5.08.2006

Memorial to a tree

When we moved in, I didn't notice the tree at all because it was winter and the tree was bare. In February, the tree budded with beautiful, creamy, yellow and pale green leaves. Surprisingly, I couldn't find a picture in my Neil Sperry book (the bible of Texas gardening), but from internet research I thought it might be a variegated ligustrum bush that had been carefully grown as a many-trunked tree. In March, the tree was very leafy and full. I noticed how it nicely wrapped around the stone corner of the garage and made a shady place for some white wildflowers to grow. I imagined myself planting tulips or daffodils next to the wildflowers next spring. In April, the tree budded all over with miniscule white flowers. A few weekends ago I mentioned to B that I thought the tree was one of the most beautiful things about our new house, and how it made me happy every time I walked out of the garage and saw it.

Last week, a huge storm broke all but two of the tree's trunks. Of the two trunks remaining, one is rather weak, and the other turned out to be dead, hidden among the abundant foliage of the other branches. When we can, we will have to chop down the remaining trunk and dig the stump out of the ground. I am very unhappy about the state of affairs in general, and that I didn't take a picture of the tree before it fell. This does not seem to bode well for our future gardening endeavors.

5 comments:

Felix said...

Maybe your freindly neighborhood nurseryman can positively ID the remains of the deceased and help you replace it with another of the same species.

And was that a picture of strawberry blossoms that you linked to as "white wildflowers"?

Brandon said...

A few trunks had already been removed before we moved in, so I wonder whether the plant was prone to breakage. If we are able to replace it with the same species, then we need to look into ways to make it more windproof.

Steph said...

Felix - I don't know what the picture I linked to was. I googled "white texas wildflower" and chose a picture that looked like the flowers that were there.

B - You're missing the point.

Brandon said...

Sorry my dear. What is your point?

Steph said...

Just that I'm sad about the tree. You and your constant practicality. :)