Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Wisteria Envy

Photo courtesy of capemary photobucket.com
When I first laid eyes on this house back in August, it had a big, wild, untamed wisteria draped across the big front porch. That was a selling point for me; I fell in love immediately.

We signed the lease and came out to our new little rental to find that the wisteria had been brutally chopped back to a nub. I nearly cried.

To my continuing dismay, it still has not grown back. With all this rain, with everything else blossoming, I thought for sure it would come back. I looked closely at it this afternoon, and there are little budding leaves there; it's not totally dead.

Yesterday, I saw a beautiful photograph of my boss's porch, taken earlier this week. Wisteria flowers frame the view heavily. It's lush and gorgeous, and it makes me sad about my wisteria that never had a chance.

I wonder what I can do to rescue it? As soon as this paper I'm writing is all turned in, I am going to plant some flowers, beautify my front porch, make it an idyllic place to hang out on summer days for as long as I am able to live in this house.

6 comments:

\ said...

brutally chopped back to a nub.??!!

sounds like a case of wisteria hysteria..

Anonymous said...

Time to watch "The Secret Garden."

Indie said...

Suzy, you are absolutely right. It was a total over-reaction on the part of some gardener to voluptuous overabundance.

How will I protect this lovely plant come next fall with the mad pruner returns? I will have to occupy my porch day and night like a tree-sitter in the redwoods.

Anonymous, good idea!! :)

Carol said...

A branch rotted off our ancient wysteria and snap-off easily in my hands. I am guessing it is over 50 years old, as the house was built in 1954. It is just starting to bloom. I beleive you will get some new growth from wherever it was cut, if not near the roots. they are hardy. You can train the vines to grow in any direction you wish. The blooms appear on the old wood or second year growth. Good luck!

Indie said...

Thank you, Carol. I had hoped it would grow back but it looks so bare still... On the other hand, the roses that I pruned last month or so are DELIGHTED and abundant. I am a friend to roses now :) Wish I knew how to befriend the wisteria... aren't they beautiful? I hope your venerable one comes back in some form too.

Carol said...

Our wysteria is looking magnificent right now and the buds are just starting to open up. I call the roses the Queens of the Garden. Something ate the roots of our Lime Sublime, so I put it in a pot. Yes, the roses, are just beginning to open!