Winter casualties in the garden
Discussion
Hi all,
Now most things should be perking up after the winter I've had a chance to take stock of what made it through the winter.
I'm based in London, so although we had it pretty cold it was nothing like as bad as many other places in the UK, but even so the cold has taken its toll (and more so than last year),
I'm fairly new to gardening, so I've not had to deal with losing many plants given the mild winters over the last 8 years or so since I planted our plot entirely from scratch.
We had a beautiful Mimosa Tree (Acacia Dealbata) that has lit up the garden at this time over the last 6 years - it's totally brown and seems to be entirely deceased.
My pride-and-joy Wisteria also seems to be showing no signs of life, which is a huge disappointment as I've had three years of stunning and copious flowers.
I'm less surprised that my Cordyline is dead, was a weedy looking thing anyway....
One other odd thing I've noticed is that I've got LOADS of Red-Dead Nettle sprouting - http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/dead-nett... - huge patches across the garden, I've also spotted similar patches in the front gardens round here - not seen anything like it in previous years.
Anyone else seen anything similar? Can't work out why there should be so much of it this year, whether the cold weather was cause or coincidence...
Now most things should be perking up after the winter I've had a chance to take stock of what made it through the winter.
I'm based in London, so although we had it pretty cold it was nothing like as bad as many other places in the UK, but even so the cold has taken its toll (and more so than last year),
I'm fairly new to gardening, so I've not had to deal with losing many plants given the mild winters over the last 8 years or so since I planted our plot entirely from scratch.
We had a beautiful Mimosa Tree (Acacia Dealbata) that has lit up the garden at this time over the last 6 years - it's totally brown and seems to be entirely deceased.
My pride-and-joy Wisteria also seems to be showing no signs of life, which is a huge disappointment as I've had three years of stunning and copious flowers.
I'm less surprised that my Cordyline is dead, was a weedy looking thing anyway....
One other odd thing I've noticed is that I've got LOADS of Red-Dead Nettle sprouting - http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/dead-nett... - huge patches across the garden, I've also spotted similar patches in the front gardens round here - not seen anything like it in previous years.
Anyone else seen anything similar? Can't work out why there should be so much of it this year, whether the cold weather was cause or coincidence...
If you scratch a small area of stem/branch bark/skin with your finger nail or with a small knife you will immediately see if it is dead or alive (fresh green/white). If it looks at all viable, prune out any dead/rotten bits. I think the wisteria has the best chance of coming back, none are sprouting around my area on the south coast yet.
Too many plants sold as suitable these days are borderline/hopeless for our winters. It's not just hard frost but prolonged cold and damp that does them in.
Yes there's loads of that weed around at the moment, different weeds have good/bad years depending on the weather, just like all plants. Also if you missed one and let it seed, the next year it's everywhere. Got a bumper crop of groundsel already and the speedwell is coming along nicely thanks!
Too many plants sold as suitable these days are borderline/hopeless for our winters. It's not just hard frost but prolonged cold and damp that does them in.
Yes there's loads of that weed around at the moment, different weeds have good/bad years depending on the weather, just like all plants. Also if you missed one and let it seed, the next year it's everywhere. Got a bumper crop of groundsel already and the speedwell is coming along nicely thanks!
I've been hopefully scraping off the bark in a couple of places on both the Mimosa Tree and the Wisteria, both seem to be dry and not green...
I won't give up all hope yet though.
I had huge fun the whole of last year when I ignored some Hairy Bitter Cress last year - it really is the catapult of all weeds. At least you can eat it after you've pulled it up
I won't give up all hope yet though.
I had huge fun the whole of last year when I ignored some Hairy Bitter Cress last year - it really is the catapult of all weeds. At least you can eat it after you've pulled it up
Not a keen gardener but was fairly proud of my "what can only be described as skinny Palm Trees".
All 3 grew fairly quickly from say 2ft. to well over 8ft. in about 5 years.
I'm in Norwich and the cold snap this year seems to have killed all 3.
