Sunday, June 6, 2010

Patience is the Key on the Prairies


The Barberry is alive!! Many a Prairie gardener would have pulled this little bush out a month ago. I, however, always give everything the utmost chance. I saw a few buds down at soil level, and I waited, patiently. It's coming fabulously! Granted, it was two feet high last year and it is currently six inches - and that's being generous. But, it survived, it has obviously rooted well and it will be a foot high again in a month or six weeks. It's a 'Rosy Glow' barberry, with burgundy leaves mottled with pink on the new growth. It's adorable, and well worth the wait! This fall I will endeavor to protect it a little better with a good mulch. I know the damage was either done in December, when we were cold without much snow cover, or in March, when we had lost the snow cover, got really warm and then got really cold. There's not much I can do to combat the whims of Mother Nature here on the Prairies, but I'll do what I can. And then wait, patiently......

3 comments:

  1. Mine is doing okay as well -- after a massive haircut and lots of water! The potentilla, however, is a different story. Still, it's got some pliability so I'm not pulling it out yet. Make sure you show me your barbery in August.

    Kelt

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome to Blotanical. Glad to see that your little Barberry is doing what it should. I had to give myself a slap on the wrist for yanking a Veronia 'Iron Butterfly' thinking it was toast...when I discovered a tiny little shoot circumventing the old growth and pushing its way to the soil level. Fortunately it's lived through the abuse and seems to be doing just fine.

    ReplyDelete
  3. *le sigh*
    I have a lavender plant that I kept holding out hope for.. sadly I think its dead. Its dried out corpse is still in my garden and I still haven't completely lost faith that maybe one day I'll see it sprout new growth.

    ReplyDelete