shrubs, getting on, what's new?
- Subject: shrubs, getting on, what's new?
- From: E*@aol.com
- Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 18:08:50 EDT
Hello Shrub Lovers,
There are not many messages here these days. Maybe all that need to be
discussed has been discussed so maybe another round is due. I am a transplant (pun
intended) from Perennials.
This has been the shrubbiest year of my life. After 12 years on the same
property, an old farm, many shrubs have matured. I have a renewed interest in
shrubs and small trees, flowering trees, all trees, I guess.
Being retired and looking ahead at a time when the perennials, all flower
beds may become more than I could handle, I thought shrubs should become more
important in the gardens. I have some lined out in holding beds beginning with
rooted cuttings. Others clipped from a friend's shrub, some found by combing
catalogs. After a long and cold and snowy winter, I have rethought my
gardening. I want the shrubs and small trees to be there for a flowery spring with
less labor than beds require. New adventures can be found in the many
containers around the water supply (cisterns and rainbarrels here) and permanent shrub
plantings can live along the mowed strips with no care as the no-care plants
prove themselves. High care plants can leave. That is sort of my plan.
All of this to say that this is best spring that I can remember for shrub
performance. There was enough rain last summer and fall to produce buds. The
spring in the Northeast has been very rainy with a sunny day once in while to
get out and enjoy it all.
A long intro to say I would like a discussion of new and superior woody
plants plus older and less known woodies that are hardy in the Northeast. This
spring has produced a Halesia covered with it's small lily of the valley flowers
much larger than previous years - maybe tree age has something to do with it.
The Amelanchier (shadbushes) bushes or sometimes small trees were glorious.
Wild cherries are filled with bees. Several Daphnes bloomed as never before.
All of the many Hydrangea paniculata forms have put on two feet of growth.
Rhodies hardy in zone 4 are covered with bloom. Kalmia or mountain laurel
which blooms here every other year is covered with inches of new growth, every
terminal. All of the Viburnums, include the picky plicata mariesii, are blooming
every branch. A Weigela with a forgotten name is a so covered with tubular
pink flowers, we have been looking into what actually makes a Weigela thrive.
I have never seen this plant a ball of solid pink.
Lilacs, especially the Russian hybrids, are full and again budded and
blooming, every branch. In one year's fervor to extend the lilac season, I put in
all kinds of species and late bloomers. James McFarlane is one. These have never
done really well until this year. This year, all are budded and all have more
than a foot of new growth. In all the garden the temperatures near or under
70 degrees have kept the shrubs in color for weeks at a time. There are
dozens more. Some are too large, some other cultivar would probably be a better
choice. A few need to leave, they are very old and cuttings will take their
places. OGR's are not going to bloom here until the end of June. Again the
oldest and the proven are without cane loss as the newer shrub roses did have
winter damage.
Maybe a few favorites, new or old could be discussed. Many of the shrubs
here were originally placed in perennial beds and borders with the intention that
that these beds would become places for the carefree perennials around
flowering shrubs. Eventually it would be all shrubs. Some lower growing shrubs are
needed by me and I am now collecting a few to balance what I now consider
shrub borders. There is a whole discussion of Buxus or boxwoods. Those who do
not think boxwoods grow in zone 4 would be happy to find they do. We are into
the first week in June and have needed to clip ours a second time. Three
hollies are covered with their tiny yellow flowers, two will bear many berries
this year.
The flowering crabs, a few hardy magnolias, other collected strange ones from
botanic sales, all are terrific this year. Any comment on the past winter's
very positive effect on woody plants or small shrubs or your best summer
shrubs? We do not do well with Buddleia. Caryopteris ages out here.
One thought while pondering this year's good fortune is that we did not have
a serious thaw or warm up in the winter. Buds formed and carried through the
winter had no chance to begin growth and get nipped by the next wave of zeros.
The winter we condemned may have been good fortune to many woody plants.
Please comment.
Claire Peplowski
NYS zone 4 mountains
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