Report From PIA – July 2
I have a young Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Ogon’ tree that I placed in front of the wood shed. It is growing quickly despite the fact that if I set a sprinkler in the adjacent areas this space isn’t hit. Today I placed the hose next to the young tree and gave this young plant a good soaking. A young tree such as this is well served by through watering every couple of weeks.
A Mathilda Gutges hydrangea grows near this golden dawn redwood, and this year it’s filled with flowering. Many types of Hydrangea, this one included, form their flower buds a year in advance and if the winter temps go to zero or below, or if the spring winds are especially cold, those buds get zapped and the plant has fewer flowers. This year on Cape Cod, all potential flower buds made it through the winter and these shrubs are glorious.
Every plant requires particular growing conditions to bloom or flourish and one of the challenges of being a gardener is to find the exact location and perfect circumstances for that each plant needs.
If we think of ourselves as being gardeners of life, we might look at every person or situation in the same way. What does this job/business need in order to make it grow best? Will some extra attention help that person to come into flower? Do I need to prepare the soil before I plant this relationship?
Being a good cultivator of life requires the same open minded attention to detail, and the same inquiring mind, that gardening asks of us…and a bit more.
This young, yellow-foliaged tree reminds me that some things need the space to reach their full potential. The shorter Hydrangea needs mild winters and an early spring in order to flower well.
