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Friday, October 30, 2015

{Digging up Huge Indian Hawthorn and More...}

Little shrubs can grow into HUGE monsters... and often, after some 15+ years we find out that they were planted in the wrong spot!
So we decided to dig up our Huge Indian Hawthorn or Rhaphiolepis umbellate.
In Dutch this is: Indiase meidoorn. 
In German: Weißdolden.
In my previous post (link you find below) you saw me with my short hair standing in front of this HUGE Indian Hawthorn.
A nice evergreen shrub that blooms in the spring but it was growing inside our precious Fragrant Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno', again you can find the link below.
On a damp and cloudy day, husband Pieter started the mega-task. 
Together with also digging up the azaleas and prostrate gardenias that succumbed to the rattlesnake weeds, growing behind this retainer wall.
Spooky boy was always at his side!
Here you can see the Magnolia branches inside the HUGE shrub... They had to be rescued!
Even the drain pipe from the previous water project had to come out....
Supervisor Spooky is right there.
A pile of dug up underground stems from rattlesnake weed with its tubers is to the left and front.
Branches from the Indian Hawthorn in the back.
This is the pesky weed!
Called here in the south rattlesnake weed or Florida betony (Stachys floridana) just click the hyperlinks.
Also seen in the above picture are the other nasty weeds with taproot we got everywhere, the Chamberbitter (Phyllanthus urinaria)... 
Spooky is pondering about those pesky weeds...
Nasty looking all those rattlesnake weeds behind the retainer wall. 
All needed to be dug up and Pieter decided to sow grass seed instead and have the lawn extended.
There was a 3rd pesky weed involved too!
Smilax (Greenbrier) grew from the center of the Indian Hawthorn up into the Magnolia tree.
Spooky too was working hard to kill the pesky weeds.
Those underground stems and tubers from the rattlesnake weeds are shown behind him...
Such a loyal helper; every day he accompanied Pieter!
Pondering how it will look like in the future...
Right in the center of the Indian Hawthorn were these nasty tuberous roots from the Smilax (Greenbrier)!
No way to ever eradicate those, with that shrub sheltering them...
Their branches are also full of nasty thorns!
The Indian Hawthorn had a kind of orange wood and many stems, some thick and hard to cut and dig up.
Hard work!
Now you can see the cross tires that we together did place there 25 years ago!
The shrub also was covering up at least 3 feet of our driveway or 1 meter.
Spooky is seriously supervising!
Huge tuberous root came out from the Smilax (Greenbrier)
Will show you next how it looks now!
Gardens don't come about easy...

Related links:
{New Hair Style} | previous post by me showing you the Indian Hawthorn
{Our White Pansies & Indian Hawthorn} | previous post by me
{Our Fragrant Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno'} | previous post by me
Florida Betony control of pests weeds info


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19 comments:

  1. ClaudiaOctober 29, 2015 at 1:14 AM

    Dearest Mariette,
    oh yes, Gardens are always a lot of work, but, living without a garden would not be nice!
    Your husband did a great job and it was funny to see Spooky him watching all the time!
    Our cat is the same, when we are in the garden, like a little dog she comes with us, where we are going :O)
    Wishing you a wonderful rest of the week, and a lovely and wonderful weekend!
    Love, hugs and blessings,Claudia xo

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  2. Ada Plouvier-KopitopoulouOctober 29, 2015 at 3:48 AM

    aPieter did a great job! Planting is always nice, weeding is a pain in the ..... But, unfortunately necessary. When the work is done, it looks nice, clean and you feel satisfied. Gardening has a lot of ups and downs, but I love it!

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  3. Elisabeth PalzkillOctober 29, 2015 at 3:50 AM

    Liebe Mariette,

    ich freue mich über deinen schönen Post.
    Sonnige Grüße
    Elisabeth

    ReplyDelete
  4. biebkriebelsOctober 29, 2015 at 6:28 AM

    Oh wat een werk om dat allemaal op te graven, knap dat je man dat allemaal zelf doet! Wij hebben professionals ingehuurd vorig jaar om onze tuin na 36 jaar weer een beetje toegankelijk te maken en wortels te verwijderen. De kat zal wel een grote hulp geweest zijn, zo grappig dat ze altijd bij wat actie willen zijn, dat doet die van ons ook.

