Both James Beattie and Simon Rickard (gardeners of excellence!) confess (in the comments section of Simon's guest blog post on Marlborough daisy) to killing plants while pondering - sometimes over years - where exactly to plant them. I have to actively suppress thoughts about the plant carnage that stains my horticultural history. Even right now, I'm in the process of killing Itea illicifolia, Kerria japonica (the single flowered form), Lonicera fragrantissima (that I lovingly propagated from cuttings about a decade ago), and a pot of seedlings of Malus toringoides (pictured). I'd love to know what you've killed while trying to decide the place in your garden where they would be happiest!
What plants have you killed, while waiting to decide on the best place to plant them?
Discussion
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Jajj…. I have killed many plants ….. its part of our passion for gardening…. specially when I have brought plants and seeds from my trips around the world, here I try to force them (poor things) to grow in my garden…. and many just dont make it….. but those who do…. are a lovely memory and I enjoy them every day!!! European Hydrangeas….. are soooo beautiful….. but alas….. here in Buenos Aires, few work…… brought one from Great Dixter…..
A few years ago I found a solitary pot of a glaucous restio at Roraima nursery. Did I plant it before going away? Of course not. I almost wept when I returned. Dead as a duck. Anyway I watered it for a while and lie and behold one day a single solitary terribly skinny little shoelace showed it’s face. Well I had to touch it didn’t I? Snapped it off and that was that. I have asked about a replacement but sadly they have no recollection of it.
A fabulously tragic story, Moira. And just the sort of thing I would do. And don’t you hate that when the nursery then denies its existence, or can’t remember, and there’s nowhere left to go! Once Roraima doesn’t recall, or can’t get it, you know you’re stuffed