It’s snowing and I’m feeling heartbroken. And Jeff, our gardener,( he comes one day a week and is indispensable – see sidebar.) is out there, in the snow, working so hard. Digging up the box balls in our front garden.
What to say? We’ve been putting off this dreadful decision for about two years now, ever since box blight arrived in the front garden. We are just about keeping blight under control and bits of the plants would die off then start cheerfully – but so slowly, – sprouting healthy new growth.
So we kept thinking it might recover, or a miracle would happen, or we’d stop noticing..
It’s called denial and finally we’ve stopped now and the miserable job is being done. There’s only Billy who doesn’t mind…
And now it’s even stopped snowing – I thought it might at least brighten a bleak picture up for us….
The front garden will have to have a revamp and we have exciting plans. But for for some time we will be looking at a very bleak space with major absences.
I used to love the box balls covered in snow.
Sorry to hear that Anne. Really hard to have to rip out what feels like a key element in a garden. Good luck with your new plans.
Thanks, Sue. Feels very bleak right now..
Gutted! The blight is taking hold over here, too, along with disfiguring psyllid infestations. The more people plant box, the more roosts these have to land and devastate. What a beautiful picture you created. And I’m sure you will again.
Thanks, Helen – it will help when it’s not winter ….
Oh Anne, I’m so sorry to hear about this awful blight, no wonder you’re heart broken. The very best of luck with your new plans.
Thank you, Jennie. The best thing about snow if we have some will be it will change the scene for a few days…
How awful. Are any of the Asian box immune? I can’t wait to hear your plans for renewal.
I don’t think any box are – I wouldn’t advise anyone to plant any (though we still have loads left to worry about!) kind of box now. Too risky. And in spite of what people say no-one actually knows how it spreads…I’ll get round to cheerful new plans sometime…!
Those gorgeous big Taxus balls have such presence you can afford to dispense with the Buxus. What will you do ..have pyramids clipped uber tight like Cypresses or do a Marqueyssac and create an assemblage of wonky shapes !
Not sure. Will be adding a rail that fits with the pergola all the way round, and a new bird path, we hope (commissioned and we await a drawing) – but in corners by the bird bath – dunno yet… Important – it’s our constant view..
Oh dear, Anne. It’s hard to dig up such magnificent, mature plants BUT Box gets Blight, can be trimmed only on a dull day to prevent leaf scorch AND (much worse) stinks of tom cats. So, OUT WITH IT, plan, scheme, research by the fire and replant gloriously and excitedly when the weather warms up and the sap begins to rise. If you decide on a similar plant, albeit a lighter, brighter green, may i suggest Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ or, for a hint of purplish in the foliage, Country Park? Both are well-behaved, tolerant, disease-free and need less clipping.
Hate to say this, Becky, but we still have about 3 miles of box hedging …(and I love the smell). AND (as well) thanks for your suggestions – I will check those out and I’m sure other people on here will appreciate the possibilities. XXX
so sorry anne
Thank you, Emma.
Oh my gosh. I am sure you had to do it, but they still look so green and healthy from the distance of the photo. I don’t think i could have done it….you know me, every little plant has to get saved xxx
They had great big gashes out of them where the blight had been. It will be better not looking at them and fretting all the time once we’ve got used to it.
O dear – I actually feel quite queasy! I’d be gutted 🙁 Which isn’t very cheering for you, sorry. Winter before last I lost my standard privet lollipops – couldn’t bear to dig em out for a whole year so painted them white to make them a ghostly presence. Looked awful. Chin up. xxx
I remember them. Shame it didn’t work – was good idea. *smiles grimly*
Oh Anne that’s heartbreaking. It’s a horror once it gets in-we both know that and I think after last years wet you will not be alone in what you’ve had to do. But it is heartbreaking and I feel your pain. I truly do. xxxxx
Thanks Sara. I hope we can make it all look a bit better for when you get here…
I hope the stark change in the front garden leads to an exciting opportunity in what to do next!
Lots of luck and creativity…
I hope I can do it.. thanks.
Bad news indeed – but I guess once the deed is done it,s best to start looking for the opportunities that open up.
I’ve had the same dilemma with yews which have failed to thrive (basically they’ve died). We’ve persevered…for 7 years and now have a patchy row of what should be formal columns. Should have given up in 2005 and done something completely different. Have wasted all that time when there are ideas just waiting to be excited about.
It takes some people (who shall be nameless) a long time to grasp the nettle!
