dogwood fun

It was time to prune the dogwoods.  They leaf-out early, and I wanted to coppice them this year in order to force the plants to grow long, straight branches that I might be able to use in basket-making projects.  When Amy Whitworth and I took that class with Margaret Mathewson last summer, Amy told me that our red osier dogwoods would be good for making more vine cages.

So I hung out outside all day yesterday -- pruning and cutting.  Any gardener will tell you that it's magic when busy schedules and the weather open up a sweet spot for gardening in the middle of January.  It felt heavenly to be out there working, breathing in the cold air.

 
I decided to cut off the side-shoots from the branches and salvage as many long, straight branches as possible from the pruning.  I wasn't sure if they could be worked into a project, but look:

 
I did it!  I made another cage! (The photo is blurry because I worked in the pouring rain.)  It only took an hour, too!  And, yes, I'm going to remove it from that grassy patch as soon as possible so that it doesn't root in place.  Dogwoods want to root almost as much as willows do.  That could be a perk in some instances, I'm sure, but I'm not ready for a permanent, living garden structure in that spot.

Wow.  So fun!  Want to do more!  Won't the sugar snap peas look pretty growing on that?

Comments

[CarrieK]

WOW!!!! Really, WOW! They are beautiful and amazing and I am really impressed. You inspire me in so many ways. I know exactly what you mean when you talk about a sweet spot for gardening and how magical it is...such a gift!

[Bridget]

I love your cages! They are like sculptures. I love the red!

[Stephanie]

That looks wonderful!!

[Sarah Head]

Such a beautiful colour!

[jl]

Simply amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!