Pink "snow" from the Kanzan trees.

We planted several trees a couple of years ago.  They’re doing well.  It’s amazing really, how many trees we have on a just fifth of an acre.   We tend to have Japanese trees.  I know we should plant natives, but they just get too big.  So we have Japanese maple and dogwood and cherry trees.  And we added a couple of crape myrtles.

We planted the trees because we want to get away from so much sun gardening and move toward shade gardening.  We’ll miss all the flowers that so love the sun, but shade gardening is easier and has it’s own beauty.  And you can sit in the shade.  Not so much in the sun here in NC.

My biggest challenge (and now by biggest concern) was the front yard.   It’s small.  And it was all sun, all the time.  Now that we’ve planted, there are two Japanese Dogswoods between the sidewalk and the street, and  two Japanese Cherries in the yard, one on each side of the walkway leading from the porch to the street.  We already have three of the Kanzans in the back yard, and we love them.  They get big but not gigantic, and they’re stunning in the spring when they’re filled with pink blossoms.  My concern is their habit.  They spread, especially when flower laden and when wet.   So we have to keep the limbs high enough to be able to walk under them, AND we have to make sure they don’t press on the power lines (this is the city — power lines are everywhere).  We’ll see, I guess.  We’ll be doing some judicious pruning in a few weeks.  Story at 11.   We have to have some sort of tree in the front because it gets too hot to sit on the front porch in the summer.  And we love sitting on the front porch.  It’s the best way to meet and greet your neighbors.  Unfortunately, our porch faces west and get full evening sun.  Hence the trees. We had consider the ubiquitous dogwood, but there are just so many of them around our neighborhood.  Plus their flower, although lovely, doesn’t have the drama of the cherry.

The Kanzan grows quickly.  This is their second year, and by summer should give us the shade we’re looking for.  Keep your fingers crossed.  I must admit I’m nervous about them.

Filed under: Our Garden, Trees