And now you mention our yews are finding the constant wet a bit much – the only thing they really hate. But we’re improving their drainage and hope that will help.. If you look through the gallery on this website you’ll see they are not easily discarded. So not easy, these decisions.
I do hope your alternative works and gives great pleasure..
All gardens must evolve: it is often too easy to become lazy, complacent, to miss the possibilities to improve what we have created. Sometimes we tweak around the edges. Sometimes something more drastic happens and we have to sacrifice treasured friends. And it hurts.
But, as you say, you have “exciting plans”. Out of the loss comes opportunity. So whilst sympathising with your loss, I look forward to the garden becoming better; to the phoenix rising from the ashes.
If needs be, think of the humble lonicera nitida. Once established (in a year or so), it offers loads of pruning and shaping opportunities and is very fast growing. Small leaved, available in green or gold. I have some that I’ve chopped to ground level and they’re three feet tall again within a year. Propagation’s a doddle too.
Lonicera was there once – hated it – grew long whiskery bits whenever I turned my back! But I hope I’ll be able to rise to the challenge, John and please you on your next visit..
In the middle of reading your book. Love it.
I thought you must be my twin until I read these blog comments
Way too much sentimentality for me. I lost a year old calf yesterday – squashed by its Aunties rushing to the feed wagon. Heartbreaking – a cruel twisted knife in the soul but the last thing I need is the sorrow to be prolonged by wonderful friends. Have animals -will die. Have plants -will die.
Enjoy extracting your next vision knowing that the death of your snow balls have given way to new life
Well you may have to revise your opinion of me. But it’s not the plants, it’s the garden, and if I didn’t care deeply what the garden looks like, what the experience of the garden is like, I wouldn’t have bothered – nor wrote the book.
I am equally passionate about my environment.
Your words are deep and penetrating. You are the first
person to ever respond to one of my comments and I thank you for that.
You are a rare person in a disturbingly fluffy world. All the best.
And you just made me laugh! XXX
Now – that is sad
No it’s not – your ‘fluffy world’ is such a good expression, and you cheered me up. Thank you.
Thank you back for a great book. I share your memory issues and all the associated problems that creates with communicating with the “lingually learned”. x x x
Anne I was sent your link by Jeff & Bethan (I am Jeffs Mum) and its too bad about the box having to come out! I am sure when your new plans take shape you will once again have a beauty of a front garden ( maybe with Jeffs help?) with regards to the snow its now 1.20 am and we have a little here so am sure you will have plenty there by now! (I dont always sleep well!) thus the time! Hope the snow improves the view!
Thank you Margaret – and it will all be made new with your Jeff’s help one day – but you are right: not today. There are already about 4 inches of snow outside and the garden looks pretty wonderful again, even without the box.
That is not good. I loved them. It is not much consolation for you that I have been playing with the idea of introducing box here and think now that I won’t so you may have saved me the same experience. For that I am grateful. Very interested to know what comes next though.
Glad if some good comes of it! XXX
So very sorry to hear this Anne, but you’ve done the right thing, hard as it is.
How is the box in the rest of the garden? Do you still have it in the ‘veg garden’?
I like the sound of ‘exciting plans’ & it’s a really great opportunity to re-design/reinvent the front garden – though it was absolutely glorious as it was!
Gradually the ‘plan’ will become out of date!
Sending you & Charles a huge hug – keep warm, snuggle up & dream of your plans for the garden.
L xx
It’s not going to be that different Libby – but they are on your plan, so the plan is now out of date. But we have a new car park too… maybe we’ll have to have a new plan one day!
The rest of the box is struggling but we’re managing it without major damage so far, just bits of damage and we get slow regrowth… Fingers crossed….
Thanks for much needed hug.XXXXX
See how many people care about Veddw ! I also agree with Fiona Clubb about your book. For me it has been the most honest and insightful book about a garden and gardening that I have read.
Hey, Paul! This is a cheer-Anne-up Conspiracy!! (It’s working) XXXXXXX
Ooo-errr…. must have needed a large gulp of finest malt before making this decision!
For what it’s worth, I understand the NT have gone over to using Ilex crenata in place of Buxus, precisely because of the risk of blight. I doubt I could tell the difference between them.
Thank you – sadly there is one very clear way of telling the difference: cost.
We grew our box from clippings we found when garden visiting after someone had just cut their hedge. Ilex crenata cost an arm and various other bits…NT must be richer than us..
Finest malt on duty for recovery from that exercise..xx
Ummm Elm/Ash/Box..your over populated Island is telling you something.