This poor tree has had a tough time. My husband fell in love with it when he got it and brought it home. This is its third spring, and it is still struggling. But it is so pretty, so I keep pruning the dead twigs and keep it watered, so it will bloom again next year.
I think I know the cause of its troubles. The tree in the background is a redwood. It was so cute and little when we planted it over 20 years ago. But it isn’t so cute once it grows up (kind of like puppies and kittens) and the downside of such a dominant tree start to show. The roots of a redwood tree go everywhere – horizontally. I know this because when I dig any holes around the redwood, the roots are a distinct red, and they are prolific. Redwoods seem to seek the moisture, and in my clay soil that is sideways.
susansflowers 