We are not the only ones. A lot of other properties in our area seemed to have suffered the same with the same type of plant!
All 3 grew fairly quickly from say 2ft. to well over 8ft. in about 5 years.
I'm in Norwich and the cold snap this year seems to have killed all 3.
We are not the only ones. A lot of other properties in our area seemed to have suffered the same with the same type of plant!
herbialfa said:
Not a keen gardener but was fairly proud of my "what can only be described as skinny Palm Trees".
All 3 grew fairly quickly from say 2ft. to well over 8ft. in about 5 years.
I'm in Norwich and the cold snap this year seems to have killed all 3.
We are not the only ones. A lot of other properties in our area seemed to have suffered the same with the same type of plant!
Cordylines? Both myself & my neighbour have lost ours. She just the one around 10'. I've lost four! Two of which were 10' & ten years old. I'm hoping they may still recover, but they've lost several feet from their tops. I've never felt the need to wrap them over winter, this year I regret that. All 3 grew fairly quickly from say 2ft. to well over 8ft. in about 5 years.
I'm in Norwich and the cold snap this year seems to have killed all 3.
We are not the only ones. A lot of other properties in our area seemed to have suffered the same with the same type of plant!
Have lost a beautiful & very large Phormium, pictured here five years ago, along with the Cordyline next to it
Lots starting to bud & bloom in my White Garden though, including my Magnolia. My Peony tree has grown splendidly over the last few years, last year the blooms were just huge and abundant. I'm praying that's made it.
I have two gardens. The Rainbow Garden is planted as such & flowers after the White (Spring) Garden and more toward Summer. I haven't been down there to look at the plants yet, just to tend my Chickens. Really need some warmer weather now so I can spend more than half an hour out there without freezing up!
Just looking through my photos I'm sad. Dreading the Summer. And all the work I've lost.
My winter casualty was the side table on the Weber. We put up our Christmas tree in the first floor drawing room (so called for our amusement), which is the second floor from the garden side. I hoist it in through the window (windows are about seven feet tall) and drop it out again on 6 January. This year, it hit the table on the covered Weber and smashed straight through.
My wife hasn't noticed yet....
My wife hasn't noticed yet....
herbialfa said:
Not a keen gardener but was fairly proud of my "what can only be described as skinny Palm Trees".
All 3 grew fairly quickly from say 2ft. top well over 8ft. in about 5 years.
I'm in Norwich and the cold snap this year seems to have killed all 3.
We are not the only ones. A lot of other properties in our area seemed to have suffered the same with the same type of plant!
Suffered the same fate here in Aylsham, lost 2 small ones but the big one seems to have survived.All 3 grew fairly quickly from say 2ft. top well over 8ft. in about 5 years.
I'm in Norwich and the cold snap this year seems to have killed all 3.
We are not the only ones. A lot of other properties in our area seemed to have suffered the same with the same type of plant!
I'm pretty sure it was that 4 week cold snap in Dec which did it
Had it about 6-7 years so I'm gutted! Need to find something else to put in the gap now as the dead one looks awful.Sounds like I got off lightly in comparison to some of you...
All my formiums survived, even the ones in pots although quite a few of the leaves are browning. My olive tree has lost life in about half its limbs but has struggled through and my bay tree is OK too (apart from the ongoing leaf curl problem).
All my formiums survived, even the ones in pots although quite a few of the leaves are browning. My olive tree has lost life in about half its limbs but has struggled through and my bay tree is OK too (apart from the ongoing leaf curl problem).
I seem to have got off more lightly this year than last. My ceanothus looked like it was dead a month ago, but signs of life are now appearing.
My bay tree has been threatening to die every year, with brown/odd looking leaves on a regular basis. Wish it would make its mind up, really.
Other than that, it's only been a few of the smaller plants that have snuffed it, such as pinks and pansies.
My bay tree has been threatening to die every year, with brown/odd looking leaves on a regular basis. Wish it would make its mind up, really.
Other than that, it's only been a few of the smaller plants that have snuffed it, such as pinks and pansies.
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