All Mugo Pines are not Equal

About three years ago I decided that I didn't want to have anything on the south side of the bedroom that I couldn't part with, just in case I could persuade Bill to do the bedroom addition that I dream about. So I transplanted pretty much all of the perennials and planted a couple of Mugo pines that I hoped would fill up all of the space but not become too much a part of my attachment to the plantings here.

The pictures here were taken through a briefly opened window on a on a cold late December morning. It is the view I have of these two bushes every morning when I open the shades in our bedroom. Much of what I see of the yard during the late fall through early spring is what I can see from the windows in the early morning or the late afternoon. I look forward to being able to see things for a longer part of the day.


What I find most interesting is that one of them has thrived, and one has basically stayed even. I don't completely understand why. Microclimates / micro environments are still a puzzle to me. Are the roots cramped for one? Insects nesting there? An air space? I wish I knew.

Side Note: I was not successful in removing all of the perenninals in this area. Two Oriental Lilies still insist in coming up every year better than ever. An alium that I have dug up three times still comes up strong every year. And of course,you can't completely remove a Columbine that is happy in a place. Also, the Pagoda Dogwood puts out new seedlings each year, and the New England Aster is invincible. I do suppose that if I ever convice Bill to build the bedroom addition the concrete slab will finally defeat these hangers on. But until then I will appreciate them.