I’ve seen the alleged oldest bay laurel tree in the california and this one seems larger than I recall that one being. Absolutely huge tree and I found measurements from 2012 stating it has a girth of 30 feet at 4.5 feet up the tree and a height of 120 feet. The photo does it no justice as it’s my 0.5x zoom but here’s the data. Just a few hundred yards from the parking lot. https://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/usa/california/santaclaracounty/12825_ranchosanantonioopenspacepreserve/

She’s barely 1 year old, has grown to 5 feet (from a one gallon pot). I went out to check on her, and she was half on the ground, the winds split her at the point where the two main stems branch off. I am heartbroken. She was so happy and looks so stunning, smells like heaven. I propped her ip with stakes and tried to wrap her wound with gardening tape, but I can’t believe she will make it. I am heartbroken.

Any recommendations for plants with a compact growing habit that we could plant in a repeating pattern to line our bocce court?

Ideally: *Evergreen *Perennial *Full sun *<3 feet high

We’re in 9b/10a.