Here's pic I took on May 18th that I've been meaning to post for a while...
This little guy started out as a cutting of a Brunswick (or some Brunswick type) that I started rooting in early January 2013. It started out as a long cutting that eventually rotted down to a one-node-wonder. In mid May I gave up any hope that it would survive much longer in the rooting box, so on a whim I buried it out in my back yard. I just buried it under some mulch beneath a small tree where it would get some broken morning sun but be partly or completely shaded from direct sun for the rest of the day. Amazingly enough, the one-node-wonder sprouted and grew into a little 2 inch tree that summer. (I suppose I could have moved it, given it more sun, water and fertilizer, but I had my hands full otherwise.)
Most people know we had a brutal winter. In late December I figured I ought to at least pile some mulch up around it...I buried it completely. (Remember, it was only 2 inches above the mulch level anyway!) Then sometime in late Jan or early Feb I think I put a bit more mulch on it and put a black nursery pot upside down over it to protect it from the wind a little better.
In March or April I finally pulled the mulch away and saw that it looked like it was in pretty good shape. The buds started to swell in early May.
In early/mid June it looked like some insects were eating some of the leaves. I checked it again a couple of days ago and it looked like it put out a new bunch of leaves. I'll have to take another picture.
With all the mature trees being hit really hard this last winter, it is amazing that this little guy did so well.
Jim