The Dud Maples

Years before we set down roots here, our neighbours took hay off the property for their small herd of cattle. For the most part, this was open, rolling field with pockets of swamp and small trees. Jack pine, feathery white pine and cedar had naturally seeded here, with a handful of apple thrown in for good measure. Over the last decade or so, we've watched the evergreens grow from metre-high saplings to a forest of tall beautiful trees, creating a windbreak against those nasty northerly winter winds and privacy from the road to the west.

There was something missing, though. Leafy trees, like the maples, oaks, elms, birches. Trees that, while bare in winter, magically come alive with a profusion of pea-green buds on one special day in spring. Green day, we call it. We wanted trees that leaf out and provide shelter and shade, followed by a glorious burst of colour, come fall. So, there was only one thing to do - invest in some trees.

First on our list were a couple of trees for the front of the house. We wanted something that would provide shade as they grew while also displaying those magnificent autumn colours. These would be our showpiece trees. We decided on acer rubrum - red maple.

We went to the local nursery, picked out two good sized maples and brought them home. We discussed and measured, dug the holes, fixed the soil and, with the help of our neighbour, strong-armed them out of the back of the truck and planted them. Our showpiece maples were going to be striking and we couldn't wait for fall. Finally, the cooler days of autumn arrived and the leaves turned brown, wilted and fell off the tree. Well, that wasn't quite the effect we were after. Perhaps they needed more time to adjust, we reasoned. Ya. Fall colours must undoubtedly be dependent on a tree's ability to adapt to its new soil, which, in these parts, is clay. Next year would surely be different.

That first fall, we raked up the leaves and burned them, just in case the brown, wilty-bit was bad. Winter came and the following year, as the days grew longer, we experienced green day and our beautiful, hand-picked, showpiece maples leafed out and grew. Come fall, the leaves turned brown, wilted and fell off the tree. Crap. Takes longer to grow accustomed to clay than we figured. Much longer, it turned out, as the damn showpiece maples continued to play their tricks for a few more years. We reclassified them as acer dudrum -  dud maple.

But then, one autumn not-so-many years ago, our dud maples did something they'd never done before. They put on a show. Beautiful fall colours of orange and red and yellow came bursting forth. The leaves weren't brown and they weren't wilting. They were...as advertised. Perhaps they were sick of the names we called them. Maybe they really needed time to grow accustomed to the soil. Who knows. Our dud maples are studs now.

Looking out the bedroom window* at one of the showpiece dud maples.

* Okay. Let me explain about the window stickers. We were told to leave them on until after the fellow comes back as part of our eco-energy audit. I just do as I'm told.