I got you down, Coleup!
I saw a lovely fothergilla at an arboretum once, but I have no idea if they're easy to grow. I don't think I've ever seen one in anyone's yard. Is that the reason they're underplanted? Are they difficult to grow?
The oakleaf and climbing hydrangeas in this bed are going gangbusters, so I think the amended soil is doing its job, and I'd like to keep the depth as it is. I just can't get anything too finicky, though. This isn't the "death bed," so I'm optimistic about its replacement!
Paul mentioned that there was a group of rhodies that just didn't do well on the east coast. I may need to ask him for his suggestion for a good cultivar. Or maybe a mountain laurel? I got an azalea from him last year, and it's looking beautiful.
Yardening mid March 2015
Fothergilla gardenii is native mainly to southeaster coastal or low-land environments, while F. major is native to upland areas. This suggests that F. gardenii is best suited for the MD coastal plain, while F. major would prefer the MD piedmont and environs to the west. If Fothergillas in the Annapolis area that are doing poorly are F. major, that may explain their lack of enthusiasm.
SSG: check out www.whitmanfarms.com for witchazels if you want. They have a large selection.
Hi! Ric here! we arrived in Florida without incident, having a nice visit so far. It is hot here, in the 80s most of the day.
Thanks, Seq!
Greenthumb, thanks for the lesson!
Holly and Ric, I hope you come back tanned and relaxed!
SSG, the azalea place Paul worked with was one of the vendors at the National Arboretum Plant Sale. They had a pretty nice selection. Are you planning to attend?
Greenthumb, do you grow either of the two Fothergillas? How do they do for you?
Do they offer them for sale at the Loudoun sale?
Ric and Holly, enjoy!
I have had Fothergilla gardenii 'Mount Airy' shrubs for several years, and they are about as close to carefree as you could get. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b705
They're growing in fairly well-drained, just slightly-amended soil in part or full sun. All of the garden centers around here sell 'Mount Airy', and other cultivars are also available as I recall.
Holly, I'm glad you got down there okay and have great weather!
1) My newest, and fullest, Fothergilla gardenii 'Mount Airy' starting to get its fall colors
2) An older one I bought somewhere else; it was scrawnier to begin with.
I think I have the tag so I can tell you where I bought them if you're interested, ssg.
I planted a Fothergilla gardenii 'Mount Airy' late last summer in fairly sandy soil in a slightly raised bed. It is currently leafing out. Not much to report yet. Would like to have a F. major.
Yes, I'll be attending the arboretum sale this weekend!
Very pretty Fothergilla, Muddy.
Another shrub that would do well in the area SSG described as long as it doesn't get dry: Virginia Sweetspire 'Henry's Garnet' http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d590
They're marketed as a shrub for shade, but they do better in part sun. I have 3 that get varying amounts of sun: part shade, full shade and part sun. The latter is doing much better than the others. They're partly evergreen.
I checked out Greers. They have a variety of witch hazels in a variety of sizes if you are interested.
Yehudith
Thanks, Muddy! I can't wait to see these shrubs in person!
I might wait until next year to get a witch hazel. I want to smell the flowers in person!
This message was edited Apr 15, 2015 8:34 PM
ssg, there are some very nice Ilex / Holly out there...and you know who can advise you there. And False Holly. I have that small Goshiki false holly that I got on clearance with beautiful leaves, but theyv'e suddenly all turned brown...
http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1907/goshiki-false-holly/
Oh, I really wanted a goshiki false holly. Do you think yours is dead, or just winter damaged?
I'll investigate today.
This is a totally off-topic "yardening" post, but....our cut Christmas tree is just now beginning to lose needles! It sheltered the critters during the winter, but it's about time to part with it unless there's a nest in it. I'll keep the boughs until the needles fall off, though (free mulch!).
Frasier Fir locally cut?
I think it's a Fraser Fir, but I'm not sure where it was cut. We bought it at Home Depot.
Fraser Firs, especially when cut locally right before Christmas and kept watered can stand for months indoors without dropping needles. Perfect tree for those who like to keep their tree up and their house clean.
We had a Fraser Fir this year and it dropped needles all over. Usually we have an artificial tree so I'm not sure how to gauge the needle drop. I didn't really care, it was up for 4.5 weeks. I think they have the best look of all the Christmas trees.
Maybe it was a Fraser that kept its needles wonderfully for us one year.
There was a terribly tragic fire in Annapolis this year, which they feel originated in a large Christmas tree.
I may have been the cause of mine losing needles though because I did let it dry out once a couple days after it was in the house. I never realized how much water those things can drink when fresh cut. The humidity in our house is super low in the winter too because of our pellet stove. It's usually in the low 30s, which can't be good for a cut tree.
