Look At Devastation In Yard As Opportunity For Fresh Start

Could it be that the harsh winter storms actually did our landscaping a favor?

It’s a cheery perspective, but ponder this: If the overgrown, scraggly junipers and diseased and misshapen trees in your yard had not come down all twisted and broken last November, would you have gone out this spring and cut them down?

Regardless of whether we chose to relandscape or were forced into it, this is a rare opportunity to fix all of the problems with our yards.

Few of us would just decide to fire up the chainsaw one Saturday in April and bring down the big Douglas fir that shaded the front yard and made having a lush lawn only a dream. No problem. The tree snapped off in November.

And those junipers that hid the picture window and shutters? You lived with them because they had been growing in front of the house for two decades. Problem solved, the boughs are permanently bent to the ground and to trim them back would mean a forest of twigs in front of the window.

The ice storm gave us a chance to look at all of the aspects of our yards that don’t work, that create work, or that we simply don’t know how to deal with.

Gardeners and homeowners in the area will be flocking to the plant nurseries and garden centers this month for trees and shrubs and deals. And the good news is that the nurseries and home centers are ready for the rush.

Area retailers say they have ordered extra plant stock this year, anticipating an increased demand. “I’ve ordered a third more than I normally order,” says Glenn Bartcher of Alderwood Nursery. “Most everyone has. And most of the wholesalers have sold everything they have available and some are already getting into next year’s stocks.”

What will be the most popular plants this spring? Nursery managers agree: Arborvitae (those old stand-by junipers) and spruce.

Arborvitae have always been big sellers because they are hardy, they grow fast and they are low-maintenance. They don’t bloom, but they do hide house foundations and fill out a corner of the yard.

Of the evergreens, spruce is the variety that didn’t come down in the ice storm, whereas many of the pines and firs were topped or had extensive limb breakage.

Because of increased apprehension about tall trees, dwarf spruce will be most popular. They reach about 30 feet when full-grown, compared to a standard blue spruce which can top out at 80 feet.

While relandscaping an entire yard can be expensive and daunting, in most cases that isn’t necessary. Except for damage from falling limbs and clean-up efforts, flower beds and shrubs came through the winter unscathed. In fact, the ice coating and deep snow protected the plants from the sub-freezing temperatures. And some damaged trees and shrubs can be salvaged.

The guide is: As long as a third of the plant is left, there’s still a chance of survival. Trees can be trimmed (although those that were topped will probably regrow as a double top) and shrubs can be tied up.

When debating whether to replace a damaged tree or save it, consider the following:

1. Think money; do you have the money to buy a good-sized replacement tree?

2. Do you have the patience to wait through the two or three years it might take your damaged tree to heal and regrow beyond its current misshapen form?

3. Do you have time for the maintenance required to salvage a damaged tree?

Those who don’t find the tree species or shrub they wanted can always special order through a local nursery through May. After that, availability can become a problem.

Landscapers also recommend considering options other than just replanting a tree in the same spot. Before just plopping a tree back in the middle of the front yard, think of any problems this caused before: Was a mature tree so close to the house the branches rubbed on the siding and roof? Did the tree drop messy fruit on the front walk? Did the shade prevent you from growing a lush lawn? Would you rather put a play area in that spot?

This is the time to relocate the large landscaping features such as trees. Or, instead of replanting, there are other landscaping devices - fences, arbors, fountains, bird baths or something as simple as a post covered with clematis.

The bottom line is this: Rather than just replicating your past landscaping, pause to consider improvements to your yard, either in reducing the maintenance or simply enriching the aesthetics.

, DataTimes