Look At Me Now

Yet another plant that was found growing in the yard when the house was purchased was the Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea prunifolia). It was ignored and underappreciated, growing at the side of the house, but I did not have the heart to tear it out. It was trimmed (whacked down) every few years to keep the path to the front yard navigable, yet it dutifully kept blooming in spring.

Late last fall, a new deck was built at the back of the house. Step platforms in the side yard lead from the front, passing the spirea. Now that it has a new prominence along an enhanced path, it awoke this spring with long draping masses of flowers. I was previously considering a move to a less conspicuous place in the yard, but it is well-established in the present location, and can give some maturity to the side yard soon to be filled with rookie plants.

For The Record:   • Dry heavy soil   • Full sun in protected area   • No fertilizer or soil amendments Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Dogwood, bridal wreath spirea, azaleas, allium, purple salvia   • Lifted emperor tulip bulbs

Cornell Pink in Rehab

One of the first plants purchased from mail order years ago was the Korean Rhododendron (Rhododendron mucronulatum). There were two colors available, and 'Cornell Pink' was selected over the lavender version, which is not easily found now.

The early flowers on this deciduous rhododendron can be ruined by very cold temperatures, just as the magnolia. Flowers slightly larger than 1-inch across (3 cm) occur in clusters that start forming at the ends of the branches in the fall. The leaves come out after the blossoms fade, and drop in autumn after turning a luminous yellow.

This shrub is 20 years old, and a bit forlorn after years of sitting in the corner of the garden that is not well attended. It will be replanted this year when the backyard garden goes into rehab. A new deck was installed and new lawn planted last fall, and new plants are currently winging their way here from several online spring mail orders.

For The Record:   • Medium heavy soil   • Mostly shade   • No fertilizer, surface mulched once a year Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: Star magnolia, emperor tulips, ice follies daffodils, korean rhododendron   • Seeds planted: Angels Trumpet Ballerina, purple basil   • Seeds planted outdoors: Spinach, radish, poppy

Seedling Progress Record:
pepper	broccoli	red onion

White Forsythia

Warm weather with temperatures in the 70's (low 20's C) last weekend (after a Monday snowstorm) has begun to bring out the white forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum) blooms. These four shrubs were some of the first plants selected and planted in my garden, after reading the enticing descriptions from Wayside Gardens, who no longer offers the shrubs.

The White Forsythia plant has a few desirable characteristics that make it worthy in the garden. First, the shrub blooms at crocus and witch hazel time, and before the common yellow variety. It comes out at the end of February to beginning of March around here - which is very early.

Once the plant gets going, the blossoms' strong scent that resembles lilacs or ginger can easily be detected from anywhere in the yard. Being planted near the front sidewalk, the perfume from these sweeties are noticed by the neighbors. A few stems of blossoms can perfume an entire room when brought indoors.

Before anyone rushes to buy, consider the characteristics that Wayside Gardens never told us about. First, because they bloom so early, unexpected cold weather can destroy the flowers before they ever come out. About once every five years, warm weather will coax the blossoms to start, then cold weather below 20 degrees (-7 C) kills all of them. Second, don't let the catalog photos fool you - the blossoms are quite small and fragile. They are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch (6 mm), a much smaller size than the yellow forsythia, each only slightly larger than a single lilac blossom. Third, when brought into the house as cut flowers, they last for only about two days and their scent can turn bad after this time.

After blooming, new growth forms sparse clumps of intertwined branches that cannot be controlled. Shaping the shrub is impossible. After a few years, I cut the plant down and it vigorously grows back with long single arching branches. The photo from this year shows the shrub 2-feet (60 cm) in height. Come springtime, these appear rather graceful. A tangled overgrown mess in other years does not.

Finally, the flowers are not pure white, but tend to pink. In fact, some branches will appear light pink, while others on the same plant will appear white. A confused plant.

For The Record:   • Medium heavy soil   • Full sun   • No fertilizer, soil is mulched and shaded   • Cut back every three years or so Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: White forsythia, snow crocus   • Seed started: Peppers, broccoli, red onions (probably a bit late)

Woodsy Stinker

The Ligustrum shrub (ligustrum japonicum) or evergreen privet is now in full bloom. There were four found around the property when purchased, and all were relocated to one area. After recently being trimmed and trained into small multi-trunk trees, they are now about 10 feet tall (3 m). Since they are located just outside windows, the smell of the late-spring flowers has filtered throughout the house. The very strong odor is not objectionable, but not pleasant either. One person identified it as 'woodsy.'

Research indicates that many types of Ligustrum are invasive, but none of the fallen berries have ever produced plants in this yard. Birds do not touch the black berries in the fall or winter, but will take them in the spring. Early one spring, a commotion was heard in the shrubs. After investigation, 16 robins were found in the shrubs, fighting over the berries. Maybe this is why they never fell and grew here with robins picking them off like M&M's. I thought Robins were ethnic - into the bugs and grubs type of food - not seeds.

The flowers last about a week or two, and eventually turn an unattractive brown before dropping. This, along with the tendency of some leaves to die and drop throughout the summer does not make them a favorite in the garden. They are kept around for their form and rich, lush, deep evergreen leaves. Maybe they would make great greens at Christmas?

For The Record:   • Growing in heavy clay soil, full sun   • No fertilizer   • Drops dead blooms and leaves in summer   • Have not found to be invasive Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: poppies, calendula, purple salvia, geranium,     nicotiana, foxglove   • Tomatoes staked   • Lifted alliums to relocate in the fall

Pretty in Pink

After several rains, the mountain laurel (kalmia latifolia) has burst into display. This variation is called 'Sarah,' and is a bit different from most mountain laurel. Its flower clusters are vibrant pink, turning to an only slightly lighter color when open, instead of the more common white or pale pink. The branches do not support themselves well after a few years, tending to fall over or break off with heavy winter snows or wind.

For The Record:   • Growing in heavy soil, mostly shade, some sun   • Light acidic fertilizer applied in late spring   • Organic mulch   • Weak support branches   • Prolific bloomer gets ooo's & aah's Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: geranium, foxglove, calendula   • Annual seeds sowed