The heatwave may have claimed its first significant victim in my garden. This is causing me some upset. My Davidia tree is probably best described as a twig, it was not large and not very old at all, but it was thriving rather well. I was cherishing it as it is a tree I really want to have in my garden. As soon as I realised that it was starting to wilt I started to water it. I think the soil where it is planted is not the thick heavy clay that most of my garden has, but is actually quite a free-draining, almost shaley bit of ground. I think that this has contributed greatly to the problem as none of my other trees/shrubs, even ones planted earlier this year, are suffering in quite the same way.
So I am watering it every day now. Every day it gets a watering can full of water. Now I worry I might have drowned it! There is a big problem with this tree dying, bigger than may first appear. I have a rule about plants that is designed to stop me throwing good money after bad. It is a strict rule and I do observe it rigidly. I can only try a maximum of three times to establish a plant. Of course I am talking perennials, trees, shrubs etc. It would not work if I applied this rule to annuals; except even with them if I know that last year they were pretty poor I will not bother again. So, a golden rule, no more than three attempts and then I give up on a plant and declare it not for my garden.
So yes, you've guessed it, this is my third Davidia. The first one just sorted of died. The second one got snapped off at the root by I think a dog that got into my garden (in the same incident a Cercis also got snapped, that is a whole other story). So this is Davidia number 3. Now, as I did not kill number 2 do I count it in the rule? Should I cheat and say that number 2 was an 'act of god (dog)' and beyond my control and therefore not a planting death? Yet Davidia's are not cheap? I cannot keep buying them if they do not want to grow for me.Decisions, decisions; but not a decision I need to make today. I have lots of time to think about this as it is not tree-planting time of year yet. I shall see how it goes, see if the Davidia retains any sparks of life and might yet survive. If it is dead I have to consider where-else in the garden I might try to plant one and I am not sure I can think of such a space at the moment. I have a Davidia-place, there is a (deadish) Davidia in it. I shall have to reassess.
ilest- ainsi il le quatrième temps chanceux ?
