seeing the garden as it will be, and tree following

There's something to be said for buying plants as large as you can afford. It's sensible advice!  But when I'm buying plants, I prefer small, reasonably fast growing young plants.  I love watching them grow bit by bit to gradually fill their allotted spaces.  When small, they tend to grow quicker and healthier than larger specimens with already developed root systems.

Because I don't cosset my plants, there is always a chance they won't survive, and if I invested a lot of money I would get anxious. Many of the plants I want are not available anyway as large specimens.

Gardens exist in time.
There is a sense in which the past, present and future exist simultaneously. I can look at the garden as it is now. I can also look at it as it will be - potentially. When I do this, I don't get put off by the fact that it there's not enough variation in height at the present time. I see it as it will be, perfectly fitting into the overall garden picture.  I'm not interested in an instant garden. How boring - to achieve the desired effect instantly! Then what? Spend the next few years  trimming hedges and weeding?

This wouldn't work for a professional gardener. It wouldn't work if you were gardening to impress. But if you're gardening for fun and want to maintain interest long term - I recommend this approach.

It's easy and tempting to just take attractive and lovely garden photos. I'll resist and use photos to introduce three tiny new garden arrivals to demonstrate how the different way of seeing works ...

Ficus carica St Dominique Violette - grows to 3 m high and 4 metres wide

The fig tree will grow to fill the space between some gum trees and wattles in the back of the garden. There's too much grey there, and the green leaves will provide more varied colour.

Malpighia emarginata Acerola Cherry - grows to 3m high and 2 metres wide

The black arrow points to the cherry tree and the blue arrow points to a new rosemary bush. They will fill the space and provide more height for that side of the front garden. It now looks extra bare because the old Smoke Bush in the far corner has few leaves (eaten by possums) and I recently (radically) cut back the vines and the Plumbago that cover the fence. 

There is lots of potential in this photo. The black arrow points to the Acerola Cherry tree. The other Smoke Bush, relatively new in that spot, will in time dominate the corner fence, and the Plumbago and vines will grow back soon to cover the fence once more. In time the olive tree, cherry tree and Smoke Bush may meet and intertwine, creating a large leafy shelter for wildlife and looking natural and attractive, as if it's always been there.

Sambucus nigra 'Purpurea' Purple Elder - grows to 6m high and 6 m wide

I have been wanting an Elder tree in my garden, but I'm a bit unsure whether it will work in this position. It's possibly too large for this space. But it could work.  It's deciduous,  which means it's easy to move when dormant, and it probably grows a bit slower than evergreens. And large shrubs can be trimmed back. (Although when this one's large, I'll probably be dead or, if not, unlikely to be still gardening)

 Lucy of  Loose and Leafy blog, has been hosting a meme called Tree Following.  I'm joining in, and will follow these three young trees: Purple Elder, Acerola Cherry and St Dominique Violette Fig.  I will follow them as they dig their roots in, and post regular updates on their progress.

I'm Following a Tree

Are You?

Another great site to read up on trees is Treeblogging.com.