Started Dogwood at the wrong time — lessons learned

I planted Dogwood at entirely the wrong point in the growing calendar and spent the first few months wondering what I'd done wrong. root encroachment near drains or house foundations didn't help matters. Once I understood keeping a mulch-free collar immediately around the trunk things improved substantially.

significant impact on the microclimate and character of a garden is what makes this plant worth persisting with. In a small garden with a compact or columnar variety chosen for scale it finally looks as good as I'd imagined. full canopy providing shade and habitat in summer redeemed the whole effort. If you're starting out: do your timing research before you plant.