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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

Japanese Silver Grass "Cabaret"

Japanese Silver Grass "Cabaret" (Miscanthus sinensis) - It flops like crazy and gets much larger than I expected. We have been very dry for the past month and need rain really bad. The ornamental grasses, however, do not seem to mind at all.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. I don't think anything fazes the big grasses. Pretty.

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  2. It drives me crazy when plants flop like that! My Karley Rose grass flops after every rainfall, but quickly pops back up once it dries. But it's strictly a summer grass. The seed heads shatter and don't look like much in winter.

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