What kind of tree?

Unless the weather people are toying with us, they’ve promised us a string of sunny days until the middle of next week. That means lots of outside work. If it’s the last thing...or the only thing...I accomplish, there will be a new tree planted out in front of the house where the old dead dogwood once grew. I have an idea what I’d like to plant, but it may very well turn out to be an impulse buy after I’ve taken a few turns around the plant nursery.

Looks as if I’ll be planting another tree where the other dogwood grew, too. I noticed this morning that it has the dreaded dogwood disease and only half of it is alive. The bark is peeling off on the other side and the branches are tinder crisp. No sense in prolonging the inevitable.

So what am I going to plant in place of the white dogwoods?

I thought maybe a crab apple tree, but crab apples, I’ve been warned, are kid magnets and kids like to indulge in crab apple wars. One of my neighbors has a beautiful one in front of their house and a couple of crab apples have come crashing through their front windows over the years. Plant something that doesn’t provide irresistible missiles, they told me. That’s good advice.

I am tempted to try a Pink Flowering Dogwood this time. They seem to be hardier and more adaptable to a variety of sun and soil conditions than the white dogwoods I tried. I don’t think they are as susceptible to dogwood disease, either. But, depending on the source, their soil moisture requirements may be a little more than I can offer. Maybe I should just give up on dogwoods.

The Dwarf Red Buckeye is probably a better choice and I love its looks. The tree is smaller than a dogwood and it maintains a pleasing round shape. It likes well-drained soil and I surely have plenty of that. It’s also a hummingbird food source with bright red flowers in early summer. I’m leaning toward the Dwarf Red Buckeye for the front of the house. In place of the other dogwood, on the side of my driveway, I think I’ll plant an Eastern Redbud. A couple of my neighbors have them, so I know they grow in our sandy soil. But, as I said, after a turn or two around the nursery, I might end up with something entirely different. I’ll let you know.