Sounds like a very good plan, and you've handled the crisis masterfully!

Congratulations,
Claire

Thank you for sharing your garden adventures. I'm glad everything is turning out so well for you!

Congratulations! When everything is in and settled, and you have some time to take photos, please post a few to let us see your transformation. (I just love before and after pictures!)

Oo! Another vote for photos, before and after, please!

Hello!
We have a border!! Where the pines once stood, there are now 9 rhododendrons ranging from 15 tall down to about 6.5 some staggered and finishing in a gentle curve embracing the house. All were planted about 5 ft. away from the pine line. What a story. About three weeks ago, a fellow from the CT chapter of the American Rhododendron Society sent me an email and recommended I contact Carol Yee in Ashford, CT. She is a rhody propagator by trade (soon retiring) but she runs a little business on her property called Carols Collectibles. (website is: http:/www.carolscollectibles.com ) Long story made short, I visited with her for several hours one Friday and finally I told her what I really wanted was all the mature rhody maximums that were growing next to one of her hoop houses. She said she was thinking of removing them to gain more sunlight for the hoop house and within a minute we had a deal. Sold all 6 of them. They are similar in variety to the maximums I had on the corner. I had brought a bracket of leaves from my rhodys so she could compare them. A very close match. Blooms are that pinky/lilac colorummspoken like a true expert.

On Monday morning, March 31st, one landscaper arrived in the rain and hand dug my 3 tall rhodys on the corner. One was in place by afternoon. Boy, those guys really had to wrestle with the top heavy plants in gusty winds. The 80 border where the pines once lived had been cleared of debris and many roots. Tuesday morning at 6:45a.m., 18 yards of new soil arrived. At 8 a.m., another landscaper with a trailer and 3 men, followed me to Ashford to dig up Carols rhodys. It took 2 hours to hand dig them, tarp them up (home made B&B), load them and secure them for the trip. Winds were up to 40mph and it was raining. By 3:30p.m on Tuesday, the first landscaper had the 15 tall plants from the corner lined up on the new border, planted and completely staked (triangular form) and the six new rhodys from Carols were in place and staked. They were only out of the ground for 6 hours. It was still raining. Two hundred feet of soaker hose was set up the next morning and the stretch of 9 rhodys was completely covered with pine mulch. In one 24 hour period we went from nothing to everything.

The area outside the sculptured bed I seeded with grass yesterday, as well as the front lawn that went wonky through the winter and tree work. Going into the backyard there is a hole already dug to take a flowering crabapple, malus "prairifire". It will reach about 20 high and wide and has persistent smaller than usual fruit into winter. Cedar waxwings love them, so Ive read, and I based the tree selection on its bright maroon blooming buds that supposedly mature into "hot mama" dark pink. Under that tree will be another island of smaller-growing rhodys that like some dappled shade.

It was incredible luck to find Carols Collectibles and be able to come home with a border. She has a truly interesting place that literally she runs by herself and her dog, Little Bit, and a chicken named Peeps. Gosh, she has so many interesting plants and shrubs. This place is worth the ride, but call first to make sure shes there. Should be gorgeous when her hundreds of rhodys bloom. Many are field grown. Ive ordered Beddleia davidii "peacock" (small English var. of butterfly bush), Daphne tangutica, Deutzia gracilis, Strawberry Fields, and a few other things to help out with smaller garden areas. In back of the deck where I swore I would never plant another thing, the bed has now been expanded by 10 in length and 3 in width. Beginning to feel like I should attend a Gardners Anonymous meeting for my addiction. The newly transplanted rhodys are not showing any signs of stress after 3 days in their new home. Of course, its raining again. Fingers are crossed!

Hoping for blooms, (and before and after pictures to pop into this message)

Jane

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WOW, Jane! That is absolutely incredible -- and will be utterly spectacular when they all bloom (do you expect they will this year, or will you lose a year because of the transplant stress?)

Just curious ... did the gentleman from the rhododendron society email you because he saw your post on GW, or had you emailed them for information/advice?

You must be absolutely thrilled -- what a beautiful solution you came up with, congratulations!!!

(Be sure to post some pictures when they bloom :)

Talk about instant gratification, my jaw is dropped in amazement! Beautiful job, you were really on a roll throughout this whole crisis. Has the tree warden seen the new landscaping?

The rain was, and still is, probably a blessing, helping the plants make a smooth transition.

Claire

Wow - fantastic! An instant living fence! I bet those babies will bloom this Spring, though perhaps not as gloriously as they would have if they weren't moved.

How exciting, what dramatic changes you are making in your landscape. After the initial trauma of losing your trees, you must be feeling MUCH better.

Thanks so much for the update - great story and an inspiring example of making lemonade out of lemons.

In back of the deck where I swore I would never plant another thing, the bed has now been expanded by 10 in length and 3 in width.

Well, that sounds VERY familiar, and made me laugh out loud.

Great job!!!
I see you mentioned Daphne tangutica you ordered from Carol.
Since plant is rarely offered in commerce and not much of info available on the net few things you should know.
In z6 it probably will be more semi-evergreen than evergreen since foliage is highly succeptible to winter sunburns (similarly to skimmia). Very light and I mean it very-very light shearing in early spring will help to keep it more presentable.
Gorgeous orange-red berries are extremely poisonous to humans (dogs, cats and birds wouldn't touch them, but unaware kids could be attracted to them). In Russia people call the plant 'Wolf-berry' for a reason.
Contrary to D.tangutica, D.transatlantica (D.caucasica) being of the same hardiness and somewhat similarly looking only larger do not produce any berries and therefore is more desrable. I believe Carol have them as well, straight species and probably some of the numerous cultivars including variegated 'Summer Ice', so maybe before it's too late you may consider to change your order?
Good luck.

Hello Jane :-)

Well, I'll be darned! I am in awe of how quickly you have been able to accomplish what was needed with your side yard. We move so slowly here at our house, I would have been still thinking about what to do a year later. [g]

Great solution and execution gets 5 stars! Will you hire out? :-)

pm2