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
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou've got some beautiful blooms Phillip, and that ceanothus is magnificent.
ReplyDeleteI did a google search and several entries popped up. This one says it is varigated. https://plantlust.com/plants/17483/ceanothus-thyrsiflorus-black-diamond/
ReplyDeleteBarbara that is it - thank you! I don't know how I missed that. So it is 'Black Diamond' (it is variegated). I laughed at the size dimensions of 5' - ours is at least 8.
DeleteThe blooms in you garden are amazing. I make rounds in my gardens everyday, but there are always the more demure plant blooms that get overlooked at times until I see the seed pods forming. Your Rhododendron 'Percy Wiseman' is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteSo many beautiful plants that I can't grow ;) I can grow Ceanothus, though, and wish I had one like yours!
ReplyDeleteHi Phillip, I'm so glad it was the right plant. I wonder if you had a typo when you searched that created a problem finding it. I highlighted the name in your post and right clicked to search with Google and got hits right away. I'm glad I tried - I almost didn't but I guess it was the years working in the library that made me try.
ReplyDeleteThat Canopus looks like a fake tree with those blue blooms. I haven’t seen such a plant before. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteWow, these are fantastic flowers! Great colors.
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