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  5. GerOctober 29, 2015 at 7:08 AM

    Lieve Mariette met een grote tuin is er in alle seizoenen veel werk te verzetten en hoe fijn is het dan dat jou Pieter dat nog allemaal zelf kan, menig jonge kerel doet het hem niet na.

    Wij hebben het wat dat betreft "iets" makkelijker met binnenplaatsje, gisteren de bakken en manden gevuld met winterviolen,herfst sfeertafel met pompoenen gemaakt onder het serre raam en daarna zijn we er nog lekker samen opuit geweest om in de najaarszon bij 19 graden te genieten van hapje en drankje onderweg.

    Lieve groet en dikke duim voor Pieter zijn vele werk.
    Ger

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  6. UnknownOctober 29, 2015 at 7:25 AM

    lieve Mariette ,
    Ja soms worden struiken echt te groot ...maar vaak als je ze helemaal terug snoeit
    groeien ze ook weer snel aan ....gelukkig is Pieter handig en hij heeft een grote hulp
    Spooky ..... heel veel groetjes ...
    P.s het korte haar staat je mooi

    ReplyDelete
  7. Francisco Manuel Carrajola OliveiraOctober 29, 2015 at 7:56 AM

    Belas fotografias gostei do gatinho.
    Um abraço e boa semana.

    ReplyDelete
  8. TexWisGirlOctober 29, 2015 at 9:40 AM

    i'm just loving spooky's supervision!

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  9. MarianOctober 29, 2015 at 9:53 AM

    Ja...na een aantal jaren komen er altijd van die mega klussen aan..alles heeft zijn onderhoud nodig, en nadien ben je blij dat je het gedaan hebt...En dat onkruid...is dus zoiets als zevenblad hier? het is wel een stachys...die ken ik alleen maar als 'mooie tuinplanten'...☺

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  10. TamagoOctober 29, 2015 at 12:17 PM

    Rattlesnake weeds! Good name for pesky weed :-) Spooky is such a good boy supervising and helping Pieter! He is very sleek and handsome, and the posture of him sitting kind of like a human is very cute! Both Pieter and Spooky must have gotten very tired after lot of work in the garden. Their hard work sure keeps the garden beautiful!

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  11. Michiko JohnsonOctober 30, 2015 at 12:01 AM

    We find out that they were planted in wrong sport. This is Indiare meidoorn.Spocky is sight there helping piter and spooky working hard in the garden. Indian Hawrhorn had kind of orange wood and many stlms Spooky is senousty supervising utiful garden beautiful.
    Hugs and love both of you!
    Michiko

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  12. LeeAnn at Mrs Black's October 30, 2015 at 5:56 AM

    Our front garden is overgrown with what was once a small evergreen tree - it is now a huge dark blotch! I fear we too will need to take this out. Spooky has helped you do such a good job. I love his intent face, such a handsome boy. x

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  13. ParnassusOctober 30, 2015 at 8:05 AM

    Hello Mariette, It's too bad that large, attractive bush wasn't better located, and had to come out. Did you ever try to make anything with the berries?
    --Jim

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  14. loryOctober 30, 2015 at 11:29 AM

    ciao Mariette, un semplice saluto per augurarti un sereno fine settimana e una santa festa di Ognissanti Lory

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  15. HECHO A MANOOctober 30, 2015 at 2:02 PM

    Hi Mariette!. The images are fantastic, but the best on is Spooky. Hard work in the garden but it will look nice the next season and.....Spooky is agood help.
    Have the best week end.
    María

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  16. WillyOctober 30, 2015 at 3:24 PM

    Zo is er altijd wel werk in de tuin. Fijn dat je man zo'n klus nog zelf kan. Gelukkig heeft hij er een hulpje bij.
    Fijn weekend, lieve groet

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  17. oldthingsOctober 30, 2015 at 6:31 PM

    Dearest Mariette ,it seems that your husband has made so hard job ! May be your next plant is the same beautiful as the previous .Your cat is the best Pieter's friend ! Have a nice weekend !

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  18. Katie IsabellaNovember 1, 2015 at 6:59 AM

    Oh no Spooky...I thought I had left my comment here only perhaps under my mom's name..Ramblingon. I see I did not although I was here to look at how man catly you are! You worked VERY hard to help your Dad!! xxooo

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Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...