Oops, I did it again!

[marie06]

On the way home from visiting my folks in London at the weekend, I took a detour to The Place for Plants in Suffolk. I wanted a Catalpa and Albizzia Summer Chocolate (which they didn't have), but bought a few others. While I was browsing I noticed a plant I hadn't seen before, with large palmate leaves and stood about 3' high. Despite my recent pledge to myself not to buy any more plants on a whim, I bought it.

When I got home and read the lable (didn't have my glasses with me at the nursery) I could have kicked myself. It's an Indian Horse Chestnut, and grows into a huge tree. So, not only have I wasted money (again), I don't have a clue what I'm gonna do with it. When will I ever learn?

[bobbyd44]

would it not be ok to leave in a pot and trim the roots every year like a bonsai.. but larger!!

[marie06]

I suppose I could plant it in an empty half barrel I have.

[Chad]

Or plant it out. I take it you bought it because you liked the leaves? It can be cut back hard annually, or more safely every other year, and you get bigger leaves. Treat it like a stooled Paulownia. Check that it isn’t grafted though, or you may end up with the rootstock growing, and that would be a ‘normal’ Horse Chestnut [which you can do the same with]. You won’t get flowers, but the leaves are spectacular.

Chad.

[Dave Brown]

That is how I grow my sweet chestnut, it is a monster of a forest tree and in the country park about 2 miles away, they are easily 80feet tall with 10foot diameter trunks. Mine is quite happy cut back hard as a bush.

[Simba]

They didn't have either Albizia or Catalpa...?
You did look in the right place didn't you Marie, cos when I visited I couldn't find them either, but then discovered that they were kept inside of the large tunnel.

I was also smitten with the Indian Horse Chestnut, lovely as a youngster, but I was wearing my glasses so I put it back down again....

[stephenprudence]

Why dont you plant it in a pot and then when gets a little big for comfort, go and plant it in a park or something, like a little guerilla gardening. Win win all around.

[CW01]

Great choice of nursery Marie not far from me

[miggs]

where is the above nursery in suffolk please

[Chad]

Miggs,

Try here.

Chad.

[Conifers]

Why dont you plant it in a pot and then when gets a little big for comfort, go and plant it in a park or something, like a little guerilla gardening. Win win all around.

This one is too valuable for guerilla gardening - trees so planted have a very low survival rate, because council gardeners don't know they're there and mow over them. Tell your local parks dept you'd like to donate it, and ask them for a secure planting place. Say it is in memoriam for someone who has died, then you can be sure it will be well looked after.

[marie06]

It seems all is not lost then. I'll plant it in a half barrel and cut it back when it starts to get too big. I don't think it's grafted, but I'll double check. I live in the middle of the sticks, and there aren't any parks near here.

It is a lovely nursery, but it added an hours travelling time to my journey so I doubt I'll be going again. My son was with me, so I didn't get chance to browse as much as I would have liked. Just as well or I would have spent even more! I have a feeling another one I bought isn't very hardy. I'll find out the name later and ask.

Simba - Sorry, I should have phrased it better, I did get a Catalpa, but they only had 4' ones, and that was in the tunnel on the left as you enter the nursery. The only large tunnel I saw was near the car park, and that was 'staff only'. If they did have Summer Chocolate and I missed it, I won't be a happy bunny They did have Paulownias about 7' tall for £35, but it wouldn't fit in my car

[Simba]

The only large tunnel I saw was near the car park, and that was 'staff only'.

I don't pay much attention to such signs, there just there for display purposes....

If they did have Summer Chocolate and I missed it, I won't be a happy bunny They did have Paulownias about 7' tall for £35, but it wouldn't fit in my car

I'll be honest, I knew where the Summer chocolate was, yet I still walked past it three or four times before I saw it. But they did only have 3 or 4 of them so may have sold out.
I too had exactly the same Paulownia dilemma, very tempting, but I was sensible...!!

[redsquirrel]

The only large tunnel I saw was near the car park, and that was 'staff only'.

I don't pay much attention to such signs, there just there for display purposes....

If they did have Summer Chocolate and I missed it, I won't be a happy bunny They did have Paulownias about 7' tall for £35, but it wouldn't fit in my car

I'll be honest, I knew where the Summer chocolate was, yet I still walked past it three or four times before I saw it. But they did only have 3 or 4 of them so may have sold out.
I too had exactly the same Paulownia dilemma, very tempting, but I was sensible...!!

bit like me then Simba i went all the way to withleigh nurseries in devon in search of nikaus,couldnt find them anywhere and remembered Damian saying they were damaged so i ambled off into the private no entry bit and found 1 worth buying . the guy at the till said ;i see you found my secret stash then 'and smiled,then gave me money off as it was damaged
Deb and i also took ourselves on a tour of trewidden nurseries in cornwall,so many pups lying about ready for potting but nothing for sale as it was wholesale only

[metalhammer]

It's bad enough when you can't read the label,but even worse when they're labelled wrong as well.When Red & I were at Abbotsbury a few weeks back,they had 2 Howea forsteriana's about 2 metres or so tall,one was labelled Howea forsteriana £46.25,the other Nannorhops ritchiana £57.25.Now that would've had you buttered Marie06.




metalhammer.