Why I Oughta...

Last Summer, we added a tree-form Dappled Willow (Hakuro Nishiki) to the south fenceline of our backyard after having one of the same trees in Elmhurst years ago.   Both Nat and I fell in love with this tree after buying it (the first time) on a total whim.  It is a lollipop-shaped tree with a single trunk and a festive, mop on top that grows these beautiful multi-colored whips of willow.  In the photo at the top of this post, you can see that it also puts off these little cone-like things that mark it's return to glory.  This tree is probably the furthest along of all the deciduous trees in our yard with the first leaves of green showing on some of the tips. This was the most recent tree that I planted in our yard - the last one of 2019 and I'm happy that it is coming back to life after the first year in the ground.  Based on my previous experience, I'm thinking that I'm now out of the danger zone in terms of getting this tree to come back.

Another day, another tree that we planted in the yard.  This one, while isn't technically in the "dwarf" category, is another purposely-small tree:  A Hakuro Nishiki Dappled Willow Tree.  Welp....this is actually - according to the tag - a "Deciduous Shrub", but in Tree Form.  So, I'm calling it a tree.  I'm pretty sure that this is a grafted tree, but I can't really tell where it was grafted.  I'll post some closer photos if I can find the graft spot/line in the tree.   But, since this is a tree, this is #35 in terms of planting since we bought the property in 2017.  This is a tree that we had (and I bought it on a whim) back at our old house in Elmhurst.  We planted it on the northside of our backwalk, adjacent to the garage.  It was a stunner.   I loved how it looked.  Nat loved it, too.  It shoots out these beautiful - and almost celebratory - willow limbs that are full of color. Pinks, greens, whites...