemary
Thyme
Hardy Coleus
Ornamental Grasses

Need to remember to take my black grass.

Hardy Roses
Trumpet Vines

I have one that needs to be planted. Hmm. I could have taken it
over today. There is a kind-of defunct vine, and I am thinking
this could grow right up it.

Iris
Japanese Iris


Those I want.

Wow! I asked about the J. maples because I am now somewhat
conflicted about the them. I still love them, but I feel I should
be planting native things that benefit critters. How does one
handle such a thought?

At the same time, as I look toward moving, I am sad to leave some
of my favorite (large) J. maples. Of course, those favorites
(e.g., the moonfire, which keeps its dark red color all summer)
have not had any babies. Others I may very well replant at the
new abode--the sango kaku, which is very near the front walk and
will probably be ruined when I move, and the two little J. maples
near it (which I hope still have their tags on them); the
shishigashira, which has never thrived here--probably rootbound;
possibly the crimson queen. I also have four J. maples that have
been in pots for at least three years, plus a full moon maple,
which has been sitting in a pile of mulch for at least that long.

I am thinking those will go in the front yard, and the
critter-friendly things will go in the back. The north side will
be the moss and fern area. Maybe some of my lilies of the valley,
which have spread nicely this year, will also go there.

--
Jean B.

All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently
opposed. Third, it is accepted as being
self-evident. --Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)