Just FYI, if a cut tree goes "dry," it will often stop taking up water altogether unless you make a new cut at the base. Miss the scent but otherwise loving our artificial tree we got a couple years ago!
good to know, but who the ham sandwich is going to take down a decorated tree and make a new cut?
X^D
Happy day. I dug out a bad decision and in its place planted a deciduous Exbury Azalea from our man Paul.
Golden Flame.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/83039/
by the way PlantFiles has a new look
who the ham sandwich, indeed! LOL that info is more by way of warning never to let the bottom go dry... although depending on the size of your base & the trunk, you might be able to make some slashes into the bark to take up more water (I did that one year).
Yep, Seq, that's what did it. Live and learn!
I had the same thought that Critter did -- use a sawzall to cut whatever you can off the base when it goes dry. They do suck up a lot of water at first; mine almost went dry a few times..
That fire was so very terrible; I can't imagine what those families are going through now.
Sally, those flowers are a gorgeous color!
Golden Flame's a great one!
Is it typical for containerized strawberries to not survive our winters? They're not showing any sign of life. I may need to go out and get some this weekend.
I don't know...the only strawberries I've ever grown in a container were in a clay strawberry pot, so it went in the garage for the winter. I think it would depend on the kind of strawberry though.
Darn, I showered before dinner...I KNEW that was too early. I've gone and gotten my nails all dirty again
8^D
and I love it
Shovel pruned one of the two thorny gooseberries. They are pretty aggressive, real stickery, and I have never eaten a gooseberry. So why keep it? I felt bad that Teresa's brother brought a whole tray of rootings to swap one time and seemed he'd get no takers. I have two of his thrornless kind. They are less aggressive in spreading, and easier on the hands.
Course, if anybody wants these stickery ones, or rooted tips of the other, just holler.
It was a down and dirty day alright.
Sally--
Gooseberries just are not all that popular in this area. They are VERY popular
in my country and, i am sure, other N. European countries.
I have one growing in a BIG pot. It spent years wasting away in that little
"hopeless bed" I wanted to demolish. There just was NO sun there--between the old
Lilac bush and the 6' fence it was almost in shade.
I have had this Gooseberry for almost 30 years. It was dug up from an old Estonian
man's garden. He and his wife are long gone now. But--I have HIS Gooseberry bush.
Only ONE year--I harvested enough berries to make jam. Gooseberry jam rocks!!!
I dug the bush out 2 years ago--and got 2 really large sections out of it and
some smaller ones. My Pakistani neighbor begged me for the bigger one--said they were
very important for one's health. Don't know just HOW? But, I gave it to her...
The other big section I put in a 3gal. pot and surprised this man's daughter 2 years ago
at the Estonian X-mas Bazaar. I gave her her father's Gooseberry bush back.
She was very touched. I LOVE doing things like this....
Gooseberries are sweet when completely ripe. They also turn a mauve-reddish color.
While green--they are a bit sour.
I have 2 small, potted up divisions available for the swap. Haven't seen any interest yet.
No interest yet either in my Dwarf Bearded Iris. I have 7 potted trays of it--
growing really well now. I expect, by the Swap time, they may be in bloom.
These grow only about 8" tall.
Here is the tray of these iris--waiting for adoption.....
G.
Great story, Gita! Maybe you could make jam if you had 3 potted gooseberries... ;-)
Sally, I think I might be glad that my gooseberry bush didn't make it... although a few thorny gooseberries might be good to have, depending on how well I like our potential new backyard neighbors LOL. Do the birds get your berries, or why have you not eaten one yet?
I did a little yardening at Poppy's house, dug up two plants that told me they want to live in Pa. LOL
Gita, that's a great story. I'm glad yo found homes for them and they haven't become a hassle for you.
Jill, last year was the first for any berries. They were very small. I'll have plenty of berries from the remaining two if I want them. Those thorny ones are already suckering and rooting at the tips. They'd make a good barrier plant but I just know, anywhere here that I placed them, 'I' would be the one dealing with the after effects...good for big acreage, not good for tight spaces.
The way you pick Gooseberries is to lift up a branch (with gloved hand)
and pick off the berries. They grow on the underside of the stems.
I do not have much hope for any harvest this year--as it may still have to "settle in"
the big pot. At least--it is in good soil and in full sun.
Now I wait and see.... G.
If you were designing a garden and wanted a path that kind of wandered, would you plan the path first and then the plants or the opposite? Need to redo the front yard and want to connect them (there is a narrow sidewalk right up the center).
Catbird, I've heard that hardscape generally comes before softscape.