Shrubs – Sticks & Stones

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Bring on the Blooms!!

Can you really have too much of a good thing? Of course!  I can think of many times I’ve eaten myself sick on foods that I rarely get a chance to eat. (Most notably, crawfish in New Orleans… It just tastes better in the French Quarter)

But too many flowers?  Nah, never!  Many years ago, when I heard gardeners complaining about Reblooming Lilacs, the arguments sounded like a kitten growling at an elephant. Why would you bemoan a beloved plant blooming long past its season? A direct quote from one article is “But who wants a lilac up the nose when they’d otherwise be carving pumpkins?” The short answer is, “A lot of people!”

If your customers would love to experience lilacs all season, plant Bloomerang® Syringa.

To maximize the flourish, follow this specific pruning schedule.

  • Do not prune them before the first flush in the spring.  Since they flower on old wood, they set their first buds on the previous year’s growth.
  • After the spring bloom, there’s a window of about 6 weeks before the next flush.  This is the optimal time to cut back a Bloomerang bush. The trim will encourage new growth and this is where the strong re-flush comes from.

However, be sure to manage expectations.  Yes, they re-bloom, but they never reach the full spring flush.  The second flush is enhanced by pruning. But afterwards, the flowers are best described as sporadic.

What about a plant that obscures all the foliage with flowers making it look fake?

Bobo® Hydrangea…I’ve seen the marketing pictures of this plant, but I’ve also experienced it in real life. And, let me tell you, the pictures don’t show how full of color the plant is in the garden. The best description I can come up with is…Unreal. The plant looks like a vase jammed full of mophead, clean-white flowers.  Do you need to have foliage to make a plant look nice?  I know flower shop employees that create arrangements would staunchly say that adding greenery is important.

I disagree.  There’s no such thing as too many flowers.

Adding these stunners to your designs ensures that your customers feel the ‘Wow!’ factor without a lot of work or taking up a lot of space (it’s a dwarf panicle hydrangea).

Pruning Bobo® Hydrangea also encourages new blooms. Consider giving your customers’ Bobos a trim during dormancy (Late fall-winter).  I say trim because taking just 1/3 off the top and shaping up the plant is optimal.  You can prune them to the ground (like some roses) and they will come back nicely. But it is certainly not necessary, especially with such a compact plant.

As I wrote this article, the song “Too Much Fun” by Daryle Singletary kept running through my mind.  I think ole Daryle said it best with the lyrics, “Too much fun, what’s that mean? It’s like too much money, there’s no such thing… …No matter what they say, I’ve done, but I ain’t never had too much fun.” Now, replace “fun” with “bloom”.

Marci McIntosh

Full Sun, Full Fun Shrubs

As we sit here under the clouds in Plymouth, contemplating more rain and clouds in the coming week, let’s talk about some full-sun shrubs that can liven up your plantings. We can help make a landscape pop with vibrant colors and beautiful flowers. Here are a few unique options to consider when trying to find the right plants for uncovered landscapes:

Summer Wine® Physocarpus opulifolius

Considered to be an improvement to Ninebark, Summer Wine grows to be 5-8’ tall and wide, with dark purple foliage and white flowers in the spring that can even be cut for arrangements. This plant is very low maintenance and provides a great contrast of color wherever it’s planted. As it grows it will also give a unique look as its stems start to splay out, but its tidy habit rarely requires pruning. (If you find you like this plant but need to tuck it into an even smaller space, check out Tiny Wine Ninebark!)

Czechmark Trilogy® Weigela

Czechmark Trilogy Weigela stays relatively small, between 3-3.5’ tall and wide. The interest in this plant comes in spring with its flower color, varying from white, pink and red at any one time. As for the rest of the season, Czechmark Trilogy will have glossy green foliage that stays looking brand new.

Double Play® Candy Corn® Spiraea

Candy Corn Spirea is a part of the Double Play series, and has only made an appearance in landscapes in the past few years. It is relatively new, but sets itself apart from other Spirea with its foliage showing all different shades of yellow, orange and green. A very compact plant that stays around 2-2.5’ tall and wide, this is another low maintenance beauty. While the foliage provides the show all year long, Candy Corn has dark purple flowers in the spring and early summer that contrast beautifully with the vibrant leaves.

These are only a few options for planting in full sun, but there are many more out there if you put your sunglasses on and take a look around!

Photos for this Article Courtesy of Proven Winners - www.provenwinners.com.