Our greatest success

We planted our first japanese dappled willow six years ago. We picked it because it looked nice. The fact that it had willow in its name also helped because six years ago our back yard was a mud pit. Our gardening prowess was still in the basic amateur state. Anything with willow in its name had to be OK in a wet back yard. Now we know that we planted it in the perfect spot. The plant is in a well watered protected spot with just enough sun.
When we brought it home from Pettitis, it was maybe 18 inches tall and 12 inches wide. Well look at it now. It's maybe 12 feet tall and 10 feet wide. If Pat didn't prune the snot out of it every year, who knows how tall it would be. I can't watch the pruning because the voices grow too loud. Pat swears she can't hear them, but I can. Its flower is a soft pink leafy looking thing that only blooms on the tip of new growth. The bush is simply gorgeous.