Too Little, Too Late

I don’t think she’s going to make it.

I’d asked Scott to restake this oak tree in our front yard because the top was growing crooked. (Yes, aesthetics are as far as my interest in landscaping really extends.) Unfortunately for all concerned, the stakes he brought home were, in my view, “ugly.”

While we waited for the chance to return the ugly stakes and buy some with more curb appeal, a storm blew through and flattened the tree — literally.

We’ve since staked it out but Scott thinks the tap root snapped and it’s probably too late.

Have I mentioned I have a brown thumb?

I realize the body is not yet cold, but I actually regretted putting the oak tree there in the first place. I really wanted something with better fall foliage and a faster growth rate.

This morning, I set out across the web to see what options I might need to consider. I was lucky enough to discover the Arbor Day Foundation website.

I don’t know where I’ve been but it never occurred to me that you could buy trees from the Arbor Day Foundation online — but you can. It looks like they only ship twice a year, but if you’re the kind of person who plans ahead, that might be just fine. They have a great selection and the prices are really reasonable, especially if you become a member for a whopping $10.

I love the tree-centric features on the website. You can find your Hardiness Zone (in my case, Zone 7), and then find the trees most appropriate for Zone 7. They have detailed information, complete with photos, for each of the trees they offer. My favorite feature is the Tree Wizard. Enter in the parameters, such as type of tree, growing conditions and available space, and you get a list of trees that fit your needs.

Cool, huh?