Landscape design gone wrong

When I redesigned my foundation landscape design, I included two dwarf crape myrtles, the idea being that the blooms would create some colorful vertical interest in the summer and the trunks some architectural interest during the winter months.  I planted one of them on a sunny corner, the dwarf height of ten feet was important because this corner is the utilities connection.  I planted the second shrub in front of a blank brick wall; once again, the dwarf mature height was important to avoid having the branches growing into the windows and eaves of the house.

This plan seemed successful in the beginning.  The colors were brilliant and as the shrubs grew, the pale trunks were lovely in the winter.  However, someone failed to tell these happy crape myrtles that they were supposed to be dwarves that mature at ten feet.  The corner tree grew right through the power lines to a much taller height of about 15 feet (so far).  The central shrub grew to a massive height, climbing well over the roof line of our two story home.

For the corner tree, I evaluate the structure each spring, carefully pruning out any branches that touch or hang over the power lines.  Once it leafs out, the v-shaped opening in the canopy isn't obvious.  The giant crape myrtle quickly became a troublesome tree, requiring me to climb on a ladder or lean from our upper story windows to prune branches that were scraping the siding or trying to grow through the soffits.

Sadly, the large tree had to come down.  Not owning a chain saw meant that I had to take it out using my pruning saw.  It took a few hours but with some help from my parents, we got the job done.  The new plan will be to allow the crape myrtle to regrow, but this time I will let the tree grow in a multi-trunk form, pruning the individual trunks to the ground as they reach 10-12 feet in height.

Landscapers teach that it is important to plant the right plant in the right place but sometimes even the most careful landscape plan goes wrong because plants to know how to read their own labels.