The Garden Awakens
Anise 'Woodland Red' ( Illicium floridanum ) A few weeks ago, I thought spring would never arrive, but now the change is astonishing. The nights are still cold (40s and sometimes even 30s) so planting tender annuals and vegetables is unwise although I have already succumbed, but covering and uncovering things gets old quickly. Someone made a wise comment last week and I must agree with them - "Don't plant anything tender until after May 1". Several plants are blooming like never before. One is the Anise shrub (above and below). I don't know if the recent tree pruning, which is allowing more sun into the woodland path, is affecting it or perhaps it is just age, but I've never seen so many blooms. Michael refers to this as "the stinky fish shrub" and I have to admit to smell of the flowers is quite unpleasant. It is so beautiful that I can overlook that. The old pink dogwood tree, which was already here, shades our woodland path and it too is prett
I've tried and failed with this one three times! Adding insult to injury is the fact that one of my gardening friends has one that's at least 12 feet tall!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to enjoy it vicariously in your garden!
Hi Phillip, I just found you through a search for Alabama gardens on botanical.com. Boy do I need to keep up with your blog! I moved to Alabama from northern NY in April of 09 and have a LOT to learn! And this looks like the place for me to get an education! What a great spot and I look forward to going back in time. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI will never forget the first time I saw some camellias. It was winter and I had gone south for some reason. We stopped at a rest area and there were camillias blooming. I wondered what kind of roses they were. Ha... Love seeing yours.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly fill a gap in the garden this time of year. I love the way they just up and surprise you one day when walking through the garden. I kind of forget they are there. But not now!!
ReplyDeleteNice! I just added two 'Winter Snowman' camellias this year. I can't wait to see the blooms!
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful camellia, and perfectly named!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are delightful.
ReplyDeleteC. sasanqua marks the beginning of the winter garden. I have the older white, here for 50 years and now a tree form. It has a delightful tea fragrance as well as that daily carpet of petals underneath.
I trimmed our Camelia bushes way back late in the summer and was not expecting many blooms. Whoa, I am surprised to have plenty white blooms! And so far no cold to turn them brown! So beautiful...
ReplyDeleteI think these sasanqua camellias are as beautiful as shrub roses yet more precious because of the time of year they bloom. Nothing lifts my spirits more in these days of limited light.
ReplyDeleteIs this an Ackerman Hybrid?
Lovely. I have a special affinity for white flowers, and this one is great for the late fall.
ReplyDeleteJan
Always Growing
I could not imagine a garden without a sasanqua or two.
ReplyDeleteIt is always so hard to choose from all the great camellias out there but this type of bloom (not to mention the timing) adds it to the near-top of my list. thanks so much for the rec!
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