Goshiki Koto Hime

Our Goshiki Koto Hime arrived last Friday.
Tate positioned  himself for snoopervising duties.

 Bitsy on the other hand was clearly stunned that we were getting a Goshiki Koto Hime at all!

(I am not sure what Goshiki Koto Hime means...it is a Japanese name, but perhaps it sounds similar to some words in the Siamese dialect that Bitsy knows.  Maybe that was what had her looking so shocked. Who knows what Goshiki Koto Hime means in Siamese).

And what exactly is a Goshiki Koto Hime anyway? 

See for yourself!

The small leafed green barked Japanese maple captured Bernie's heart when he saw it at our local Japanese maple carrying garden center.

The leaves will be dark green in summer then yellow orange in fall.

Some additional landscaping elements will be added later; likely some rocks and low mounding conifers.
You wouldn't know it by looking at them, but these two guys are Japanese maple addicts.
They sneak off to the Millcreek garden center and skulk around the Japanese maples whenever they have a few moments to spare.
Phone calls are rapidly made when ever a new Japanese maple shipment arrives.
When they are hard up for a "fix" they even will drop by the Big Box nursery areas just to see what maples might turn up in there.

They both own a guide book to Japanese maple and do their best to speak the Japanese words that have been give to each variety as names.
So far I just know a few English structural terms like coral bark, green bark, weeping, vase shaped and things like that.
I have learned to ask if a particular maple likes sun or shade, and how tall it will get.
I've also learned to ask about the structural shape...will it mound as a weeper, be leggy or more triangular shaped when full grown.

 

I've learned that Japanese maples really glow when planted where the morning and sunset sunlight can best shine through the leaves.
And that the color of the bark can make the tree look fantastic even after the leaves have been shed for winter.
And yes...this species bark actually is closer to turquoise than green right now.

The added fun was learning that this fairly uncommon species is rarely found and sold, and rarely found to be much taller than four feet high.
Even at that  4" height the species sells for a pretty good amount.
Our six footer was acquired for about a fourth of the guide book pricing.
Ahhh...it was a gorgeous tree to begin with, and now it has double our reasons for happiness.
Wonder if that is what its name means?
Double Happiness?
Could be...
If only that cat Bitsy could talk!