Sleep, Creep, Leap, or something like that.

No doubt you’ve heard the saying “sleep, creep, leap” used when referring to growth in a newly planted garden, meaning the first year the plants sleep, the second year they creep and the third year LOOK OUT cause they’re gonna leap. Combine that bit of folklore with the reputation Cotinus has as a fast grower, and my Cotinus ‘Royal Purple' should be about the size of our house by now, but it’s not. It’s been deeply sleeping for several years, and just recently showed signs of waking up. Almost overnight several long rambling arms developed, splaying this way and that.

The leaves on the new arms are larger, and darker, than the “old growth.”

New growth...

New growth...

Old growth...

And in a treat only Mother Nature could provide they’re flopping right up next to the Eucomis blooms and making a lovely color echo.

And the Cotinus and Arctostaphylos 'Austin Griffiths' are actually reaching out to touch "fingers" (okay...leaves) it’s very sweet.

Oh and that Arctostaphylos never suffered any sleeping issues, it leaped right away and I love it for that.

I should be frightened about this new development but actually I’m thrilled. I’ve been waiting for this darn plant to get a little out of control so I can cut it back hard in the spring, resulting in bigger and darker foliage.

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