The plants on The Lot in Zone 6a can only pretend for so long to have “winter interest”. As the snow falls, becoming wet and heavy, the structure of the plants can no longer hold the weight.

Most evident of all plants struggling with the snow is the privet I’ve continuously been pruning to resemble something of a multi-stem tree. This is where Nature reminds a gardener a shrub isn’t necessarily built the same way as a tree.

I want a tree in that space in the worst way. However, the Other Half and I are not made of $$$, and aren’t willing to take out a loan to get a mature tree. Something will have to be soon as even the past Spring rains caused the privet to bow down in front of the garage door this year.