Landscape Stories

Having worked in this field for many years we've experienced many situations involving neighbors

Let me tell you just one...
Several years ago I had a customer call me complaining about kids cutting through his property from a local food establishment A fence was not allowed so he wanted fast growing and extremely thorny plants . I researched it and found buffalo berries which as the name suggests is used out west to keep buffalo out of unwanted pastures. I told him that the thorns were real sharp and would surely keep out kids. We installed them and he then asked me to put a wire thru the middle which I quickly rejected. We do have empathy but it only goes so far. Good gardening.

Following Instructions...

I do wish plants could talk back. Can you imagine if they could tell you where they would prefer to be planted. Life would be simplified. But back to reality...
We do give instructions but some people well let's say they do their own thing

One quick story... A few years ago we sold a customer a large crimson king maple about 15' tall
It was arranged for us to deliver and the customer would dig his own hole and we would place the balled tree next to the hole.

About two months later the customer called and said the tree was drooping and was dying
We went to his home and was surprised what we found....Upon looking at the tree we noticed that the tree seemed shorter and soon discovered that the bottom branches were now much closer to the ground. IT WAS PLANTED 2' TOO DEEP!

It was dying and couldn't be saved. "I asked the customer why he planted it 2' over the crown and he said he thought that by planting deep the tree wouldn't fall over. "
If only the tree could talk back!

Or maybe they do. Yes, I do believe that plants communicate with us. But we don't always listen. Just  imagine what plants would say. Iif they could tell us where they would prefer to be planted.

They just might say:    

"I don't like the shade but do love the sun because it keeps me real warm"
"Boy, is it windy and my leaves are always getting burned, wished they'd planted me in a protected spot"
"It's so cold in the winter and I'm from Georgia...I just don't know if I can make it"
"I think they should have used my northern cousins" "I wish they wouldn't put me with all those pink flowers, because I really like lavender & I'm not happy about this"
"You know those weed wackers, they keep bruising my bark...I just wish they had protected my trunk with some tree guards"
"Those bad bugs...why are they always picking on me. Couldn't they keep me away from those plants that bugs love!"
"I was hoping they had made my planting hole wider & added some better topsoil then I could stretch my roots out and find some extra food"
"I'm drowning, I'm drowning I can't believe they put me in such a wet area don't they realize if my roots get too wet I'll get no oxygen and die".       
"I really am a poor swimmer"
"By the way, I heard you don't like your neighbor...well I wish I could recommend one of my friends that grows very full and fast."
"Please don't forget to give us plenty of room so we don't grow over the property line"  
"You know..I sure don't want to be dug up later because that would hurt."

Maybe it's time to get a little closer  & look & listen...yes, listen real hard and i'm sure you'll understand what they're saying!