Category: Trees & Shrubs
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Plants are People Too!
Today I spotted flowers on a stewartia seedling in the yard. I was beyond ecstatic. I felt the rush only gardeners and adrenaline junkies know. There was something special about those flowers. The flowers were flatter,brighter and more delicate than the parent. A flower on the parent stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia). The parent Stewartia growing in…
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Tree Peony Growing Tips
I thought it would be fun to share some pictures of my tree peony flowers along with some tree peony growing tips. Tree Peony Growing Tips Many people think tree peonies are difficult to grow. They’re not. However, tree peonies are slow growers and take a long time to become established. Once established, for me…
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3 Landscaping Pet Peeves
Some landscaping practices should be avoided. Below are my top three landscaping pet peeves. Tags left on Plants Why would anyone leave plant tags fluttering in the wind? Leaving tags on plants takes a beautiful landscape and makes it look like the side of the highway. Please remove all tags before leaving the job. I…
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Early-March Garden Inspiration
I woke early today, I don’t know why, perhaps because of Daylight Savings. Seeing the sunrise inspired me to wander the garden with the Pentax. The only other flower in bloom this week is Dorothy Wycoff Andromeda (Pieris japonica ‘Dorothy Wycoff’). It’s early-March with little else going on and Dorothy is covered with red buds.…
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Early-March Blooms
Last week, I wrote about the blooms on Arnold’s Promis Witch Hazel. It’s looking better than last week with flowers continuing to emerge. This week I’ve got a few more things in bloom. Nothing is knocking it out of the park but need I remind you it’s early-March with temperatures going down to the twenties,…
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Arnold’s Promise Witch Hazel – Harbinger of Spring
It’s late-February and my Arnold’s Promise Witch Hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold’s Promise’) has been in bloom for two weeks. Here’s the view from the kitchen on a dreary, rainy, day. There could be six inches of snow on the ground and the tree would be in bloom. Arnold’s Promise Witch Hazel Blooms as early…
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Bird’s Nest and Winter Burn in Cryptomeria
This spring as I was raking leaves a bird quickly, yet conspicuously, flew away from where I was working. It was a little bird with four eggs in her nest. If you’re walking and a bird conspicuously flies away and chirps you’re too close to her nest. Indeed, the bird is trying to trick you…
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Siberian Carpet | This is What it Does
Siberian Carpet (Microbiota decussata) is underused in Connecticut landscapes. For one thing, Siberian Carpet looks like a Juniper without the prickliness. As a matter of fact, you can run your hand over the shrub without scratching. In addition, it likes partial shade and average to dry soils. Most literature doesn’t recommend planting in full sun…
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White Fringetree – Chionanthus virginicus
Last week while driving I spotted the beauty above, a White Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) in full bloom. The tree was a sight to behold. I took this picture the first week of June in Zone 6a. Bloom time is in line with the Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa), possibly starting a little earlier. Dirr’s Hardy Trees…