Monday, June 20, 2011

Death of the Killer Tree


This lovely, serene Snowberry Coreopsis now lives in the home of the Killer Tree. The Snowberry does not mourne its loss and neither do I. It was an awful spiteful tree and deserved its fate.


The Killer Tree was lurking here disguised as a trellis for about a million different types of vines that call this fence line home. We did not know it was there until we started taking out the vines that were threatening to take over the garden, march across the lawn, and consume our house. The Killer Tree bit me badly each time I tried to pull vines away from the fence. Who knew that gardening could be so dangerous? I am scarred for life.



See? Huge, deadly thorns on this tree. Not only did they cover every branch, and there were a lot of branches, they went right down to the base of the tree. Awful, horrible, malicious tree. Quite pretty bark and leaves, but still, who needs a tree that is so evil in their garden.

Just as a small diversion from this tale of the battle between good and evil, I think the Killer Tree is a hawthorn.  It derives its name from the old English 'haw' for hedge and translates literally to throny hedge. Brilliant. The internet is chockers full of interesting information. Like this little nugget: 

" After the British General Enclosures Act of 1845 hawthorn was used extensively as hedgerow because of its thorny nature and quick growth, angering peasants who no longer could enter the lands they previously roamed at will. "  GardenGuides.com   

Totally useless information for this particular garden battle and since we have very few angry roaming peasants in the neighborhood, the Killer Tree had to go. 



It was a pretty fierce and dangerous battle involving saws, axes, bare hands, sweat, blood, tears and many harsh words. But in the end good triumphed over evil.


Voila! 

Re-stacked stone wall, top soil and compost, a few perenials. Good triumphs over evil, and the universe is saved from certain destruction.

Early Sunrise Coreopsis

12 comments:

sharon said...

Gosh LeAnn, so glad to see you won that battle! BUT, I knew you would!

Your yard is looking great!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful garden, even better minus the thorns. We had some beautiful coreopsis plants last year, but they we food for the rabbits this year - I miss them.

windrock studio said...

Good job, LeAnn! Looks like a lovely space there, hope y'all are having fun!

Gardanne said...

That does look scary.

Judy said...

You are making just amazing progress! What a horrible tree with killer thorns...I have never seen one like it.

stregata said...

...but don't they have wonderful black berries? Or am I thinking of a different thorny plant?
Anyway - your garden is looking great. Do you have roses? I fight battles with those thorny but beautiful plants several times a year - no garden without constant battles of good against evil...

Kathy said...

This post reminded me of the apple trees in the Wizard of Oz with the scary faces. I hate things with thorns!! - Kathy

Vintajia Adornments said...

Only one problem tree?
I'll swap you for the acres of
@$&%# lantana we are slowly grubbing out

My Life Under the Bus said...

Who doesn't love hoards of angry peasents?

Anonymous said...

Love the coreopsis. All kinds! Good job with the thorny menace. It looks like you are having fun settling in.

Joan Tucker said...

LeAnn, very funny, very good writing; I do not read your blog for the express purpose of great writing but I will from now on. Good luck with garden and house; I have moved 35 times yikes. Joan T

Laura Twiford said...

Your posts always make me laugh, your writing is so clever and an joy to read!