Once in a while landscaping and horticulture collide in the field and we get a classic dilemma. Two choices and who decides? I have one good recent example to discuss below but first, let’s review one from the fall.
Forcing fall
Every time I see it in the field, I’m horrified; two landscapers standing under a beautiful Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), blasting away at the crown with their backpack blowers trying to dislodge every single leaf. (Landscaping).
But, why the rush? Japanese maples look their best in the fall with their gorgeous colours. Let’s enjoy them. This is why people pay lots of cash for Japanese maples. (Horticulture).
This particular specimen is located in a high-profile spot near mailboxes and it’s inset, so that any leaf drop isn’t in the way. I would argue that even the leaves on the ground add beauty. Until the backpack blowers arrive…..
Miscanthus
It was a running joke because for a few weeks straight I had to defend these ornamental grasses (Miscanthus sinensis) from getting chopped down to the ground. (Landscaping).
Again, why the rush to power shear ornamental grasses when they give us something to look at in winter? Let them be ornamental. And when we get frost, the plumes look stunning. (Horticulture).
Miscanthus sinensis also stands up well to wind and snow. So as long as the grasses stand erect, I say leave them alone and enjoy them. There is usually some weekly clean-up required but that’s easily taken care of with a rake.
Once the grasses are chopped down there is nothing to look at except for the Rhododendron. The Rudbeckias won’t be putting on a show until late summer. Right now they can be mistaken for weeds.
Dilemmas
Once in a while we get these on-site dilemmas where eager landscapers want to overrun a site and stubborn supervisors prefer to slow down and enjoy the landscape. Who decides?
