Emperor 1 Japanese Maple Planted (Second One) - May 2023

During the Winter doldrums, I mused on here about how I wanted to add 'a couple of Japanese Maple trees' to the garden and mentioned a few places where I thought they might work.  At that time, I was happy with my Emperor 1 Japanese Maple back by the fire pit and realized that the weeping Tamukeyama Maple tree had died.   I've been happy with the Emperor 1 Japanese Maple - it has put on new growth and is a nice, upright tree with dark maroon foliage.  

When I was at the Orange Big Box nursery, I noticed a series of small (2 gallon nursery pots) of Japanese Maples that were short, but full of leaves.  Turns out, they were Emperor 1's.  Below is a look at how they were showing in their containers:

The price was right (for me) at $35 and when you factor in the 11% rebate, the price comes down to $31.50 or so.  Below is the container:

These Emperor 1's are upright Japanese Maples, but they top-out at 12-to-15 feet.  They can go just about *anywhere*.  In the post from last December, I mentioned a few places: under the Catalpas, behind the Yew hedge in the back or even on the northside Garage bed.  I also have been thinking about planting a small, ornamental tree in the apex of the curvilinear arc of the bed nearest to the Kitchen windows.  Right in with the Fanal Astilbes and in front of the Oakleaf Hydrangeas.  That's where I decided to put this one - see below:

The red foliage contrasts with the various greens - and since it is close to the house, we can enjoy this small (for now) Japanese Maple from the patio and house.  So much so that...I'm pretty sure I'm going to plant at least one more (or two) of these.    I have been working on bringing more 'repetition' to our garden - by using some of the same material in different spots and I think upright, red Japanese Maples - like the Emperor 1 - can help achieve that repetition, too.  Below are a couple of looks at some planting ideas and how I could repeat - alternating back and forth from each bed - the look.  The (now) two existing Maples are in maroon on the bottom (south) side of the beds.  When I add another one, I should think about where on the north side they should go.   A few other notes;  there are two trees in decline:  The clump of River Birch (two of the three trunks appear to have died) and the Kwanzan Flowering Cherry.  

This is now my second (existing) Japanese Maple and they both are Acer palmatum trees.  I've been learning a bit about JMs and I've learned that there are (at least) three kinds:  Acer palmatum, Acer japonicum and Acer shirasawanum.  I'd like to think about having some different species going forward.  

2023 marks my seventh tree-planting season.

The two Ginkgos were #79 and #80 and the second and third trees of 2023.  This Emperor 1, Acer palmatum Japanese Maple is the 81st tree and the fourth of the year. 

Earlier this year, I marked four deaths, we (now) have 55 of 81 trees that we've planted.

81 trees planted/7 growing seasons = 11.57 trees on average planted each season
55 trees alive/7 growing seasons = 7.85 trees on average survive each season.

Here's the full accounting:

2017 (9 planted. 4 Dead. 5 of the original annual total alive now):
1. Flowering Pear in backyard on north side.
2. Flowering Pear in front yard by garage. (LOST and replaced)
3. Japanese flowering cherry
4 and 5: 2 Lindens that I espalier'd and placed by the south fence line near our kitchen windows.
6. A Dawn Redwood from Earth Day 2017 (LOST and replaced)
7. Nat's Saucer Magnolia in our front yard
8. A Corkscrew Willow all the way in the back (LOST)
9. A Crimson King Norway Maple near the trampoline

2018 (17 planted. 6 Dead):
10. Another flowering pear from Earth Day 2018
11. Red Maple Sun Valley tree from Earth Day 2018.
12. Weeping Cedar tree - our first evergreen.  (LOST)
13. The weeping flowering cherry tree that the Babe planted for Earth Day 2018.
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. These Frans Fontaine Hornbeams. 
22. A replacement Chanticleer Pear tree (3" caliper) out front by our garage
23. Our second evergreen - a short Fraser Fir Christmas Tree out by the trampoline. (LOST)
24. This Canadian Hemlock that is the first of nine that our landscape plan calls for in the backyard. (LOST)
25. Our replanted/replacement Dawn Redwood. Same spot as the first.
26. This teeny-tiny Bald Cypress that I planted in the front yard, in between our driveway and our neighbor to the north.

