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Agatha Christie's Greenway (Devon, England) - The House

I can think of two places that we visited where I enjoyed the house more than the gardens. The first was Greenway, not for the house itself, which was surprisingly small and cramped, but for the history behind it and the fascinating mementos on display. Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan were enthusiastic collectors. You can see their collections on display throughout the house - European and Oriental ceramics, pottery, African tribal masks, Egyptian artifacts, Tunbridge ware, china, trinkets, and books. The Morning Room has a portrait of Agatha Christie as a child and her doll Rosie, sitting in a chair - The Drawing Room was where the family would gather in the evenings. Christie would entertain guests by reading chapters from manuscripts of her latest books.  Agatha Christie's bedroom. Max always slept on a smaller portable traveling cot (you can see part of it in the foreground). It was his favorite bed and he carried it with him on all of his archaeological travels. N...
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Alabama Snow Wreath


{{{This post was written for my website A Southern Garden}}}

This shrub is blooming beautifully in my garden today!

Alabama Snow Wreath
(Neviusia alabamensis)

Native to the southeastern U.S.
Mature Height: 3-6 ft.
Growth Rate: Moderate
Soil: Moist, well-drained, not picky
Light Requirements: Sun/partial shade
Foliage: 1" - 2" long medium green leaves, deciduous, alternate with sharp-toothed margins
Flower/Fruit: White protruding stamens in early spring
Hardy to Zone 4

Discovered in 1857 by Reverend Reuben Denton Nevius on a bluff above the Black Warrior River near Tuscaloosa, this is a rare shrub not often seen in nurseries or gardens. I obtained mine from a local nursery that specializes in native plants but it can also be purchased at Forest Farm (www.forestfarm.com).

The shrub forms arching branches that eventually form a rounded mound. The flowers (which are actually stamens) appear very early, as soon as other plants are leafing out. They resemble a spirea or maybe a loropetalum in appearance. I have mine growing underneath a yoshino cherry tree where it receives dappled shade. It has bloomed reliably but never densely (more profuse bloom would probably be achieved with more sun). I have been told that the shrub can sucker in rich, moist soils but so far, this has not been a problem.

After blooming, the shrub is fairly nondescript and there is no fall color. Alabama Snow Wreath would be right at home in a woodland garden or in a border mixed with other early spring-flowering shrubs.
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  1. GailMarch 26, 2008 at 5:38 AM

    Phillip,
    It's a beautiful flowering shrub that I have admired in my gardening books...does it have any fragrance?

    Gail

    ReplyDelete
  2. CanadianGardenJoyMarch 26, 2008 at 8:39 AM

    This flower reminds me of my Virgin's Bower one .. nice !
    Joy

    ReplyDelete
  3. Phillip OliverMarch 26, 2008 at 5:09 PM

    Gail, sadly there is no fragrance.

    Thanks Joy!

    ReplyDelete
  4. WayneMarch 27, 2008 at 2:36 AM

    The folers remind me of a fothergilla that i have. The leaves look simular also.

    ReplyDelete
  5. WayneMarch 27, 2008 at 2:38 AM

    I meant flowers. I need to proof read before I hit the button.

    ReplyDelete
  6. RuralityMarch 27, 2008 at 7:34 PM

    Oh nice one! I have read about this plant but haven't ever seen one.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousApril 18, 2008 at 9:52 AM

    Thanks for the information. I purchased two of these at a plant sale yesterday because we love to add native plants to our garden, but no one I talked to could tell me anything about them. This is just what I needed. Your garden is beautiful!

    Emily

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousApril 12, 2012 at 7:29 PM

    Do you know an online site where I can purchase it? I garden in northern Delaware.

    ReplyDelete

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