Sunday, June 24, 2012

Score! Golden Shadows Pagoda Dogwood



I have been admiring this plant for a few years now. This last week, My Handsome Son agreed to be dragged along on a garden nursery road trip and in the scrath and dent area of a nearby nursery, we found the W A Stackman 'Golden Shadows' pagoda dogwood.

I have been admiring, but have not come across one in a nursery, nor would I have thought I would have found one at any price I would have felt I could have justified its purchase. Now here in front of me was a 'Golden Shadows', albeit tortured and maltreated, giving me a wink that I should take it home for a mere $32.

Handsome Son encouraged its adoption, I think to make up for his leaving on vacation within the week. So it came home with us. I weeded its pot, gave it some 10-10-10 and a generous drink. I clipped it chains to a obligatory bamboo stake and carefully removed dead twigs and opened up its structure with a few, very few clips of my pruners. I placed it in the shade of my smokebush 'Nordine' and there it remains while I contemplate where I can possibly plant it.

The perfect spot for it is already taken, by a regular and very beautiful pagoda dogwood - cornus alternifolia. Dr. Darrel Apps has one these regular types as well in his own yard just across the street from me, on the sunny side of the street. He has the southern exposure, I the northern angle under my huge white pine. All the difference in our two gardens on the same street come from this chance difference, and in the beautiful growth of my pagoda dogwood versus his.

My pagoda has flowered heavily, yet still has the graceful layering of branches that is this small tree's signature trait. Dr. Apps' has a much more upright structure.

In discussion of this gold variegated version of the pagoda dogwood, most other plant people I have talked with agree; this plant need careful siting in a dappled shade with plenty of moisture.

So my delightful problem, where to plant?

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations! I love the red berries - and so do the birds. That tree is on my list, but my spouse insisted on a flowering dogwood instead (Cornus florida 'Appalachian Blush.')

    Maybe next year, if I can find a place to put it.

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