2019 (9 planted.  5 Dead):

27, 28, 29.  A set of three small Canadian Hemlock Trees in our far backyard. (Two Lost)

30, 31, 32.  This second set of three small Canadian Hemlocks along the north fence line. (One Lost)
33.  My new Weeping White Spruce that will only grow about 4' wide placed near the fence line alongside the espalier'd Lindens.
34.  A NEW Dwarf Alberta Spruce planted near the south fence line.  Our first "dwarf" tree.
35.  This new Hakuro Nishiki Willow (Dappled Willow) tree planted close to the flowering cherry on the southside.  LOST - October 2020.

2020 (17 planted and 6 Dead):

36.  A small Chanticleer flowering pear on Earth Day 2020 outside our screened porch.

37.  A very thin Lombardy Poplar tree - columnar form - in the way back wood chip area.  LOST - July 2020.
38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45.  These apple trees in a Belgian Fence espalier.
46.  A small Northern Red Oak tree - our first Oak tree planted.
47.  A 'decapitated' Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud that I planted on a whim.
48.  A replacement (from the nursery) Lavender Twist Redbud planted close to the brother.
49.  A tall(ish) London Plane tree that suffered some transplant and frost shock, but seemed to recover. 

50.  Our second contorted tree - this one inspired by Disneyland Paris: a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick tree.

51.  Our third contorted tree - but one that checks A LOT of boxes.  Deciduous conifer.  Weeping.  Contorted.  Japanese.  Planted behind the front Maple - the Horstmann's Recursive Weeping Contorted Larch.  LOST - Aug 2020.

52.  Via the Morton Arboretum Plant Sale - a columnar tree from Japan - the Red Fox Katsura Tree that I planted as an understory tree to the dying Chanticleer Pear Tree next to our driveway. 

2021 (16 planted and 13 alive):

53.  A tiny bareroot Shagbark Hickory from the Benet Academy Environmental Club planted in the backyard.   LOST - May 2023

54.  Our first Japanese Maple - a dwarf Tamukeyama Maple planted in the south backyard bed.  LOST - May 2023

55.  A large Weeping Nootka Falsecypress from Wannemaker's planted in the new bed on the northside. 

56.  A long-sought-after Emperor I Japanese Maple - our second Japanese Maple - that is now planted on the border near our new-to-be-created fire pit area in the backyard. 

57.  A Harvest Gold Hargozam Crabapple tree in our Belgian Fence (replacement)

58.  Another Harvest Gold Hargozam Crabpple tree in the middle of our Belgian Fence.

59.  A dwarf Japanese White Pine - Pinus Parviflora Nana (or perhaps something else).  LOST 2022.

60. and 61.  A pair of Malus 'Sutyzam' (Sugar Tyme) Crabapple trees on the southside of our house in pre-espalier form.

62.  A tiny, injured (cracked in half) Ginko tree that arrived via online nursery.  

63.  A short Chinquapin Oak tree from a fundraiser planted in our backyard. 

64.  A second, tiny Ginko tree - this was a replacement for #62 - planted 'ib2dw'.

65.  A small - and ALL Green - Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) planted in front of the back Yews.

66. 67. 68.  A trio of London Planetree 'Bloodgood' trees that are planted along the fence that I'm going to attempt to pleach.

2022 (9 planted and 7 alive):

69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. Six Green Giant Thujas trees planted as an upright evergreen layer in the backyard. Thuja standishii plicata. TWO LOST.  May 2023.

75. A small Saratoga Ginko tree planted in our front yard by the front walk.

76.  A London Planetree Exclamation planted in our parkway.  A bandit tree of sorts.

77.  The largest tree - 3.5" caliper - we've ever planted. A Triumph Elm - Ulmus 'Morton Glossy' as a replacement for the large Norway Maple tree in our front yard. 

2023 (4 planted and 4 alive):

78.  Small, Columnar Scotch Pine from Home Depot in early Spring 2023. 

79 and 80.  Dwarf "witches broom" Ginkgo trees - Spring Grove - planted on either side of our back stoop.  

81.  A (very small) Acer palmatum Emperor 1 Japanese Maple planted in the kitchen window bed by the row of Astilbes.