As I am making my tea to sit down and relax for a minute with you, the first flakes of snow are gently drifting downwards, just like Charlie Brown's Christmas. So pretty! We've been very lucky so far, maybe we'll have an easier winter this year!
So now, gardeners, the garden is ready for rest, and so are we. Or are we? My daily walks give me a lot of opportunity to study the gardens along the way, and it makes me think ahead to next year! One thing I have noticed, and I'm sure you have, too, is that some average-sized yards have very big trees. I don't think that this is intentional in most situations. But you know how quickly things grow when we aren't looking, and suddenly a medium-sized tree can become far too big for the space. It is tempting to just ignore the problem, because a big tree requires special care to trim it down or remove it. But at this time of year when the leaves are gone and we can actually see how large our tree really is, it is a good chance to make an honest assessment. A very large tree in our yard might not always be the best thing: it can dominate rather than accentuate our yard; it might prevent us from having a garden due to shade or invasive root growth; and it might be a hazard if it is too close to our house or garage.
It's a good thing for us to check!
I meant to tell you about a stunning shrub that I saw a few weeks back: it was a breathtaking purple mound in the landscape, and I found out it was a smoke bush. Are you familiar with this shrub? It is just beautiful, with coin-shaped leaves the deep purple color of concord grapes. It also has wispy "blooms" that are delicate plumes of pinky-purple that look like, you guessed it, smoke! Wow! It was something to see.
I did some homework when I got home, and this is what I found out. Cotinus, the smoke bush or purple smoke tree, is one of those flamboyant shrubs that we would want in our yards as a focal point. I read that it grows up to twelve feet high, although the shrub that I saw was a manageable five or six feet high. It likes full sun and is very drought tolerant, and if we plant it in poor soil, it will help to keep the plant a more compact size. How is that for convenient?
I also read that it grows in zones 4 to 9. However, that doesn't mean it can't grow here; it might just need a little winter protection, or to be planted in an area of your yard that is more sheltered. In the spring, we will have to ask our local greenhouses for their advice on this plant: perhaps there are cultivars that are well-suited to our area. But if you are landscaping a new yard, or simply adding to your existing garden collection, the smoke bush would be a very pretty addition to any yard!
The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will be holding their Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, November 27. This is a members only (and guests) meeting, and will include a delicious banquet, silent auction, meeting, and an exciting presentation by Vicky and John Ostrowercha on their travels to Holland's "Floriad" flower show, a very special garden event that happens only once every ten years! (And if there is time, Debbie and Keith Hayward will do a brief presentation on their trip to the Mediterranean.) Call Liz at 782-2830 for full details.
Till next time, do a garden tour of your own yard and make some notes of what you might like to do next year. Have a great week!
