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
What a delightful cornucopia of evergreens. Each and every are charming in their own way. I really like the small norway pine with those little cones on it and the shaggy blue shrub. Nothing like giving me a bad case of the wants.
ReplyDeleteYou have some really lovely specimens! I admired Cedrus deodara very much when we first moved here, but I was afraid of how big it might get.
ReplyDeleteAlison, this particular one is not supposed to get that big (4' I think).
DeleteI adore conifers. They MAKE the northwest winter garden. There is such a verity of size color and shape I never tire of them. I can never name any of them, including the unnamed specimen you moved the first year. A couple of times I try to relocate a conifer, but it didn't survive. You should feel proud; your move seem to have been very successful!
ReplyDeleteThey're all gorgeous ! Did you get them from Y&G ?
ReplyDeleteI just did a count and they all came from YnG except for five. The sequoia came from Gossler Farms and some of the larger plants (like the Spanish Fir) came from a nursery that is no longer in business. I bought a lot of things there before I even knew YnG existed.
DeleteI followed a photo when researching Catherine Elizabeth and was pleased to find your lovely conifer collection. I have oodles of them. Two hopefully useful comments: I have a Kelly's Prostrate that is over 3' tall and 6-7' wide, from a 10" tall x 3' wide 10 gallon after 10 years. It's still growing several inches a year! And the yellow one at the end of your post looks just like my new Chamaecyparis lawsoniana "Treasure Island". Thanks for sharing your beautiful conifers with us. Steve
ReplyDeleteHi Steven, thank you! Oh my, I may need to consider moving Kelly's Prostrate if it gets that big. I had no idea!
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