Still the tree soldiered on with a lackluster crop every year. Sometimes due to late frosts but mostly to decline. I kept waiting for another year like the one we had some years ago. Oh! you should have seen how many pomegranates we harvested that year. Do you remember? I won second place in a photo competition called 'Abundant Harvest' What could be more fitting than the pomegranate winning such a prize with its association with fertility.
But this year in May the hail came and it did massive damage to every woody plant. You can see the tree has tried valiantly to repair the bark in many places.
In others it seems to have given up.
And so I decided the time had come to remove it and redo that corner of the garden. David has been asking for a few years if he could take it out so I finally gave him permission. At last we will be able to use the gate at the back.
For the present time I am thinking about what to do in this empty spot. I have my share of those this year so it may take me a while. In the meantime I have moved the refurbished, garage sale bench into the area. What could be more fitting for a so called English garden.
There is work to do; re-stucco the wall, move those iris and the yaupon holly that seeded under the tree. Maybe a pot of winter annuals to dress up the area, a little table on which to put my tea tray! Now if only the weather would become more fall like I could get on with moving a few plants around and then I can sit down on the bench, tea in hand and a pile of gardening books by my side, and come up with an idea.
I'm so sorry about Mr. Pom, but your garden is delicious! Love your chore list: mine's 10 miles long, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's always sad to lose a tree. Losing a tree with fruit you enjoy is even worse but I'm sure you'll make the right choice for your garden. I'm also eagerly awaiting fall. We had a few pleasant days but now we've got another heatwave - today's nighttime temperature isn't even expected to fall below 80F until after midnight.
ReplyDeleteAre there any plans for another pomegranate tree in a different spot? They are so pretty!
ReplyDeleteI thought 'Mr. Pom' might be a beloved pet. In a way, I guess he was. I grow non-fruiting pomegranates for the orange and white striped flowers and because they were at this place before me.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot be charged with a rush to judgement about the tree. Surely it was wiser to take it out now rather than wait for it to die off completely. I was noticing that sweet circle of irises, admiring how well planted they are and thinking how lovely they'll be when viewed from that new bench. On the list to be moved! I know you'll choose another perfect spot for them. And this is my second reminder from outside I have irises that need to be moved. I better get that done this weekend!
ReplyDeleteIt's been interesting working through such a damaging year in/to the gardens here in Central Texas. Areas I'm clearing out and originally had big BIG plans for are actually going to stay relatively unplanted for a season as I'm adjusting to the idea of a (slightly) less busy aesthetic. That adage about a design being done when you can no longer remove one more thing? I'm trying that approach rather than even attempting to replace everything that has faltered or been flattened this past year. Then again, I've never had so many areas needing work all at once. Daunting! As long as our chore lists are at the moment, with the delay in fall cool/wet weather delaying putting in new plantings, I fear next Spring's list is going to be even longer.
Oh man, I didn't even realize there was a gate back there! I am always admiring how fast you guys are with executing a project. Your refurbished bench looks right at home in that spot. Hard to believe there was a tree there last week! Are you going to replace the pom? I've been hearing lots from one of the Master Gardeners about different pomegranate varieties she's trialing. I've been a bit underwhelmed by the flavor of the fruit from my 'Wonderful' pom.
ReplyDeleteIt’s hard to watch a great tree decline, isn’t it? But those pictures of the post-hail bark were heartbreaking. The new bench looks lovely there — and in time you will have an inspiration about what to put there.
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