Forgiveness from a Spiraea

In early May, I made a colorful discovery in a dumpster that I walk by nearly every day at my place of employment.

I won't tell you where, since, the information that follows is surely admittance of trespassing guilt.  Inside of this particular dumpster were 3 lovely spirea shrubs which were plucked from their homes to make way for construction equipment.  I walked by them several times that day but could do so no more without action.  Having a bleeding horticulturist heart is a tough burden to bear.  We end up doing ridiculous things like diving in dumpsters at 9am on Saturday mornings (with assistance from strong husbands) and hoisting heavy shrubs with gigantic root balls out of harms way and into safe, loving care.

These lovely spiraea were about to burst into flower when they were rushed to safety.  Because of a long string of rainy days weeks, they had to sit, heeled into a pile of hardwood mulch while they waited for their permanent home.  I sheared them back to prevent flowering so the plants could focus on root growth.  To my great surprise, these shrubs were incredibly forgiving.  They showed no signs of stress during their stay in that temporary home and are beginning to flourish in their new location.  New sprouts have sprung forth from lower branches and soon they won't look like they were once 'trash' turned into one woman's treasure!