Skip to main content

Featured

RHS Wisley (Surrey, England)

I'm up to the last day of my trip to England last May, and we ended with a trip to the second most visited garden in the country - RHS Wisley (Kew Gardens is the most visited). Most of the previous day was spent at the Chelsea Flower Show , which I will cover in the next post. I did not realize how huge this garden was until I started going through my photos. It is more than a garden - it is a horticultural institution. The garden was originally created by businessman, scientist, and inventor George Fergusson Wilson in 1878. He used a small portion of the estate to create the "Oakwood Experimental Garden" where he grew plants that were unusual in England at the time. Among his horticultural achievements was growing lilies outside the greenhouse and water gardening. Wilson's garden attracted notable visitors during his day, including fellow gardeners Ellen Willmott and Gertrude Jekyll (Jekyll actually worked some in the garden with him). Wilson died in 1902, and the pr...
1 comment
Read more
Labels

Shasta Viburnum



One of my favorite blooming shrubs in spring is the Shasta Virburnum (aka Doublefile Virburnum) (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum). I'll never forget the first time I saw one. We drove to Wilkerson Mill Gardens, a nursery near Atlanta, to buy hydrangeas and there was one blooming in a field in the distance. It was magnificent and of course I had to have one.

It doesn't have the space it needs in our garden to attain the beauty of the one I saw at the nursery but it always blooms nicely. It was getting so large that it was reaching up into the limbs of the trees growing near it. I reluctantly decided to prune it last year and I'm afraid that I probably ruined the tiered effect that it normally has. It is still a very striking shrub. Beautiful berries appear later in the summer and are quickly devoured by the birds.

This particular viburnum was developed by Dr. Donald Egolf in the 1960s at the U.S. National Arboretum. He crossed an unnamed seedling with 'Mariesii', a popular variety still often found in nurseries, and it was finally released in 1979. 

Email Post
Labels:

Comments

Chandramouli S said…
That must have been named Shasta Vivacious! How charming and vigorous! They're full of life! Great photos, Phillip!
April 10, 2009 at 9:45 PM
D'Rimba said…
Nice flower, Thanks for your support, do come again pleaseeee
April 10, 2009 at 10:13 PM
Les said…
You are confusing me. When I see these blooms I think it must be May already. I love these too, clean and bright.
April 11, 2009 at 4:10 AM
F Cameron said…
That's a real beauty! I love viburnum and grew several varieties at a previous house where I had enough shade. I tried one here, but it died from the transplant.

Cameron
April 11, 2009 at 4:32 AM
Monica the Garden Faerie said…
Viburnums are probably my favorite shrub species as there are so many different kinds, and they have nice flowers, fragrance, and berries.
April 11, 2009 at 5:07 AM
sweetbay said…
Wow -- lovely!!

I have the species and will have to try 'Shasta'. It's beautiful!
April 11, 2009 at 7:07 AM
Dee/reddirtramblings said…
Phillip, I have a Viburnum, but it was a passalong, a tiny thing, and this will be its first year to bloom. I hope it one day looks as lovely as yours.~~Dee
April 11, 2009 at 7:26 AM
Barbee' said…
One of my favorites, but I don't have one of my own. Thank you for showing us yours. And, a beauty it is in spite of the pruning.
April 11, 2009 at 8:19 AM
Sweet Home and Garden Carolina said…
Big fan of viburnums as well, Phillip. In fact the focal point of my garden was Viburnum plicatum 'mariesii ', a relative of your doublefile. Unfortunately it declined after 20 years in my garden. I sure do miss it.
April 11, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said…
They are very pretty. I have shrubs too that I know probably don't have the space they really need, but sometimes they're so pretty you want to have them anyway. I think yours looks very pretty!
April 11, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Rob (ourfrenchgarden) said…
Hi Phillip

What an absolute beauty.

Your photos are so sharp by the way.

Rob
April 11, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Judy said…
Very Impressive Phillip! Is it more of a vine or shrub? The picture looks like it is running a little. I like the new photo you have in your profile too.
April 11, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Gail said…
Hi Phillip...I love this shrub and always wanted one here...but never thought I had the right conditions. Btw, I've popped over to your web page and had a delightful time watching the evolution of your garden! It's wonderful...you and Michael are very talented garden designers. Have a great day gail
April 12, 2009 at 4:39 AM
Wayne said…
I have twice bought what was suppose to be a Doublefile Virburnum, but they ended up being different. I hate nurseries that don't have the correct names on their plants!
April 12, 2009 at 5:18 AM
Lisa at Greenbow said…
Wow, what gorgeous blooms on this viburnum. I have several viburnums but they don't develop blooms properly. I think they are in too much shade. This one is so big too.
April 12, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Unknown said…
It's a favorite of mine, as well! I have a long mixed border than turns the corner of the street, and the viburnum is the centerpiece! I think this winter's cold actually made it more spectacular! It's definitely one I can understand you making room for in your garden!
April 12, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Anonymous said…
Hi Phillip~~ I left a message about the flopping grasses on your Blotanical plot.

Doublefile always amuses me. We've all heard of "single file" our minds warp speeding back in time to those early years of lining up single file for our semi-orderly trek to the lunch room.

V. 'Doublefile' is like a hydrangea in spring. Very clever breeding by the plant person you mentioned. Beautiful!
April 13, 2009 at 7:53 AM
Post a Comment