tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post7374019822786685104..comments2024-02-18T01:15:28.675-06:00Comments on Garden Fancy: Boxwood ButcheryGarden Fancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12283184170369157189noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-7451343721687162252021-08-03T16:08:31.249-05:002021-08-03T16:08:31.249-05:00One of the English gardeners I follow finally bit ...One of the English gardeners I follow finally bit the bullet and ripped out all his box because of the blight. This was after growing every single one of his box edging from cuttings over about 20 years. It can be rough!Br. PlacidusKShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02411198696659419547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-31975288328266001712021-06-04T12:54:45.639-05:002021-06-04T12:54:45.639-05:00Hi Gail, Thanks for your encouragement and nice wo...Hi Gail, Thanks for your encouragement and nice words -- you're absolutely right that we shouldn't always hide the less-than-perfect aspects of our gardens from people, to show a realistic side. Thanks for stopping by! Best, -BethGarden Fancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12283184170369157189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-54757351117201319292021-06-03T11:00:38.308-05:002021-06-03T11:00:38.308-05:00GAAAHHH! that should be - Different now, yes b...GAAAHHH! that should be - Different now, yes but certainly NOT must hide from the public ugly.<br /><br />Sorry for the inadvertent trash talk! :-(JustGailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08948391538309176039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-5504251552908362482021-06-03T10:58:04.298-05:002021-06-03T10:58:04.298-05:00I wish I knew about that leaf vacuum this spring -...I wish I knew about that leaf vacuum this spring - I was seriously considering if the garage shop vac would work to catch some of the gajillion bazillion dandelion seed floofs this spring. So many! So huge!<br /><br />Too bad about the boxwoods, I hope you do get them back to health. <br /><br />IMHO - go ahead and open the gardens. The rest are lovely. And while the herb garden is a bit worse for wear right now, I don't think it's *that* bad. Different now, yes but certainly must hide from the public ugly. Besides, it could be a very useful teaching tool to pay attention to the need to check mature sizes before planting. Not that tags tell the truth - tiger eye sumac label saying 6 feet tall and wide and non-suckering was lies lies lies! Mine easily got 12-15 feet tall, nearly as wide, and sent up suckers like crazy. Though the evil ash leaf spirea I evicted this spring had it beat hands down on the suckering issue :-< Oooops - sorry for the rant tangent... <br /><br />Another teaching point - that all gardens can develop problems regardless of the talent, diligence, and experience of the gardener. Things will happen that are totally beyond the gardener's control or ability to predict. Weeds, diseases and insects are just waiting for an opening to move in. Storms or the neighbor removing a tree in their yard can transform a shady garden spot to a sunny one in minutes. A new untreatable disease can make its way in making replanting the same thing an exercise in futility. Circumstances change (age? other family commitments? simply mentally over weeding? finances?) affecting how much can be put into gardens. Maybe the hired help (IF you can find someone that is) can't tell weed from flower. In short, be on watch and prepared to be flexible. Is that too much gloom and doom for new gardeners? <br /><br />I'm glad to see a few posts from you again, and thanks for sharing about the peony garden. It is gorgeous, even if it was raining.<br /><br />sigh... it's taken a bit to get my comment done (sorry it's so long) I guess I can't put off going out and doing battle with weeds and grass in another flower bed of my own.JustGailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08948391538309176039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-84372614768791770462021-06-02T16:20:39.541-05:002021-06-02T16:20:39.541-05:00Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, and for yo...Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, and for your very kind words of encouragement -- I do appreciate it! Best Regards, -BethGarden Fancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12283184170369157189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-22408503825674889572021-06-02T16:16:43.295-05:002021-06-02T16:16:43.295-05:00Hi Ellie, thanks for your comforting words about m...Hi Ellie, thanks for your comforting words about my boxwood issue -- you might just be right about the garden looking more interesting, like a modern boxwood planting. :-) I'll try to enjoy this "new look" for the next few years.... Thanks again for reading! Best, -BethGarden Fancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12283184170369157189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-76389477771699465432021-06-02T16:14:36.988-05:002021-06-02T16:14:36.988-05:00Hi Susie, thanks for your good wishes about my box...Hi Susie, thanks for your good wishes about my boxwoods. And I'm so sorry to hear about your rose rosette disease. I had a couple of roses with this in a corner of my property several years ago, and I removed and burned them, and it hasn't shown up in my main rose garden area at this point (fingers crossed). <br />There are newer boxwood cultivars that are resistant to boxwood blight, if you are interested in planting boxwood. Just Google "blight resistant boxwood cultivars." I may eventually replace my 'Green Velvet' with a newer variety, if the real blight ever gets here. Good luck with your garden issues, and thanks for stopping by! -BethGarden Fancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12283184170369157189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-83379382204438149812021-06-02T16:07:22.623-05:002021-06-02T16:07:22.623-05:00Hi Sonia, thanks for your kind words about my boxw...Hi Sonia, thanks for your kind words about my boxwood troubles -- it sounds like you have some issues with them too. That -13F was incredibly cold for Oklahoma (it's pretty cold even for Iowa). I hope your shrubs and plants will soon recover from any damage. Thanks for reading! -BethGarden Fancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12283184170369157189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-6271876686238340192021-06-01T16:19:23.677-05:002021-06-01T16:19:23.677-05:00I started by admiring your beautiful opening photo...I started by admiring your beautiful opening photo - oh dear, what a shame to be so troubled by blight. I admire your efforts to rectify the problem, it WILL be beautiful again, in time!<br />Now that I've found your blog I'm going to have an enjoyable wander through your back posts. Thank you for visiting my site.Share my Gardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08817611851604816123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-26197157152215376102021-06-01T06:55:42.508-05:002021-06-01T06:55:42.508-05:00if it's any comfort, I think your new boxwood ...if it's any comfort, I think your new boxwood design looks really interesting. I have seen lots of garden design where the box is planted like this! I hope that the extra air and all your hard work with the hygiene will pay off.<br />I have some box bushes in pots but if they show any sign of blight or boxwood caterpillar, they'll be out! (I have told them that, so they know!)<br />Best wishes<br />EllieEllie Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12437259693600577503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-47818943248661881772021-06-01T05:52:12.467-05:002021-06-01T05:52:12.467-05:00I can really sympathize with you trying to save yo...I can really sympathize with you trying to save your beautiful mature boxwoods.<br /><br />I have two very large beautiful pink rose bushes. One is a Knockout rose and the other is a David Austin Zephrine Drouhine. This spring they have shown up with the horrible Rose Rosette Disease, sometimes called Witches Broom. Some branches leaves were just so deformed and hideous. We cut those back to the ground and Both of the roses still were beautiful this year. I doubt if they will survive another year and then when they are gone I will never be able to plant roses there again. Apparently the disease stays in the ground for many years. I have another David Austin Rose, Christopher Marlowe, planted out in the middle of the yard, which is a beautiful reddish, salmon, dark pink depending on day of bloom, that was a gift for my birthday 7 years ago. I pray it won't get the Rose Rosette disease, but I don't know how to keep the lawn mower or even birds or the wind from spreading the disease to it.<br /><br />I had thought about putting boxwoods in after the roses must be pulled out, but now I am thinking I probably won't.<br /><br />I hope your lovely boxwoods will begin to thrive again.susie @ persimmon moon cottagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01653330247272673990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5499733980063503352.post-19742393694923370122021-05-31T22:13:51.440-05:002021-05-31T22:13:51.440-05:00Oh Beth I am so sorry about your boxwoods! I have...Oh Beth I am so sorry about your boxwoods! I have some that got damaged from the arctic blast we had in January (-13 degrees) I'm waiting for warmer temperatures to prune out the deadwood. I have very large 6-8 footers...but mostly they got damaged near the bottom. Will be thinking happy thoughts for your shrubs! Hope your weekend was restful. Soniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13585443830973275421noreply@blogger.com