Smokebush

[MissPettigrewIsWFH]

I planted a Cotinus Grace last year. West facing plot. It's healthy and leafy, but not exactly growing very quickly! Is that to be expected? (It's currently outpaced by the neighbouring crocosmia...)

I think it really depends on the variety sometimes - my cotinus grace grows at least 5ft through spring and summer but Cotinus royal purple grows a fraction of this in the same area. Do you know what variety it is?
It sounds healthy anyway, just might need some time to establish.

I am so sorry! Just totally missed the variety in your op...!
Well, my grace established quite nicely after a couple of years, so maybe a bit more time will see it flourishing.

Perennials, shrubs and trees often spend the first year sorting out their roots.

I’ve got one. You need to give it time to establish, as PP says. It’s a shrub that will mature to a large size, so it needs to settle in and put down a healthy root system. Give it a feed, make sure you are keeping it watered during any hot/dry spells (new shrubs need regular watering in their first year) and you’ll find it takes off in the next couple of years.

Meant to say that mine is 15yrs old (ish) now and around 9ft tall/7ft wide. It is pruned back to approx 4ft every year and grows like a weed every summer!

Thanks all, it's certainly well watered this crap summer!

Sleep, creep and leap in the first three years.