Resurrection

I love landscaping. 

Starting with designing — on to planning and procurement (buying stuff), sweating and scarring(installation), and finally, enjoying the view I’ve created. The deeper I get into this process, the more attached I am to these plants and trees. 

I care for them and I care about them. 

No, they do not talk to me —- yet.

In the winter of 2018, the temperature fell to -9 degrees, not the windchill factor – the actual temperature. We believe that this is what apparently killed all 6 of our Crepe Myrtles. 

Being shortsighted, I failed to take photos of them in their worst condition but, take my word for it, as Spring progressed in 2019, it appeared that all 6 would have to be replaced. 

But shortly before Summer, new growth began to appear at the base of each of them.

The resurrection had begun.  

As the main body continued to deteriorate, I removed the dead stalks and nurtured the new growth. They were making a comeback. They continued to prosper all of last year but never flowered.

In early Spring of this year, I added rich topsoil, fertilizer, and heavy mulch to each of them. The regrowth got a big assist from a higher than normal rainfall.

On July 4th, a perfect day for celebration, the first blossom appeared. That single blossom was proof that the rescue effort was a success!

The resurrection was complete.